By: Dr Leppink
Intense Pulsed Light therapy is one of the workhorse skin treatments at the Centre for Plastic Surgery. IPL can be thought of as a variation on a laser, with the treatment directed primarily at pigmentation and fine blood vessels or redness in the skin (such as rosacea). The light energy is absorbed by the skin pigment or blood vessels and disruption on a microscopic level occurs, resulting in resorption of the pigment and coagulation of the blood vessels. (Click HERE for a short demonstration video on the InMode Lummeca IPL website). The result is a decrease in skin redness and hyperpigmentation. However, recent long-term studies published in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy by Dr. Gold also demonstrated an improvement in overall skin appearance in patients who had annual IPL treatments for 7-12 years, with many of his patients looking younger at the end of the study. The hypothesis is that the heat of the IPL stimulates collagen regeneration and leads to improvement in fines wrinkles and skin texture when IPL is combined with a comprehensive skin care program. Thus IPL can be part of a comprehensive skin care program designed to treat the hyperpigmentation that occurs with aging, the small blood vessels that become noticeable as skin becomes thinner, and also improve skin texture and perhaps fine wrinkles. To find out what a comprehensive skincare plan might do for you, contact us for a consultation with one of our Aestheticians at Centre for Plastic Surgery.