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Thu Oct 26, 2006 6:18 pm  |
I have had several IPL treatments, both for dark acne scars/hyperpigmentation and for hair removal.
The first IPL I had was maybe 5,6 years ago, on my face. It was the best one as far as results go, but it did hurt like crazy. As others have said, it feels like someone is snapping a rubber band on your face over and over, really hard. I did not have any lidocaine cream or anything, did not know you could. I just used icepacks afterwards.
What happens with the hyperpigmentation is that any dark skin that the light 'sees' turns darker. You want this to happen because it will turn darker and fall off within a week or so. If the spot doesn't turn dark in a few hours the light did not 'see' it and probably nothing is going to happen. My face looked great after all the spots flaked off, but it did not 'see' them all, hence the follow up visits. As someone else said, it does not affect wrinkles or pore size. It evens out your skin tone.
You need to stay out of the sun and not self tan before you go in. You want as much contrast between your real skin tone and the sun damage/spots as possible. That makes it easier for the light to 'see' the damage.
I learned in subsequent IPLs that you can come in early and have lidocaine cream applied, you sit there for about 1/2 hr with cream on your face and cling film over it. Then you scrape the cream off and go in for the IPL. It makes a lot of difference with the pain. Also the doctor here keeps her jelly that they put on your face first in a bowl of ice water, so the heat from the light is not so bad.
I had one IPL with Levulan, that is supposed to make it easier for the light to 'see' the damage as well. I did not notice that it made that much difference in results. I looked much worse (worse than a non-Levulan IPL) immediately afterwards. Instead of the dark brown spots that I wanted to see it was big dark flakes of skin. Underneath these big dark flakes, I also got a (gross warning) staph infection on my face. The infection cleared up with antibiotics and cream but I looked TERRIBLE for about 3 weeks. This is just my story though, I am sure Levulan would not still be on the market if this happened to everyone.
I had it done on my chest and shoulders as well, the results were pretty good but not as dramatic as my face. My chest and shoulders are darker than my face though, not as much contrast.
Stay out of the sun afterwards because a) your damage will come back, you just paid a big pile of money to get rid of sun damage, don't put it right back on there and b) you'll burn more easily. Sunblock sunblock sunblock.
Changing subjects to the hair removal, I have had results as far as the hair thinning out but as far as permanent lovely smooth hair-free skin... no. It's great right after you get it done though, about a week after you get it done all the hair just falls out and you do have lovely smooth skin. Until the next hair growth cycle starts that is. If I had the $$ I would do IPL every 6 weeks for hair removal, like you do waxing!
Anyway, hope that helps answer some of your questions. |
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