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What Is IPL Treatment?

IPL is short for intense pulsed light. This method is used to treat spots, unwanted hair, and wrinkles. In addition, it can also be used to remove or reduce sun damage, birthmarks, freckles, rosacea, and hair on your neck, legs, face, underarms, or chest.

Is IPL the Same As a Laser Treatment?

While both treatments have similarities, IPL emits multiple wavelengths compared to a laser that only releases a single wavelength of light. In addition, the light from a laser is much less scattered and more focused than the light from IPL. Intense pulsed light is much less damaging to your skin because it penetrates into your skin’s layer without causing any harm to the upper layer (epidermis).

How Does It Work?

Your skin’s pigment cells convert the light energy into heat, and as a result, the heat clears up your spots and freckles by destroying the unwanted pigment. In the case of controlling hair growth on certain parts of your body, it works by destroying the follicle.

Where Can the IPL Laser Treatment Be Used?

Typically, you can have it done to any part of your body. However, it doesn’t work well for people with darker skin tones or uneven areas. When it comes to hair, it works well on darker hair as compared to light hair.

How Much Does It Cost?

There isn’t a single price set for the IPL laser treatment because the cost relies on the treatment area’s size and the condition you’re dealing with. On average, it can be between $700 to more than $1000, but there can also be additional costs such as:

Follow-up visits
Anesthesia tests
Prescribed medicines, etc.

Also, note that since it is a cosmetic procedure, it is highly unlikely for your health insurance to cover the cost.

How Can You Prepare for It?

Your skin specialist will review your medical history and may also conduct a physical exam to determine what is wrong with your skin. During this time, you must discuss the procedure requirements, costs, risks, and results to avoid confusion. Your skin specialist may ask you to:

Avoid applying deodorants and perfumes to the target area
Avoid chemical peels, sunbathing, or any other possible source of skin exposure to the sun or chemicals for at least two weeks before the treatment starts
Avoid herbal medicines, aspirin, and anti-inflammatory drugs as they may inflate your bleeding risk

How Is the Procedure Performed?

The following steps are involved in the treatment:

First, your target area is cleaned by your skincare professional.
Then your skin receives some cool gel treatment.
Then your skin specialist will use an intense pulsed light device to release light pulses to your skin.
Your professional may ask you to wear glasses to save your eyes from the treatment’s intensity.
The pulses can cause a stinging sensation much similar to getting snapped by a rubber band.

It should take around half an hour for the treatment to complete, but the duration is subject to change depending on the following factors:

The size of your target treatment area
The part of your body exposed to intense pulsed light

You may need to get up to six treatments a month apart for ideal results. In the case of hair removal, you may have to go for as many as twelve treatments.

How well the treatment works also depends on the device being used. For some cosmetic procedures, a new intense pulsed light device may give the same results as a laser treatment. However, for hair removal, it works better on dark and thick hair as compared to light and thin hair.

We recommend consulting your skincare professional to determine how many sessions you require to achieve the desired results.

Are There Any Risks Associated?

According to the ASDS (American Society for Dermatologic Surgery), it is possible to experience mild swelling or redness following the procedure. It doesn’t usually last for more than two days. In rare cases, you may also have the following:

Infection
Blistering
Pain
Bleeding
Crusting
Change in color
Scarring

What Happens Post-Procedure?

It is possible for the patient to not see any noticeable difference for some weeks after the IPL laser treatment is performed. Some expected post-procedure consequences are:

Your skin may be red or pink for up to eight hours or more
You may feel a little stinging sensation, but it usually goes away in about six hours. You can also use a cold pack to reduce it.
You may experience mild swelling, but it goes away in some days.

What Are the Alternatives to Intense Pulsed Light?

There are many other options available to treat spots, unwanted hair, and lines, such as:

Laser

As compared to IPL, laser treatments do not require a lot of sessions. They are more effective on darker skin and may cost more than $2000 on average.

Microdermabrasion

This, too, is an alternative to IPL, but the results are not permanent. On average, it costs up to $138 dollars per session.

Fraxel Laser Treatment

It is a non-ablative treatment that allows your skin to regenerate. However, you may require a number of treatments before you see any visible results. It can cost over $1000 per session.

Pros and Cons of IPL Laser Treatment

Pros

It’s a popular and effective method to treat spots, lines, and unwanted hair.
It is also much faster as compared to other methods
There aren’t as many side effects as with other treatments
Recovery is also relatively faster

Cons

Ideal results may require you to come for several sessions
It doesn’t work very well on light hair and dark skin

In the end, you must weigh the pros of cons of this treatment and have a detailed consultation with your skincare specialist before proceeding. Make sure to evaluate all the risks, benefits, and costs of the entire length of your procedure to make an informed decision.

