Fast track to flawless skin
Hi skincare — we meet again! Back in December (through to January), the next treatment that was recommended for me at MD Cosmetic was their IPL – photo facial treatments. Primarily due to the fact I had some skin complexion unevenness and a lot of freckles and sun damage.
I was told three treatments would be the best suited for my skin and that’s usually what is recommended to see the best results. These appointments are also to be spaced apart give or take about two weeks to allow your skin to heal and flake off any sun spots and damage that the laser is trying to target.
What is IPL and what does it stand for?
IPL stands for intense pulsed light. It’s a type of light therapy used to treat wrinkles, spots, and unwanted hair. With the innovative Intense Pulsed Light (IPL™) photo facial procedure, gentle skin rejuvenation is now easier than ever. IPL™ photorejuvenation is the latest in modern dermatology, transforming your red or pigmented skin into a radiant complexion to match your radiant beauty.
Conditions Photofacial Rejuvenation Treats:
- brown spots and age spots
- enlarged pores
- rosacea
- skin tone and texture
- sun damage
- freckles/birthmarks
- broken blood vessels on your face
What is the difference between IPL and laser treatment?
IPL is similar to a laser treatment. However, a laser focuses just one wavelength of light on your skin, while IPL releases light of many different wavelengths, like a photo flash.
The light from IPL is more scattered and less focused than a laser. IPL penetrates down to the second layer of your skin (dermis) without harming the top layer (epidermis), so it causes less damage to your skin.
Pigment cells in your skin absorb the light energy, which is converted into heat. The heat destroys the unwanted pigment to clear up freckles and other spots. Or, it destroys the hair follicle to prevent the hair from growing again (note – hair loss is not guaranteed but I found in my treatment it drastically reduced my upper lip hair and sideburns).
What to expect during the procedure
Your skin care specialist first cleans the area that’s being treated (it’s easier if you show up with no makeup or products on but worse case they’ll cleanse the area first). Then, they apply light pulses from the IPL device to your skin. During your treatment, you’ll need to wear dark glasses to protect your eyes. They’re almost like tanning glasses but seriously you can’t see a thing!
The pulses might sting your skin whereas others could find it painful. Think of it as a rubber band being snapped on the skin. It’s tolerable and doesn’t last long. Plus the cooling tip helps. Some areas will be more sensitive than others. I found my nose, under eye and parts of the forehead had more sensitivity.
Depending on which part of your body is being treated and how large the area is, the treatment should take 20 to 30 minutes.
Results Below
These are my results below. The first image is after my first treatment, the second and then the final image is after three IPL treatments — where you can see how clear my skin is.
I noticed a difference and so did my technician immediately after my results (and during the treatment for that matter). My sun damage started to look like dark coffee grounds and over the next week they started to dry up and flake off. You should avoid any exfoliation during the first week at least to allow the skin to naturally shed and make sure to keep your skin moisturized!
I’d highly recommend IPL if you have skin unevenness, have a lot of dark spots, freckles and sun damage like myself. I was shocked as to how well my skin took from this treatment. On top of my skincare regime that MD had originally helped me start on, I think this paired with IPL made a huge difference in my overall final results.
Don’t forget to use code SAM20 if you’re a new customer looking to try out this treatment!
This blog is in partnership with MD Cosmetic. All opinions and reviews expressed are my own. #partner