Intense Pulse Light Treatment in Mt. Vernon

Also Serving IPL Treatment Patients in Everett & Bellingham

Intense pulsed light  (IPL) treatments use powerful but gentle bursts of light energy to target specific areas of the skin. An IPL treatment is great for correcting uneven skin tone. The skin’s blood vessels and hyperpigmented areas absorb the light to make changes to the dermis.

Intense Pulse Light Treatment

Who is an ideal candidate for IPL treatment?

Candidates for IPL treatment have signs on the face such as:

• Redness on the face and neck
• Age and sunspots
• Rosacea
• Spider veins on the face and legs
• Scars
• Port wine stains

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR IPL?

Your esthetician begins your consultation by reviewing your health and medical history to confirm that you are a good candidate for this elective procedure. After examining your skin, she can help establish realistic expectations about what IPL is likely to achieve for the flaws you would like to target. If she feels that an alternative treatment may be more successful than IPL, she can share her professional opinion at that time. For example, if you have a darker complexion, she may encourage you to try a different rejuvenation procedure since IPL has a higher risk of causing scars or burns on darker skin types.

You may need to avoid or discontinue (if safe to do so) certain medications in the weeks leading to up your treatment.

How many treatments do you need?

4-6 treatments are required, spaced out a month apart in your initial treatment series. Maintenance treatments may be required but are typically much less frequent.

Does IPL treatment hurt?

Most patients say is feels like an intense rubber band snap with the laser hits the skin.

What is IPL recovery like?

You will experience redness of the skin and mild inflammation directly after the treatment. This should reside within 24-48 hours. Makeup can be applied to help cover the redness up.

How long does the Intense Pulse Light treatment take?

Treatment times vary from 30 minutes to 1 hour in most cases depending on the areas being treated.

ARE THERE OTHER BENEFITS TO IPL?

IPL treatment boosts cell turnover and the production of collagen, which can be successful at de-aging your skin. Collagen is a protein responsible for keeping your skin smooth and elastic. Over time, your natural production of collagen declines. IPL’s stimulation of collagen production helps to make your skin appear younger, with fewer lines and wrinkles. Similarly, your cells turn over less frequently than they did when you were young. This means that issues like age spots and sun damage can linger longer. By accelerating cell turnover, your skin should look refreshed.

Erbium Resurfacing Laser

How it works:

The laser passes energy into the skin and is picked up by water and all types of skin cells. The energy does not really penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, so it does not typically cause any bleeding, but it does help to refine the skin surface. Characteristics like texture, pore size and it can lighten dark spots.

What does Erbium Resurfacing help correct?

• Helps to improve tone and texture
• Pore size
• Fine Wrinkles
• Pigmented Irregularities
• Acne Scarring
• Sun Damage

HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR THE ERBIUM LASER?

During your consultation, your esthetician will confirm that you are a good candidate to undergo this treatment. You should be in good health overall and have flaws on your skin that an erbium laser can correct. If she believes an alternative treatment is better suited for your individual needs, she can discuss alternatives at this time. Fortunately, this laser is better suited for people with darker complexions than other lasers that are more likely to burn or scar darker skin.

About one hour before coming in for your scheduled treatment, wash your face with a light cleanser and pat your skin dry.

What it feels like:

Your eyes will be protected with safety shields. We will apply a prepping solution to allow for optimal penetration of the laser. The pulses from the laser may sting or burn slightly, or you may feel a snapping sensation. As we treat your skin you will feel it heating up like a sunburn. After the treatment we will apply a calming cream and balm to your skin. You may notice a slight burning or stinging sensation during the laser treatment.

What does recovery look like?

Immediately after the treatment you will notice some redness (erythema) and a sensation resembling that of a sunburn.  Depending on the depth of the treatment you might experience some swelling that could last 2-4 days. You can expect to have some sloughing of the skin 2-5 days after the procedure. Most people are fully healed between 4-7 days.

How long does the treatment take?

Treatment times vary from 30 minutes to an hour in most cases depending on areas being treated.

How many treatments:

You will receive the most optimal results with a series of treatments, usually between 3-6 treatments. We recommend you treat 4-6 weeks apart, although a longer waiting period should be used for more aggressive treatments.

WHAT MAKES IPL AND LASER TREATMENTS DIFFERENT?

While both treatments emit light energy to rejuvenate the skin, IPL and erbium laser do have significant differences. IPL is less intense than an ablative laser because it relies on short pulses of light waves. This allows IPL to target issues beneath the surface of the skin without harming or altering the epidermis. However, IPL is not a lesser version of a laser, it is a separate treatment that has its own set of advantages.

WHAT ARE THE COSTS OF IPL AND ERBIUM RESURFACING LASER?

Cascade Facial Surgery & Aesthetics offers these skin rejuvenation treatments at a competitive rate for the Mount Vernon, Washington area. The exact cost of your treatment depends on the amount of skin you are looking to treat and the number of treatments necessary to achieve your cosmetic goals. After examining your skin and listening to your concerns during a consultation, your aesthetician can provide you with a complete quote.