SmartSkin CO2 Laser Resurfacing

SmartSkin CO2 skin resurfacing utilizes laser technology to treat wrinkles, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, and acne, etc. The intensity of the treatment differs for every patients, and many people can see visible results in as many as three sessions.

What Does It Treat?

SmartSkin CO2 skin resurfacing makes use of a number of technologies to provide your skin with several perks such as:

Smoothness
Reduced wrinkles
Tightened skin
Treating damage from the sun
Treating under-eye circles
Reducing brown pigment
Treating age spots
Rejuvenating neckline and hands

Moreover, once you use this treatment, it makes your skin tighter and more youthful since the procedure incorporates micro-ablative technology. Therefore, you get to experience the outcome immediately without having to wait for days or weeks. Another notable thing about the procedure is that there’s much less discomfort in comparison to other laser treatments.

Even though SmartSkin CO2 skin resurfacing can be performed on any part of your body, it is mainly performed on the face, hands, eyelids, neck, etc.

What Are the Benefits?

Some of the benefits of this laser surfacing procedure include the following:

Immediate Results

Aside from no discomfort, SmartSkin CO2 skin resurfacing also provides quick results. It is also quite convenient and takes just as much time as a quick lunch break.

Detailed Treatment

This innovative treatment method utilizes a plethora of technologies to have a detailed examination of your skin and provide rejuvenate it. As opposed to the traditional treatment methods, it takes much less time to get ideal results, which brings us to the next benefit.

Complete Rejuvenation of Your Skin

Since the procedure incorporates many technologies to rejuvenate your skin and take into account all of its aged and sun-damaged layers, it also goes quite deep in your skin’s structures containing collagen to deal with laxity, hence making it smoother and tighter.

Use of MultiPlex Technology

When the SmartSkin CO2 skin resurfacing treatment incorporates MultiPlex technology, it can send two energy wavelengths in a single pulse from the same device, which means your recovery time is quicker compared to other interventions that use a single wavelength.

What Are the Potential Side Effects?

Again, side effects depend on your treatment’s intensity and frequency. To determine what the laser wavelength should be, your dermatologist will take a detailed account of the severity of your skin problem.

SmartSkin CO2 skin resurfacing treatment has minimal side effects as compared to traditional laser treatments. Some of the potential ones include:

Mild swelling
Warmth of the skin
Redness similar to sunburn

Once the redness goes away, you may feel light peeling, which is a sign your new skin is emerging. Moreover, there’s very little scabbing and bleeding involved in intensive treatments as they attempt to treat your skin imperfections.

In addition, it is highly unlikely for you to develop an infection during or after the process because the SmartSkin CO2 skin resurfacing procedure only targets a tiny fraction of your skin. You can still follow some after-care instructions to rule out the possibility of side effects entirely.

What Is the Recovery Duration?

As opposed to traditional laser therapies or treatments, recovery after SmartSkin CO2 takes less time. Again, the recovery time highly depends on your laser treatment’s intensity and depth. Typically, mild treatments take a day or two for recovery, whereas moderate ones can take up to four days. When it comes to deep treatments, however, healing can take up to a week, but to know for sure, you must have a proper consultation session with your doctor.

What Are Some Post-Treatment Care Instructions We Should Follow?

Good skincare is the first and foremost way to ensure your treatment results are maintained for a long time to come. It depends from professional to professional, but generally, your doctor may recommend using moisturizers, balms, sunscreens, and mild cleansers, etc. Moreover, they also encourage you to maintain your platelet levels.

Your doctor will fully guide you about your post-treatment care regime before even performing it. As your skin heals, you must keep it away from harmful sun rays and use the prescribed products based on your skin’s needs.

What Is the Cost of SmartSkin CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing?

There is no single pricing method for the treatment as the cost takes many factors into account, such as:

The number of sessions needed
The intensity of the treatments
Your personal goals
Treatment sites

Therefore, we recommend having a detailed consultation session with your doctor before you decide to proceed with it. Your doctor can also provide you a price quotation based on the factors stated, and from there, you can either choose to proceed or back out. If you feel that the treatment is inconvenient or unaffordable for you, it is still possible to have a course planned in a way that gives you at least some benefit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will My Results Last Long?

If you follow the skincare advice given by your doctor and protect your skin well, the results may even last for many years.

Is It Possible to Perform Everyday Tasks Immediately After the Procedure?

The recovery time is quite short; however, you may still need to wait for a few days before you get back to your daily activities. If there is a more delicate area of your skin, such as your hands or neck, then it might take one or two weeks to heal completely.

