The most common skin problems include blemishes, scarring, uneven tone, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. All of these problems can be addressed via IPL therapy. Short for intense pulsed light, IPL treatment can improve the overall skin tone and texture, and it can also reduce the appearance of darker patches such as freckles, acne scars, and even vascular lesions.

We highly recommend this treatment because it is non-invasive, non-ablative, and effective for all skin tones. Generally, IPL treatment involves several sessions, and these are spaced apart by a week or so. There’s no downtime after treatment, and no special follow-up care is required on the part of the client.

About Pulsed Light Energy

The device used for this treatment emits a combination of wavelengths, each of which has a specific intensity. When the proper mix of wavelengths is emitted, the energy passes right through lighter tissue only to be absorbed deeper down by darker material.

This means that the device can be calibrated to target just about any type of discoloration. Dark tissues contain color-bearing pigments, and these cells are known as chromophores. Obviously, freckles, age spots, and other blemishes will absorb the emitted energy more readily than lighter-toned tissues. When the energy is absorbed, the tissue is damaged and is eventually replaced by healthy cells.

Consultation and Treatment

We will examine your skin closely and make a note of areas of hyperpigmentation. We’ll know the cause of the darkened patches whether they be blemishes, injury scars, stretch marks, or age spots. This allows us to calibrate the device properly.

The newer IPL treatment devices have a cooling tip or come with a cold-air flow mechanism. This helps keep the skin comfortable during treatment. After we apply a salve to the skin surface, we press the device to the skin and trigger a couple of rapid pulses of energy. The light energy passes through the epidermis and is absorbed by the targeted tissues containing chromophores.

We can treat an area the size of the face in about 45 minutes. We generally schedule about four treatments to ensure maximum results.

Rapid Improvement in Skin Health

After about a month following the final treatment, you’ll really begin to notice improvement in skin tone and a decrease in the visibility of blemishes. The results are long-lasting, and a regular schedule of follow-up treatments keeps the skin healthy and youthful-looking.

You can enjoy more youthful, supple, and blemish-free skin with IPL treatment at Le Reve Skincare & Laser Center, so visit us in Fort Worth, TX to learn more. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!

As we continue to age, our facial skin begins to show more prominent scarring, and blemishes such as liver spots and freckles become darker. This can really detract from our appearance, but these small discolorations can easily be treated using light energy. Laser resurfacing removes the epidermis and can damage the lower dermal layers, but intense pulsed light, or IPL, is a gentler form of light energy therapy. Also known as photofacial treatment, IPL treatment is a very effective remedy for various forms of hyperpigmentation.

Instead of emitting laser beams, an IPL device produces broadband light. White light contains many different frequencies, but the filters in the IPL device allow only certain wavelengths to penetrate the skin. These wavelengths are easily absorbed by darker tissue, making this form of treatment quite effective as a means to improve the appearance of darker blemishes.

A Simple Outpatient Procedure

When we consult with the client, we describe the treatment in detail. We examine the skin closely to determine the actual tone and depth of any blemishes. After this examination, we calibrate the IPL device to deliver the right frequencies of light energy at just the right intensity.

The device is placed on the surface of the skin, and the lamp is pulsed for about two milliseconds. The energy passes right through the lighter epidermis and is absorbed by darker tissues such as injury scars or age spots. These darker tissues contain chromophores, cells that don’t reflect much light. The energy heats up and destroys some of the cells, and capillaries in these dark tissues are constricted.

The surrounding tissues are barely affected by the pulses of light energy. However, an added benefit of IPL treatment is that the energy does stimulate the production of collagen, and this actually helps smooth the skin surface.

In most cases, we will recommend a series of treatments, spaced about a week or so apart. The client won’t notice immediate results, but after a month or two, blemishes and dark spots should become significantly less noticeable.

Advantages Over Other Treatments

Since the epidermal layer isn’t being removed as is the case with laser resurfacing, there’s very little chance of unwanted discoloration of the skin after IPL treatment. There’s also no downtime for the client after each treatment session.

If annoying regions of hyperpigmentation are getting you down, you need to know about IPL treatment. Contact us today at Le Reve Anti-Aging & Weight Loss Center to schedule a consultation at our office in Fort Worth!