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If your skin has become damaged to overexposure to the sun or due to a health condition, then IPL may be the solution for you.
Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a non-invasive treatment designed to improve the colour and texture of your skin with no need for surgery. It uses light energy to target certain colours in your skin and eradicate them. Unlike normal laser treatments, IPL devices send out multiple wavelengths of pulsating light, thereby being able to treat a range of skin conditions at the same time. Your body gets rid of any unwanted cells when your skin is heated, which in turn gets rid of the condition you are being treated for. Here at Widnes Dental Practice, our highly qualified dentist in Widnes can help treat a multitude of skin conditions leaving your skin looking more even and refreshed.
What conditions can IPL help to treat?
IPL works best on people with light or brown skin; as darker skin contains more melanin, the IPL could transfer heat energy onto the skin cells instead of the cells it is meant to target, causing discolouration. IPL is used to treat a wide range of skin conditions including acne, birthmarks, freckles, rosacea, scars and even unwanted hair. It also helps treat unwanted stretch marks from pregnancy or weight gain that you may wish to get rid of. If you have a skin condition that you wish to be treated, then contact your dentist in Widnes for a consultation today.
How effective is IPL treatment?
The effectiveness of IPLS is dependent on multiple factors; it can depend on the condition you wish to be treated as different conditions require a different number of treatments in order to present any signs of improvement or clearance. For example, if you suffer from redness you may begin to see signs of improvement after one to three sessions as the IPL treatment usually manages to get rid of around 50-75% of your broken blood vessels, whereas if you have acne or unwanted hair you will require a minimum of six to eight sessions to see permanent results. It is important to note however that while IPL offers a permanent solution to getting rid of your skin condition, it does not prevent them from newly developing again. IPL may not be a suitable treatment option for you if you are sensitive to light, have or have had skin cancer in the past, if you use a retinoid cream, have severe scarring or keloid scarring or if you are very dark-skinned. If this is the case for you, then our dentist in Widnes will talk you through the alternative routes you can take to treat your skin condition.
What to expect at an appointment
Prior to your appointment, you will be advised to avoid the following: any form of tanning from four weeks before, taking aspirin or any other blood thinning drug, wearing any perfume or deodorant and waxing. At your appointment, the dentist will give you a pair of dark glasses to wear in order to protect your eyes from the light and rays. They will then rub a cold gel onto your treatment area and place the IPL device directly on the area you wish to be treated which will eject light pulses onto your skin. This process could take from twenty minutes up to over an hour depending on the size of the treatment area.