Intense Pulse Light

A series of treatments usually 5 are used in intervals of 3 weeks. The aim of the treatment is to rejuvenate the look of the face by:

" Reducing overall redness.
" Reducing the variation of pigmentation in the face.
" Specific reduction of larger vessels in the face.
" A modest reduction of wrinkling around the face (particularly the eyes). The mechanism of this action is that longer wavelength components of the epilight travel deep into the dermis and heat the dermis, causing non-specific thermal damage. This stimulates the formation of new collagen and reduces wrinkles.

One of the central concepts of the foto-facial is that it is designed for people with busy lifestyles, people who can't or prefer not to interrupt their schedules to recover from laser re-surfacing or a TCA peel. Though some redness after the foto-facial is possible, makeup can be applied straight away and usually is possible to go straight back to work or normal activities.

Here are some examples of how the foto-facial works. The first highlights the dramatic changes which can occur with redness, the second the marked decrease in irregular pigmentation and freckling that is possible and the third a combination of this and reduced wrinkling as well.

Who is a candidate for a foto-facial?
Anyone who has redness to their skin, fine lines around the eyes and mild changes to the pigmentation of their facial skin could be a candidate for this treatment. In general, people with fairer skin get more benefit than people with darker skin types, though some people with redness alone and darker skin could benefit.

How many Treatments are required?
Most people will need 5 sessions. Each session lasts about 30-45 minutes. i.e Full Face, Neck, Decolletage, Hands, Arms etc. Obviously this depends on the area being treated.

Are there any side effects?
Very few, these are the same as for photo-derm treatment. Some redness can be expected for a day or so. Occasionally, a small bruise or blister can appears in the skin, but this is unusual.

Does this replace laser peels?
The foto-facial is designed for such people with moderate damage to their skin as a result of age and sun exposure. As such it is ideal for many Australians who have a combination of fair skin and exposure to the sun. There is a limit to the effectiveness of the treatment, and can significantly help people with severe sun damage or age related changes, except perhaps to get rid of some localised pigmentation or redness. In these situations laser re-surfacing and deep chemical peels are required.

Will I need time off work?
Usually no, the later treatments of a course of foto-faccial treatments are more intense and this may lead to some redness and occasionally some bruising over the areas treated.

Are the results instantaneous?
It is possible to see some changes in pigmented areas within a few days, but changes to redness are something that is noticed over a period of weeks.

What restrictions are there after treatment?
There are very few, makeup can be applied directly after treatment.