Photorejuvenation With Intense Pulsed Light - Skin Rejuvenation Procedures: Skin Health

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Photorejuvenation with intense pulsed light

For improving mild to moderate photodamage with no recovery time and few complications, many people are turning to a procedure called photorejuvenation. Photorejuvenation uses an intense pulsed light (IPL) device. It's not a laser, but it emits bursts of broadband light energy that heats the epidermis and dermis and promotes new collagen growth.

Photorejuvenation dramatically improves the skin's texture and tone and may improve wrinkles. It can diminish freckles, red spots, age spots, and dilated blood vessels. It's also used to treat unwanted dark hair and the red cheeks or nose seen with rosacea. A clinical trial published in 2006 in Archives of Dermatology looked at the effects of pulsed light by giving volunteers treatments on one side of the face. After three treatments, 82% of patients had improved appearances on the treated side, most significantly with a reduction in dilated blood vessels and uneven pigmentation. There was no effect on wrinkles in this study. The researchers also noted that side effects were minimal and temporary.

For the procedure, the physician will coat your face with a gel and cover your eyes to protect them from the flash of light. When the device flashes, you'll feel a quick zap of heat, like the snap of a rubber band. Each flash treats an area about the size of a quarter, and you may have two or three passes in a 30 to 60 minute session. Afterward, you may have some redness or blotchiness for a day or two.

Most practitioners recommend five to six sessions, each costing approximately $600, spaced three or four weeks apart. Improvement is gradual, with most people able to notice a difference after three treatments. Maintenance treatments are required a few times a year.

Last updated:	July 20, 2007