Contents
In this article we will look at:
- What is intense pulsed light treatment?
- What happens during an intense pulsed light procedure?
- Are there any side effects of intense pulsed light treatment?
- Are there any post-treatment guidelines for intense pulsed light treatment?
- How many sessions of intense pulsed light treatment will I need?
- How long will it take to recover from an intense pulsed light treatment?
- Am I an ideal candidate for intense pulsed light treatment?
- What is the price/cost of intense pulsed light treatment in India?
- Are the results of intense pulsed light treatment permanent?
- More Topics Related to Acne Treatment
- References
You can click on any of the links above to navigate to the section of your interest.
What is intense pulsed light treatment?
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment or photo rejuvenation, a non-invasive and non-surgical skin treating procedure has completely changed the face of skin treatment (pun intended).
Invented by Thomas L Roberts, III using CO2 lasers in the 1990s, this procedure is highly effective for treating pigmented cells and scars left behind by acne, sun spots, age spots, wrinkles, large visible pores, melasma, freckles, spider veins, and stretch marks.
What happens during an intense pulsed light procedure?
The following two steps are involved in an intense pulsed light procedure:
- The doctor cleanses your skin with a solution.
- A bright, intense light of a specific wavelength is emitted onto the parts of your affected skin, which enhances the production of collagen in that area, and fills the shallow areas of the acne scars.
A broad range of light waves during an intense pulsed light procedure to diffuse spots, wrinkles, spider veins, stretch marks, etc.
Are there any side effects of intense pulsed light treatment?
During the treatment you may experience minimal pain, burning, stinging, prickling, or tingling sensation depending upon the type of device being used, and the treatment settings.
Post-treatment there might be some redness, blistering, or bruising in the treated areas.
The potential risks you face while undergoing this procedure include adverse reaction to anaesthesia, hematoma or seroma, allergic reactions, scarring, infection, bleeding, and damage to the area underlying the skin.
Are there any post-treatment guidelines for intense pulsed light treatment?
After the treatment, you need to keep the treated areas clean and avoid direct sunlight for at least the next 48 hours. If you cannot avoid going out, you need to use a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher.
How many sessions of intense pulsed light treatment will I need?
You can go for 2 to 4 sessions of treatment at intervals of 4 to 6 weeks. Each session can last for 30 to 60 minutes. The number of sessions, required, though, depends upon your particular skin condition.
How long will it take to recover from an intense pulsed light treatment?
Depending upon which area is treated and how aggressive the treatment is, the recovery time is anywhere from a week and up to 3 weeks.
Am I an ideal candidate for intense pulsed light treatment?
You will need to discuss your candidacy for this treatment with a qualified physician, who will first perform a patch test to determine your eligibility. If you are eligible a personalized treatment plan will be made for you.
You however, need to avoid this treatment if you are pregnant, have a dark skin complexion, a dark tan, or suffer from sensitivity to bright light, porphyria, lupus, and a tendency to form deep scars while healing (keloids). You are also not a good candidate for this treatment if you have diabetes, or you do not respond well to burns.
What is the price/cost of intense pulsed light treatment in India?
Cost of intense pulsed light treatment can vary depending upon the city/locality, clinic/hospital type & amenities, experience of the provider, the technology & material used, skin area and skin type etc.
Please consult your doctor to get the exact treatment plan and price quote suiting your unique needs.
Are the results of intense pulsed light treatment permanent?
Results are not considered to be permanent. Acne may disappear for few months or years and may re-appear.
More Topics Related to Acne Treatment
People interested in this topic also read:
- Acne Procedures Overview
- Chemical Peel
- Dermabrasion
- Microdermabrasion
- Laser Skin Resurfacing
- Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
- Photodynamic Therapy
- Acne: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
References
1. Patidar M, Deshmukh A, Khedkar M. Efficacy of intense pulsed light therapy in the treatment of facial acne vulgaris: Comparison of two different fluences. 2018. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5029242/. Accessed March 2, 2018.
2. Kumaresan M, Srinivas C. Efficacy of IPL in treatment of acne vulgaris: Comparison of single- and burst-pulse mode in IPL. 2018. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3051300/. Accessed March 2, 2018.
3. Tsoukas M, Adya K, Inamadar A, Pei S. Light-based therapies in acne treatment. 2018. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4439741/. Accessed March 2, 2018.
4. Puttaiah M, Jartarkar SR 2017.1-2.Intense pulsed light: A promising therapy in treatment of acne vulgaris | Our Dermatology Online journal. Odermatolcom. 2018. Available at: http://www.odermatol.com/issue-in-html/2017-1-2-intense/. Accessed March 2, 2018.
Questions answered by trusted doctors
Did you know?
Foods do not cause breakouts
Chocolates do not cause pimples or acne, neither does pizza or fries. In fact, there's little evidence that specific foods actually do cause acne. Staying hydrated and eating a healthy diet, though, can help definitely result in a clear, glowing skin.
Sun exposure can minimize breakouts
Spending small amounts of time (10 to 20 minutes) in the sun can be beneficial for healing acne. Too much sun exposure though can be harmful. It can cause more breakouts and darken existing acne scars.
Do not overclean
Over exfoliating and over cleansing can actually aggravate your acne problems. It can irritate and dry your skin out, and make it produce more oil and then cause breakouts. Overdoing acne treatments can have the same effect. Therefore, stick to a morning and night regimen — cleanse, medicate, and moisturize.
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Please help me
My acne once goes all and after some days more acne comes plzz doctor help me