There is one common reason we all love South Carolina — no snow shoveling! Since we can be outside all year, we get lots of sun exposure and with it come those ubiquitous sun spots. You can go about looking like a cheetah, or you can come in to AesthetiSpa and let us throw some Intense Pulsed Light on those spots, making them peel away.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is excellent for treating sun spots, thanks to its wider available wavelengths. Our treatments are painless and don’t require any recovery. What’s not to love?
What is IPL?
People can be intimidated by the name Intense Pulsed Light, but it’s really just a form of light treatment, similar to lasers, but with a broader spectrum of light wavelengths. When pulsed down onto your areas of pigmentation issues, the wavelengths penetrate deep into the skin tissue to stimulate the cells beneath the skin’s surface. The melanin in the pigmented spots absorbs the IPL energy and it converts to heat. This makes the spots darken and then begin to peel off.
What areas of the body are good for IPL?
Any area of the body, with the exception of the eyes, can handle IPL treatments. We use IPL most frequently on the face, neck, décolleté, and upper back. IPL is excellent for sun spots, birthmarks, broken capillaries, and darkened pigmentation areas.
How many treatments will I need?
These IPL treatments have a cumulative effect. It usually takes from 3-4 treatments to really remove your sun spots. Cases of rosacea may need 6 treatments.
Do IPL treatments hurt?
Patients do not require numbing cream prior to our AesthetiSpa IPL treatments. There is a slight pinching sensation when the IPL energy is delivered. Patients equate the feeling to that of being snapped with a small rubber band on the skin.
What happens after my treatment?
Immediately after your session, your age spots will become darker. This is a sign they have absorbed the light energy. Over the next three weeks, the spots will begin to slough off. You will need to be careful to protect your skin with sunscreen for the next few weeks, as it will be more sensitive to UV rays.
Interested in kicking your sun spots to the curb? Call us at AesthetiSpa, 843-849-9925, and ask about Intense Pulsed Light.