Are you tired of covering up broken blood vessels with concealer? Is your face constantly flushed? Has a dermatologist diagnosed you with rosacea? If so, you’re in a club with many members.
Over sixteen million Americans suffer from chronic facial redness and flushing. Although lifestyle changes and prescription topicals can help tremendously, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) has become a popular and effective treatment to reduce redness and increase skin confidence!
How does IPL work to treat broken blood vessels and facial redness?
IPL falls into a category of skincare treatments called photorejuvenation. This means it utilizes varied wavelengths of light to treat common skin conditions such as sun damage and redness. The wavelength of light can be filtered by your provider to target the hemoglobin in the blood of vessels that lie close to your skin’s surface and contribute to redness and flushing. When the pulsed light that is emitted is absorbed by the hemoglobin in a vessel, the vessel collapses. In turn, small broken vessels disappear over time and overall redness is reduced.
How does IPL work for rosacea?
Many people who have been diagnosed with rosacea find that a series of IPL treatments significantly reduce their skin’s redness and even keeps flare-ups at bay. It’s important to note that at this time, there is no cure for rosacea, but the condition CAN be managed effectively. Clients who have the most success are those who are under the active care of their dermatologist, adjust their lifestyles to avoid triggers to their flare-ups, receive a series of IPL treatments with ongoing maintenance, and are using appropriate skincare.
What happens during an IPL treatment for facial redness?
Once your laser provider has ensured that you are a good candidate for IPL treatment, she will cover your eyes and apply a thin cooling gel to your skin. As she moves the cool laser handpiece across your face it will be accompanied by a bright flash of light and a slight pinch to your skin. She will cover your skin in a series of passes and may return to areas with prominent broken vessels to retreat.
Immediately after your treatment, your skin will appear slightly flushed and you may have small areas that look grey. This is where a broken vessel may have coagulated and collapsed. Your skin may also feel slightly tight and warm, but these symptoms should disappear within 24 hours.
Over the course of the next few weeks, you will notice your skin becoming clearer. Redness and flushing should decrease with each monthly treatment in your series and small broken vessels will disappear. A quarterly maintenance IPL treatment is recommended after your series to maintain your results and address any new vessels. Your Advanced Practice Esthetician will also recommend skincare that is indicated for facial redness, rosacea, and sensitivity which will enhance your results even further!