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Give your skin a photo finish

For non-surgical skin rejuvenation that is non-invasive and backed by results, light-based therapies can restore health and natural beauty to your skin without extensive downtime. At Vitahl Medical Aesthetics, we offer a wide range of skin rejuvenation options, including IPL photofacials for targeted, effective treatment.

Schedule a consultation and find out how IPL photofacials can help improve the look and feel of your skin using clinically-tested light-based therapy.

What are IPL Photofacials?

IPL, or intense pulsed light, is an innovative therapy that uses specially designed light pulses that can be customized to patient’s unique skincare needs for more precise and effective treatment. It is a multi-step process:

  • The area being treated is thoroughly cleansed in order to aid in its absorption ability
  • A photosensitive medication such as Levulan is applied to the skin and left to penetrate below the surface depending on the extent of correction required
  • The treated area is then exposed to a specific wavelength of light. The photosensitive medication is activated, destroying damaged skin cells and targeting the hemoglobin and melanin in vascular lesions. The light energy is converted to heat during this process, clearing the lesions from the skin.

What Do IPL Photofacials Treat?

This non-invasive skin rejuvenation option can be used on multiple areas of the body including the face, arms, chest, and other body areas. IPL photofacials can help correct multiple skin imperfections, such as:

  • Sun damage
  • Brown spots
  • Age spots
  • Dilated blood vessels
  • Facial redness caused by broken capillaries
  • Rosacea

What Can I Expect During Treatment?

Protective eyewear will be supplied for you in order to shield your eyes from the intense light. This procedure is typically well-tolerated and generally no topical numbing creams are needed, but these options can be discussed during your consultation. Patients are made comfortable during their IPL photofacial, and our medical team will talk you through the various stages of treatment.

Is There Any Recovery?

A mild redness akin to a slight sunburn typically develops after treatment but should subside within a day. The skin continues to heal itself after the procedure is over, with full effects becoming evident over a matter of several days. Depending on your individual condition, multiple treatment sessions may be required.

IPL - Photo Facial Frequently Asked Questions

IPL is also known as Photo Facial or Photo Rejuvenation. The light delivered by the IPL is selectively absorbed by the pigmented spots on your skin. It's the heating of the pigmented cells that causes the therapeutic effect.

Virtually any part of your body with sun and age spots or freckles can be safely treated. The face, chest, shoulders, and arms are the most popular areas for treatment because they have typically had the most sun exposure. Both discrete spots and skin densely covered with freckles respond well to treatment.

When the hand piece is placed on your skin, it will feel cool and comfortable. When the pulse of light is delivered, you may feel a mild, brief pinching sensation. Although no local anesthetic or pain medication is required, you may choose to apply topical anesthetic prior to the treatment.

The actual treatment only takes only 15 to 30 minutes. Since there is no need to apply gel or any topical anesthetic, your total appointment time can easily fit into your lunch hour.

We recommend 3 to 5 treatments, spaced 4 weeks apart.

Immediately following the treatment, the spots may start to darken. You may notice a slight reddening of the surrounding skin. This typically subsides within a couple of hours. Over the course of the next one to three weeks, darkened spots will fade and flake off.

There is minimal downtime with IPL. The redness will subside in a couple of hours. The darkened spots can easily be covered with makeup.

The spots that are treated will lighten or disappear; however, new spots may appear. These too can be removed. Remember to liberally apply sunscreen when outdoors to minimize sun damage and the appearance of new spots.