Light Up Your Glow: The Simple Science of Better Skin
You gaze into the mirror and notice several sunspots on your face and wish you could just hit a reset button. Caking on concealer is a daily routine, as you feel desperate to restore your healthy glow. While there is no actual reset button that you can push, there is a treatment called Intense Pulsed Light, or IPL that can make your skin look good as new. While IPL skin treatment sounds like something straight out of a science fiction movie, it is actually a very common way to help your skin look its best without any needles or surgery.
How the Magic of Light Works
Many people confuse IPL therapy with laser treatments. However, these are actually different tools to address skin issues. A laser uses a single and focused beam of light. IPL, on the other hand, uses a broad spectrum of light that pulses like a camera flash. This light travels through the top layer of your skin and searches for specific targets, such as the red color in a broken blood vessel or the dark pigment in a brown spot. Upon reaching these targets, the light will then turn into heat and break down the cells that are creating the issues. Over the next few days, your body will get rid of the damaged tissue and reveal the fresh skin underneath.
What to Expect During Your Session
If you decide that this skincare treatment option is right for restoring your skin, you will begin with a consultation. During this appointment, you will discuss your goals with a healthcare provider. Then, you will schedule your treatment.
While undergoing treatment, you will sit in a comfortable chair. A trained professional will clean your skin and apply a cool gel. You will be given dark glasses to protect your eyes, as these light pulses are bright enough that they can cause significant damage. When the handpiece touches your face and the light flashes, it might feel like a tiny rubber band snapping against your skin. Most people say that it is somewhat surprising at first. However, you will not feel as though you need to jump out of the chair. Since IPL is not invasive, you can put on some sunscreen and go about life as normal a few hours after.
Real Results for Common Problems
One benefit of this treatment is that it mitigates damage that has built up over several years quite well. Take, for example, a person who has small freckles that have merged into larger brown patches on their shoulders or cheeks. After this individual undergoes a few sessions of IPL, those dark spots will darken and flake off. This allows the skin to look much more even and gives it a nice glow.
For people who struggle with rosacea or constant redness, IPL also works wonders. This is because it targets the tiny vessels that stay open and make the face look flushed. The light helps the skin to develop a more neutral appearance. You might even notice that your skin feels smoother too because the gentle heat can encourage your body to produce more collagen. Most people need multiple sessions, so do not be alarmed if IPL results are not perfect after your first treatment.
Taking Care of Your New Look
After IPL skin rejuvenation, you must continue to care for your skin to maintain your look. Because the light will continue to restore your skin beneath the surface, it will be extremely sensitive to the sun for a few weeks. Make sure you apply sunscreen and wear a hat before going out into the sun. Failure to take these measures will cause new spots to form where the old ones were. Just as paint needs time to cure, your skin needs time to be fully restored. Additionally, take care to remain hydrated for optimal results.