ZO 3-Step Peel: How Is the Procedure Performed

Chemical peels have proven effective in removing dirt, impurities and dead cells from the skin for many people. The ZO 3-Step skin peel is one of the most popular peels skin care professionals offer today.

The ZO 3-Step Peel is far from an ordinary peel and is designed to give you long-lasting benefits after the treatment. It makes use of retinol, different exfoliants and multi-action agents to produce collagen and restore moisture balance.

It makes your skin tighter, smoother, and softer and can only be performed in professionally clinic, by a professional. The ZO 3-Step peel deals with a number of skin-related matters such as melasma, acne, large pores, aging, sun damage and skin dullness.

Where Is It Performed?

This procedure is usually performed on the face, but it is also useful for other body parts such as the chest, arms, legs, hands and neck. It may give you instant results and makes your skin smooth, tight and bright after just one peel. However, if you wish to get better results, you may have to go for subsequent treatments based on what your doctor suggests.

What Are the Benefits?

It improves damage caused by the sun, melasma, fine lines, dullness and pores.
It suppresses inflammation of the skin due to hormones or the sun after the procedure.
It can work on any skin colour or type and is a harmless peel for any individual.
There is minimal irritation involved
Provides protection from antioxidants
It makes the skin able enough to renew or repair itself
Overall, it’s an effective method to deal with skin aging

To gain maximum benefits from the ZO 3-Step peel, you should get it done at least four times a year at four-week intervals.

What Steps Are Involved in the Procedure?

Step 1

The first step involves the peel treatment, which is targeted towards removing your skin’s outer layers. It has 10 percent trichloroacetic acid, 17 percent salicylic acid and 5 percent lactic acid. To make sure the inflammation is minimal, the formulation also involves saponins and glycerin.

Step 2

This step involves applying retinol cream to enhance collagen stimulation and make your skin firm and reduce wrinkles.

Step 3

The last step is all about minimizing irritation by applying a calming cream and restoring your balance of moisture. Once the in-office treatment is complete, your skin professional will give you this cream for application twice a day.

The peeling that follows after the procedure is often unnoticeable. This is because when you wash your face twice every day, it removes the dead cells. The peeling begins on the third day after your treatment and can go on for a total of seven days. The skin starts looking healthy fairly quickly as there isn’t any downtime involved.

Who Should Not Consider This Procedure?

The ZO 3 step peel is not suitable if you are:

Pregnant
Breastfeeding
On antibiotics

Who Is an Ideal Candidate for the Procedure?

Both women and men of all skin colors and types can enjoy benefits from the ZO 3-Step peel. If you’re someone who’s looking to improve their skin health, the procedure can be a great choice. However, make sure that your skin is not extra sensitive as you may experience irritation. In addition, you can always consult a professional to decide if you should get the treatment done.

On the whole, anyone who’s struggling with an irregular skin texture, melasma, severe acne, hyperpigmentation etc., is an ideal candidate; unless they have a severe health condition that may act as an obstacle in the treatment course.

What Are the Side Effects?

Even though the ZO 3-step peel is considered safe generally, the possibility of side effects cannot be disregarded. There can be irritation after the treatment, but it’s often temporary and goes away in some days following the peel. Some side effects reported commonly are:

Stinging
Redness
Flaking
Itching
Slight swelling
Peeling

However, all the side effects stated above are quite rare, and even if they occur, they only last for a few days. In case you experience them for an extended period of time, consult your clinician or dermatologist right away.

How Can You Minimize Risk?

Your skincare professional must pre-condition your skin with retinoic acid or retinol four to six weeks before the actual procedure.
Make sure there is pretreatment of four percent hydroquinone involved if you are suffering from hyperpigmentation.
Avoid getting it done if you have previously been exposed to radiation therapy.
If you have been suffering from fever or cold sores, make sure to treat them with suppressants at least seven days before the day of the procedure

How Much Does It Cost?

The treatment cost varies depending on how many peels you require and how often. The clinic or the vicinity also matters because the cost is different everywhere. However, on average, it costs over $200.

If you’re dealing with any of the conditions listed earlier and have understood the procedure requirements and conditions, you can take the next step and consult your dermatologist at one of our 18 convenient locations to set up an appointment for the procedure.

Acoustic Wave Cellulite Treatment

Cellulite is a rather harmless yet common skin condition that causes your hips, thighs, abdomen, and buttocks to have a lumpy appearance. The condition is more common among females than males.

