How Are IPL Skin Treatments Using Photon Rejuvenation Performed ?

Before treatment,a cold gel is usually applied to the area to be treated and patients are given protective eyewear. During treatment,the smooth,glass surface of the IPL handpiece is gently applied to the skin,delivering precise pulses of light to the area being treated. IPL treatments are usually pain-free,but an anesthetic cream can be used if the light pulses are uncomfortable. Some patients compare the sensation to a light pinch or the snap of a rubber band. Treatment sessions usually last about 20 minutes and a complete program usually includes four to six sessions.After treatment,patients can immediately return to normal routines and activities. Occasionally evidence of treatment such as redness or blotchiness may last for an hour or two.

Rosacea responsive to intense pulsed light therapy

MedWire News: Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy provides significant improvements in erythema and telangiectasia in patients with rosacea, say researchers in the UK, with results sustained for at least 6 months.
William Clayton (Royal Free Hospital, London) and colleagues conducted a phase III trial to evaluate the efficacy of IPL therapy in the treatment of 34 patients (25 female; mean age 47 years) with stage I erythematotelangiectatic rosacea.
Four treatments were administered on the face at 3-week intervals, using IPL 515-1200 nm, with a 560 nm cutoff filter. The fluence range was 24-32 J/cm2.
Significant reductions from baseline were achieved after the four treatments. The mean reductions in erythema values were 39% on the cheeks and 22% on the chin. Photographic assessment confirmed this, with a 46% improvement in erythema and a 55% improvement in telangiectasia.
The severity of rosacea was reduced from 7.3 points on a 10-poinnt visual analog scale at baseline to 3.8 points at the end of treatment.
The overall improvement in rosacea was assessed by both patients and physicians, with 73% of patients and 83% of physicians noticing a more than 50% improvement.
Writing in the British Journal of Dermatology, the researchers note that all of the results were sustained 6 months after the last treatment.
Adverse events were uncommon and self-limiting, with occasional bruising lasting for less than 1 week or edema lasting for 2-5 days. One patient discontinued treatment due to edema and crusting on the cheeks, but this resolved after 10 days.
The researchers conclude that IPL "significantly reduces erythema and telangiectasia with minimal unwanted effects, and results in high patient satisfaction."