Beauty and Skincare | Health Articles | Hair Removal and Other Treatments

IPL Therapy Intense Pulsed Light Therapy, or better known as IPL Therapy, can be used for the following:

Hair removal
Facial and Body Vein removal
Vascular Birthmarks
Pimples
Facial Rejuvination
Collagen Stimulation

How does the system work? The IPL (Intense Pulsed Light Therapy) hair removal procedure produces a high intensity flash of filtered light from the applicator head, which has been placed in contact with the skin. The energy from the light source is absorbed by the pigment melanin, which is the chromophore, which gives hair its colour. The hair rapidly absorbs this filtered light and transfers it to the surrounding cells that in turn are converted into heat raising them to a temperature of 70 degree Centigrade or more. The heating denatures the cells making them incapable of producing further hair growth. How is the treatment carried out? The glass applicator is placed in contact with skin surface and the light is pulsed through it onto the skin. The applicator is then moved to the neighbouring area and the process is repeated. Who can be treated? Dark hairs are most easily treated due to the high concentration of melanin that gives maximum absorption and conversion of light energy into heat. Very fair hair has less melanin and consequently less heat is produced, simply raising the fluence output from the IPL treats such hair. White hair has no melanin and cannot be efficiently treated. The upper skin layer of the epidermis also contains melanin and the concentration increases when the skin is exposed to UV light. It is therefore necessary to treat the dark skinned individuals with less energy to avoid generation of excess heat and pain in the skin. The IPL software allows you to adjust the treatment parameters for different hair and pigment type.
SUITABLE FOR ANY SKIN COLOUR & HAIR TYPE

Does it hurt? As the light energy is absorbed by the pigment melanin, the discomfort depends upon the concentration of melanin in the epidermis and the hairs combined. Consequently it hurts more in dark skinned people and those with dense dark hair hairs. No anaesthesia is required and most patients describe the pain as moderate and acceptable
(as if a hairbrush has been tapped against the skin)
Does you need to shave prior to the treatment? Ideally, hairs should be 1 to 2mm long when you come in for the treatment so it is possible to mark out the treatment area. Long hairs take up the energy and prevent all of it reaching to the hair root. Therefore hair is trimmed just before for maximum transmission of the energy. If the hair is normally shaved and can be seen when shaven then you can shave right up to the day of treatment. Although plucking and bleaching should not be done. By avoiding any other form of epilating and waxing 4 weeks before the treatment it ensures as many follicles as possible contain hair thus can be destroyed by the light Why do hairs "grow" after treatment? Unlike other light depilation treatments, hairs are not vaporised by the IPL treatment. The heat kills the hair roots but the hairs remain in the skin and often become attached to the epidermis. They will fall out after 1 to 3 weeks as the epidermis renews itself. During this period it will seem that the hairs are growing a little faster as the epidermis pushes them out. How can you tell if the treatment has worked when the hairs are not removed immediately? Various Indications such as colour of Hair becoming charcoal black and expanding in size or a Red ring around each follicle is often seen a few minutes after the treatment. These are good indications that sufficient heating of the follicles has taken place. Unfortunately this is not always seen and we have seen many patients with successful treatments results without the post treatment signs. What are the side effects?

The visible light should be completely safe, so no special precautions are needed apart from glasses for the brightness generated from flash lamp. The skin of some people can be quite red immediately after treatment and very rarely small blisters as from excessive sun exposure can occur. However, most people experience no side effects at all and the described skin reactions as above usually disappear within hours to few days. Unlike electrolysis the IPL treatment is non-invasive How many treatments are necessary? Only hair in the growth phase can be treated. The number of hairs in this phase varies from 20%to 90% depending on the body site. The lengths of the growth cycles also vary from 6 to 24 weeks depending on the body site. For most people three to five treatments are sufficient to clear an area of hair. After the first treatment most patients get a significant reduction in hair density also new grown hairs tend to become finer. It is important to know that the first treatment is believed to synchronise the anagen (growth) phase of the non-anagen hairs. This may cause what seems to be regrowth but actually just sleeping hairs starting to grow at the same time (new growth) This in turn makes next treatment(s) more effective How do I prepare for treatment? Patients should avoid tanning 1 month ahead of the treatment and immediately after treatment the skin is particularly sensitive to UV light and strong sunlight should be avoided for 4-5 days. How Long Does The Treatment Take? The Facial treatment usually takes 10 minutes whereas both legs and an entire back take approximately 1hour Is It Permanent? Most authorities would agree that using current laser and IPL technology it is possible to permanently remove hair. Histology studies have found destroyed and denatured hair follicles cells in post treatment. A recent study showed that the percentage reduction in hairs after treatment using IPL systems are well above 80%.
FACIAL & BODY VEIN REMOVAL