Types of Cellulite

Edematous Cellulite

This type of cellulite is more common among women in their 20s or 30s and is linked to poor or weak blood circulation. It is often difficult to treat and mostly occurs on the thighs, legs, and knees.

Flaccid Cellulite

This type of cellulite is common among women in their 30s or 40s, and it appears in the form of sagging. It occurs in the hips, buttocks, arms, and legs and increases with weight gain. Treatment can be effective and may bring out promising results.

Compact Cellulite

This type of cellulite can appear in adolescence and often lasts a lifetime if you don’t treat it in time. It appears in the form of depression and grooves in the hips, glutes, and thighs.

How Is Cellulite Different In Men and Women?

Since fat accumulated differently among men and women, the condition appears differently in them too. For instance, the fat in women is organized perpendicularly to the skin, whereas in men, it appears parallel to the skin. Therefore, men have smoother skin because there’s minimal skin pulling down involved. However, for women, fat means an uneven surface as the connective tissue pulls the skin down.

What Is Acoustic Wave Therapy?

This type of therapy consists of a non-invasive method to treat cellulite for the long term. It is used for many problems such as Achilles tendonitis, kidney stones, other soft tissue disorders, and skin tightening.

Acoustic wave therapy involves using ultrasonic waves to eventually provide a smoother contour by breaking the fibrous tissue down and relaxing the septae.

How Does It Work on Cellulite?

Acoustic wave therapy works by disrupting the fibrous septae that are hardened and providing your skin with natural elasticity. It makes the underlying skin thick, preventing the lumpy skin from appearing. At the same time, it also breaks down fat cells. When the new collagen forms, it reduces the amount of fat protruding under your skin. Through the process, your lymphatic drainage and blood flow improve significantly, causing the action from the ultrasonic waves to increase.

Experts recommend to take at least four to six treatments in the beginning. Depending on the part of your body they are treating, the procedure can take 30 to 45 minutes on average. Some experts also recommend at least two repeat treatments in a year since cellulite can come back in many patients.

What Are the Pros of Acoustic Wave Therapy for Cellulite?

Some benefits of the procedure include:

It is painless
Only after four to five sessions, your cellulite is reduced to a great extent.
There’s no period of inactivity because of the treatment
It does wonders to tighten your slack skin
It reduces stretch marks and scars
It also reduces fat to support anti-fat injections and diet

Treatment Phases

Acoustic wave therapy for cellulite is generally divided into three parts, before, during, and after the process. Here is what happens in each stage:

Before the Procedure

Prior to the treatment, you will be required to consult with a doctor and figure out what the procedure can achieve for you. Your health care professional will also examine your target body mass to tell the extent to which the treatment will be effective. They may also take pictures to compare the current situation with the one achieved after the procedure.

During the Procedure

The procedure requires you to lie down first, following which a handpiece is put on the target area. Some people also use special oil to ensure that the energy transmission is smooth. Planar waves are used to increase the permeability of fat cell membranes. They’re also referred to as “C-actor.” After that, the “D-actor,” which is the radial waves, is used to press out fat from the cells. Hence your bumps are reduced, and the skin becomes tight again.

If two different areas are being treated, such as your thighs, for example, the procedure can take around 20 to 30 minutes. But the procedure takes up to an hour if four different areas are undergoing treatment. The biggest perk of acoustic wave therapy is that it does not cause any pain, but if you’re slim, it may give an unpleasant sensation on spots above your bones.

After the Procedure

It often takes up to five sessions to show any visible results, and for longer-lasting results, it can even go up to ten sessions with one week-long interval. You are not required to follow any special precautions following the treatment, but it’s still recommended to have a well-balanced and healthy diet with good hydration practices. In addition, you can also try doing physical activity such as strength and stamina training after consulting your healthcare professional.

In the end, acoustic wave therapy has different results depending on your age and the type of cellulite being treated. However, timely intervention can help prevent the condition from getting worse.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Both Men and Women Make Use of AWT?

AWT is usually performed on women who have any cellulite.

When Do the Results Become Apparent?

It often takes a good four to five sessions of acoustic wave therapy for results to become more apparent. However, to get the best results, a professional may recommend up to ten sessions.

What Are the Side Effects of AWT?

There are no side effects of AWT so far unless your skin is very sensitive. In that case, there could be minor bruises.

Anti-Aging Facial – Restoring the Youthful Glow to Your Face

Aging is a natural process that causes our skin to lose its youthfulness, identifying the marks of a life lived well. Your skin is likely to have visible lines, dryness, and thinness in the process as it loses collagen, an essential substance to keep your skin cells intact. Since genes control the changes largely, there isn’t much one can do about the natural aging process. However, you can slow down the process with some modern interventions such as anti-aging facials.

