Living in sunny Houston, we’ve all had our share of sun exposure. And now we have the sun spots to show for it! Otherwise, your skin may have some acne scarring, hyperpigmentation, even rosacea, and you wonder what you can do to improve it.
At Dr. Barrera’s we would advise you to get “intense” with it, as in Intense Pulsed Light. We use Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) to deliver IPL photorejuvenation, which provides gentle skin renewal without downtime.
IPL photorejuvenation is good for treating the effects of sun damage, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, acne scars, and other skin problems.
How does IPL work?
Our IPL treatments at Dr. Barrera’s are 30-minute sessions in which “intense” pulses of light are directed onto the target areas of the skin. This has two effects. First, the melanin in your age spots and areas of hyperpigmentation absorbs the light energy. This breaks down the melanin (which give these areas their darker color), and these spots then slough off in a couple weeks. Second, the light penetrates deeply, beyond the epidermis (the outer layer of the skin) into the dermis beneath. The light energy converts to heat when it enters the dermis and this causes the body to perceive it as an injury, responding by constricting the collagen and blood vessels below the epidermis, reducing redness, lines, and scars. The body also signals the need to create new collagen to address the “injury.” Since collagen is the body’s skin support protein, new collagen helps fill wrinkles and scars and makes the skin appear younger.
What happens during the IPL session?
Your skin’s future will be so bright, you’ll have to wear shades! OK, that’s dumb, but to begin, you will be given protective eyewear to protect your eyes from the bright flashes of light. A cooling gel is applied to the more sensitive target areas, acting both as a lubricant and to cool the skin. As the light is applied to your skin, you will feel a warm sensation from the handpiece. The feeling of the light entering your skin is often compared to a light snap from a rubber band.
The results of IPL photorejuvenation are like those of a medium chemical peel without any of the downtime. Since the procedure encourages collagen production, it takes a series of sessions to achieve the results you seek. Some patients see some immediate results; others see results after the second or third session. We recommend patients have a series of five treatments, each spaced three to four weeks apart.
Want to get intense with your skin issues for 2022? Call us at Dr. Barrera’s, (713) 468-5200, and schedule IPL photorejuvenation.
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