Most of us have areas on our skin that keep us from being proud of our appearance. We often wish we could remove the skin discoloration or broken vessels, (small "spider veins" often appearing on the face and other parts of the body as one ages or as a result of an accident or medication).
Telangiectasias or so-called broken veins on the face, often part of rosacea, broken veins on the legs, portwine stains and haemangioma in children and red-spots on the body in adults all can be selectively destroyed. Using a non-invasive medical system of light therapy to eliminate vascular birthmarks, facial spider veins and other vascular conditions. Now it is possible to safely eliminate facial veins and vascular birthmarks without injections or surgery with a revolutionary technology that treats vessels with a series of light pulses.

VASCULAR BIRTHMARKS

Vascular birthmarks such as port wine stains; rosacea and haemangioma are red, pink or bluish discolorations, which sometimes appear at birth. In many cases they develop with age. They are made up of many blood vessels grouped together in the skin.
Sunspots, aging spots, freckles and brown birthmarks can be selectively removed from the skin by targeting melanin in the skin. The IPL is a simple treatment and permits destruction of shallow and deep pigment in the skin. The procedure is quick and relatively painless, post-procedure care is minimal and the skin reverts to a normal colour usually within a few treatments. PIMPLES

Similarly, active stage of "pimples" can be treated by way of sterilisation and cauterization of the bacteria causing the "pimples". IPL gently penetrates the skin just below the surface to achieve this, and can be used most effectively to produce some quite dramatic results without damaging the visible areas of skin in any way at all.

IPL FACIAL REJUVINATION/COLLAGEN STIMULATION

Wrinkles can be the result of any one, or a combination of factors including loss of collagen, sun damage, smoking, alcohol consumption and also hormonal changes. Aging itself is a large contributing factor. Collagen can decrease at a rate of 1% per year after the age of 40. Sun exposure accelerates the aging process and the loss of collagen. It also damages the collagen fibres so that it may no longer support the upper layers of the skin, which results in the formation of wrinkles.
The light works by stimulating collagen production in the dermis of the skin. As new collagen is generated, lines and wrinkles are softened. Within several treatments, patients see their skin becoming smoother and the signs of aging fading away. As the laser does not damage the epidermis, or upper layer of the skin, no wound is created. The treatment is most effective on the fine lines found on the face and around the mouth, and results are very natural. Treatments take around 15 minutes, and you can continue their normal activities immediately. Additionally, the procedure can be combined with other treatments including micro-derm-abrasion.

As seen in the above pictures, the laser beam initially heats the water and damages the collagen in the upper dermis without damaging the epidermis, which is protected by a coolant gel.

The beam heats and damages collagen close to the surface to produce more visible results. The body's natural healing process initiates collagen remodelling as well as naturally deposited new organised collagen; this tones the visible layer of skin and reduces the visibility of wrinkles.

EcoLite Treatment Protocol IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR YOU:

Should understand that IPL is NON-LASER.
Must understand the hair growth cycle.
Must make the therapist aware of any medical or dermatological conditions and changes during the course of the treatments. Including a change in any medication
Must not wax, bleach, pluck, or have electrolysis for at least 4 weeks prior to treatment.
Must not tan or use false tan on the treatment area for a minimum of 4 weeks prior to treatment.
Use a Sp Factor of no less than 25 on exposed areas as IPL can NOT be applied on an active tan
Must read and sign the consent form prior to treatment.

AFTER CARE TREATMENT:

Hairs are not vaporized, nor do they fall out immediately. Hairs will usually fall out within 1-3 weeks from treatment.
Hairs will appear to grow as they are slowly pushed out of the follicle by the epidermal growth.
It is recommended that an antiseptic be used immediately after treatment and for a few days post treatment. You are also advised to use a moisturizing cream for a few days after treatment.
You must not expose themselves to strong sunlight between treatments. Including any form of Ultra Violet rays (Sun beds)
Sp Factor of no less than 25 is essential on exposed areas
You must understand that hair growth will be visible between treatments, albeit slightly finer.
Treatment repletion can range between 3-12 weeks depending on the body site and growth cycle of the hair.
If a slight heat reaction occurs apply a cold compress and apply an Aloe Vera gel