If you suffer with sun spots on your face, hands, chest or legs, or you are unhappy with the density of your freckles, sun spot treatment with IPL (Intense Pulse Light technology) offers a safe and effective way to reduce or permanently remove them, giving you a fresh and even looking complexion. While a smattering of freckles are endearing, many of our patients come to us looking for a way to remove unsightly or very dense areas of sun spots, freckles and other signs of sun damage.
IPL, Intense Pulse Light (IPL) technology allows for safe and effective removal of age or sun spots in just a few short treatment sessions. Easy to administer, the innovative IPL treatment will remove the signs of sun damage, by having the skin simply flake off, leaving you with the clearer, healthier and younger looking skin you desire.
What Are Sun Spots?
Sunspots on skin, also known as solar lentigines, are caused by exposure to the sun. They present as flat brown spots that show up on the parts of your skin that have been exposed to the sun the most. Once you start getting sunspot on your skin they will eventually darken and increase in number with every UV ray that hits your skin. To minimize the risk of further damage from the sun, sun spot removal is recommended.
What is IPL Technology?
IPL technology is an intense, visible, broad-spectrum light that heats and destroys brown spots, melasma, broken capillaries, and sun spots. First approved by the FDA in the mid ‘90s, the photo facial treatment has become a widely available and increasingly popular method for removing the worrying signs of sun damage. These days, people are far more aware of how harmful UV rays can be to the skin, and extensive signs of sun damage or over exposure are not considered to be attractive or signs of healthy looking skin.
According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, IPL grew in popularity by over 30 percent between 2014 and 2015 in the United States alone. Here at Richmond Surgical Arts we expect to see its popularity continue to rise through 2017.
What areas can be treated Using IPL?
Almost any part of your body that has an uneven skin tone, redness or age or sun spots can be safely treated using IPL technology. Although the most popular areas we treat are the face, chest, shoulders and arms, we can also help to discretely remove brown spots and dense patches of freckles from virtually any area of the body.
How long will the treatment take?
The treatment itself will only take a few minutes. And, since there is no need to apply gel or any topical anesthetic, your total appointment time can easily fit within your lunch hour or around your busy schedule. IPL offers safe, effective treatment of age or skin spots, as well as many other skin defects quickly and easily, with no downtime required.
How many treatments will I need?
We usually recommend that one or maybe two treatments are enough for you to see dramatic results. If you have very dark spots, or are looking to treat a large area, extra treatments may be required.
What happens after the treatment?
Immediately following the treatment, you may notice that the spots start to darken. You may also notice a slight reddening of the surrounding skin. All of these changes are normal and will typically subside within a couple of hours. Over the course of the next 1-3 weeks, darkened spots will fade and flake off. Before you know it, your patchy complexion will be clear and youthful looking once again.
When will I see results?
Your complexion will be clearer and younger looking, and your skin tone will be more even within 2 to 3 weeks after treatment. In some cases, it may take up to a month or more to see optimum results.
Are the results permanent?
Yes, but if you expose your skin to the sun, you may well start to develop new spots. These too can be removed at a later date it you wish. To help minimize further damage from the sun, always use an effective sun screen when outdoors to prevent further damage or new spots appearing.
Here at Richmond Surgical Arts we would be delighted to talk to you about the benefits of using IPL technology for the removal of sun spots. Dr. Lynam and his team are waiting to take your call today on (804) 560-5260.
