Laser technology has changed the face of science and medicine since the 1960s. As with any significant technological discovery, there are always inventive people who find ways to improve life on multiple levels.
The beauty industry took that technology and used it to help people achieve positive skin results through treatments using lasers, including intense pulsed light therapy (IPL), which uses high-energy light waves to treat a variety of skin concerns.
IPL photofacials are a common treatment used in spas and medical spas to improve a number of skin concerns, including skin tone, pigmentation from sun damage, acne, rosacea, pronounced capillaries and they often have a setting for semi-permanent hair removal.
There is very little downtime with an IPL photofacial, depending on your skin type and the depth of the wavelengths used. Some people feel as though they have a mild sunburn, but you can resume your normal life immediately after, making it more user-friendly than deeper laser treatments that are more ablative to the skin. However, if you are having treatments done, it is essential that you wear sunscreen diligently during and after any IPL treatments, as the skin is highly susceptible to UV damage and pigmentation.