What Is an Anti-Aging Facial?

An anti-aging facial consists of treatments designed to deal with maturing or aging skin. There is no specific age group eligible to get these treatments. Besides aging, other factors can cause early maturation of the skin among people as young as in their late 20s or early 30s.

There are several steps involved in anti-aging facial treatment, such as moisturizing, massaging, exfoliating, etc. This procedure acts as a middle point between something as simple as a basic facial and invasive surgery.

Types of Anti-Aging Facials

There are a plethora of anti-aging facial treatments available at your disposal, such as:

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion is a minimally invasive procedure used to deal with problems such as wrinkles, age spots, fine lines, etc. The treatment involves blowing micro-crystals across your skin to erase dead cells from the surface. It is an effective intervention for acne and also effective in reversing the signs of aging.

It is generally considered safe and can work on most skin colors and types. Your skin care professional may recommend avoiding waxing, tanning creams, masks, exfoliating creams, and sun exposure for at least a week before you get the treatment.

How Is the Procedure Carried Out?

A licensed skincare professional performs the procedure, which usually requires an hour. Upon your arrival at the relevant skin care facility, your professional will make you sit in a reclining chair and use a spray on the target areas to remove any sand or particles. In the end, they will moisturize it or use a suitable sunscreen.

Based on the type of device your professional is using, there are different ways to perform the procedure, such as a diamond handpiece, crystal microdermabrasion, and hydradermabrasion. Before choosing a certain course of treatment, make sure to consult your skincare professional and understand the costs and requirements of all procedures.

Side-Effects

Some common side-effects of this anti-aging facial treatment include:

Swelling
Redness
Mild tenderness
Minor bruising

However, the side effects are short-lived. You may be told to keep your skin hydrated and avoid acne medications for a while. You can go back to your usual routine in a day but make sure to use sunscreen to protect your skin.

Light Therapy Treatments

LED light therapy is a popular intervention to treat acne, reduced inflammation, and provide anti-aging effects. The procedure is a bit more invasive than microdermabrasion and does not last more than 20 minutes. Depending on the type of result you need, you may be required to get a total of ten treatments.

The procedure involves exposure to LED lights with pulses of increased intensity to help remove pores, fine lines, etc.

Side-Effects

The procedure is generally deemed safe with fewer risks involved. Some of the risks include:

Possible scarring
Increased sensitivity to light (especially if you’re already using something to make your skin sensitive to sunlight)

You may also experience the following after the treatment.

Redness
Rash
Pain
Hives
Tenderness
More inflammation

Even though these are rare, you should consult your doctor right away if you experience any given symptoms.

Exfoliating Facial

An exfoliating facial is an anti-aging facial that treats your wrinkles and fine lines by boosting the circulation in your skin. It also helps remove your skin’s outer layers and gives it a more even tone.

Side-Effects

Facial can also accompany certain side effects such as:

Breakouts: If the tools used are not sterilized properly, they may cause bacteria to break your skin out. Therefore, make sure to use sterilized equipment only.
Scarring: Your skin’s outer layer can be damaged if your aesthetician uses their fingers to remove pore impurities. In rare cases, it may cause your skin to be infected. Therefore always request your facialist to wear gloves.
Dryness: Tough exfoliation can cause your skin to get itchy and dry. A soft moisturizer post-treatment can help combat it.

Collagen Facial

This procedure works deep inside your skin’s dermis layers to help find collagen proteins. Vitamins and oxygen are gently infused into your skin to allow it to produce more collagen. Then it follows a gentle massage to increase blood circulation and some finishing products to moisturize your skin.

Side-Effects

Some potential side effects include

Redness
Bleeding, swelling, or bruising (happens rarely)
Possible skin rash and scarring
Lumps

In case any of the given side effects cause discomfort, contact your skin specialist right away.

Glycolic Acid Facial

Glycolic acid belongs to the AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) family. It is a common acid used to even your skin tone, smoothen your wrinkles and fine lines, reduce hyperpigmentation and add glow to your skin.

Side-Effects

Some common side effects include:

Peeling
Redness
Dryness

However, they are harmless and may take a few days to disappear.

A good anti-aging facial can effectively boost collagen in your skin and undo or slow down the aging process. However, you must consult your dermatologist to understand what your skin requires. Some treatments may not suit your skin well; therefore, getting an evaluation done would be great to land the ideal procedure.

Ideal results depend on many factors, such as the product quality, skincare regime, and the esthetician’s experience. However, be careful not to overdo it. Research possible treatment options, and choose the best-suited option based on your professional’s advice.