Read on for everything you need to know about preparing for your laser treatment, how to take care of your skin after your treatment, and answers to all your other laser skin questions.
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Pre-Instructions for M22 Photofacial/IPL Laser Skin Treatments
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Patients must discontinue the use of retinol or bleaching creams for at least 2 weeks.
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Avoid any sunburns or excessive sun exposure two weeks prior to your treatment.
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Patients must communicate to healthcare providers if they have received any ablative or non ablative treatments on their skin within 4 weeks.
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The M22 may cause permanent facial hair reduction. Therefore, patients must decide and communicate to their healthcare provider if they wish to keep their current facial hair. Patient that wish to keep their facial hair are recommended to come in with the facial hair they wish to keep.
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Photosensitive medication should be discontinued for 2 weeks prior to your treatment. Before discontinuing use, patients should seek advice from their primary care physician.
IPL Laser Post Treatment Instructions
Cold (not frozen) packs should be applied immediately after treatment to cool the treatment site, reduce swelling and ease discomfort. Chemical cold packs are not recommended if their temperature is below 4°C. In most cases the low energy, low risk nature of IPL skin treatments make it safe to resume virtually all regular activities.Patients should use high factor (30–50 SPF) sunblock and protect the treated area from exposure to sunlight for at least one month following treatment. Tanning after treatment sessions may increase melanin regeneration, which may result in hyperpigmentation. Care should be taken to prevent trauma to the treated area for the first four or five days following treatment: no hot baths, no aerobic exercises, massages, etc.Patients may apply makeup immediately after treatment. However, we advise patients to notify us, and to stop wearing makeup, if there is any reaction. The skin may be sensitive during this period, and removing makeup, especially if it is difficult to remove, may damage the skin and predispose the site to infection.In case of broken or damaged skin, we recommend to keep the treated area covered with a dressing, to reduce the risk of trauma and infection during the first four or five days following treatment. If the treatment site is exposed to dirt, it should be covered with a dressing for ten days.Patients are advised not to participate in rough sports or similar activities for several days following treatment, until the skin returns to its normal condition.Patients should return 2-3 weeks after treatment for examination of the treatment site and for additional treatment, if necessary.If there are any adverse effects please contact us immediately!
What are the benefits Laser IPL for sun damage and skin tone?
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Visible improvement in skin tone after 1-2 treatments.
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Visible improvement in sun damage after 3-4 treatments.
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No need to have complicated skin care regimen.
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Treatments are fast so you can return to daily activities.
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Affordable pricing. Peach Medical Group offers these advanced IPL and photofacial treatments at a low cost.
What is the treatment process for sun damage laser treatment?
The treatment process starts with a short consultation to determine the severity of the sun damage. Based on this, our health care providers will be able to give you their professional opinion on how many session it will take to reach the target outcomes.
We will also review your medical history and discuss all post treatment instructions. If you decide to move forward with the treatment, we will apply a thin layer of topical anesthetic to the are that is to be treated.
After 15-20 minutes, we use the Lumenis handpiece to target the skin. You will see a bright light followed by pulse of heat. This is the laser’s concentrated lightbeam. This will be repeated until the entire area has been treated.
After the treatment, we will apply a moisturizer and a sunscreen and review the post treatment instructions. Patient are recommended to commit to a series of treatment in order to obtain optimal results.
How many sessions of Laser IPL for sun damage will I need?
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For severe sun damage, we recommend 6-8 treatments every 4-6 weeks.
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For moderate sun damage, we recommend 4-6 treatments every 4-6 weeks.
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For mild sun damage, we recommend 2-3 treatments every 4-6 weeks.
How much does it cost to treat sun damage with the IPL?
Our Laser IPL treatments for dark, age, and liver spots start at $69 (Regular and non-member pricing is $200) for new patients and members. This includes the face, below the chin, and the upper part of the neck.
What are age spots and liver spots?
Age spots are also known as liver spots and solar lentigines and typically appear as small dark areas on the skin. They can appear in different sized but are seen more on the face, hands, shoulders, arms, and legs.
Age and livers spots are more common in people over the age of 50 but can start to appear much younger especially if the patient has been exposed to excessive sun. True age and liver spots are harmless and only pose a cosmetic challenge to many patients.
Patients of all skin types are susceptible to age and liver spots but are more common in people with lighter skin. Age and liver spots look like the following:
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They are flat and are darker than the skin around it.
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Color can range from slightly tan to black.
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Will appear on areas of the body that are exposed to the sun.
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Age and liver spot size can range from the size of a freckle to half an inch.
Do I need to worry about age spots and liver spots?
Age and liver spots are not harmful. However, if you are concerned, we recommend to visit your physician for a closer look. It is important to keep track of any changes in size and pigmentation of the age and liver spots.
Your physician will also be able to recommend any treatment to lighten them or zap them away with lasers.
Age spots are usually harmless and don’t require medical care. Have your doctor look at spots that are dark or have changed in appearance. These changes can be signs of melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer.
What are some causes of age spots and liver spots?
Dark, age, and liver spots are caused by the overproduction of pigmentation cells in our skin caused by ultraviolet rays. Over the course of many years, areas that are more exposed to the
Who is more likely to get age spots and liver spots?
Anyone is at risk to develop these age spots. However, factors that increase the likelihood include light skin and regular exposure to sun.
What are the signs and symptoms of rosacea?
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Redness on the face. Rosacea will cause patients to have redness around the nose and cheeks. The persistent redness will eventually progress and small blood vessel will turn red and visible.
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Red bumps. Patients with rosacea will notice that they will develop red bumps on the nose. These bumps will sometimes have pus and may be mistaken for acne. Furthermore, patients will notice the skin on the nose and cheek be tender and feel warm.
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Patients with rosacea will also notice eye dryness, red eyelids, and also irritation in the eye area.
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Severe cases of rosacea will cause the nose to become large. This is actually the skin becoming more thick.
What are the causes of rosacea?
Although the exact cause of rosacea is unknown, many researchers hypothesis that it is hereditary and environmental. It is important to remember that rosacea is not due to hygiene issues. The following are a few factors that are known to make rosacea worsen or flare up.
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Consumption of alcohol
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Spicy or hot foods
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Emotional stress
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Physical activity
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Cosmetics products
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Certain drugs
What are rosacea risk factors?
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Women have more prevalence in suffering from rosacea.
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Patients with fair skin.
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Over the age of 30
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Habitual smoking
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Family history with rosacea
Can laser therapies be used to treat rosacea?
Laser treatment help reduce redness and enlarged blood vessels but using high energy light beams to collapse the blood capillaries. Cosmetic laser therapies help patients with early stages of rosacea.
Lasers can work really well with tiny and visible blood vessels on the nose and cheeks. Cosmetic laser therapies involve repeat treatments in order to keep the symptoms at bay. Unfortunately, laser therapies are not a permanent solution for rosacea symptoms.
If you’re searching for even more information on laser skin treatments but aren’t sure where to start, a free consultation at Peach might be just what you’re looking for!