After enjoying your summer, it’s always a shock to see how your skin has reacted once you’ve had some time away from the sun. Fortunately we can help rectify this with the use of Medical Esthetic equipment; with an “Intense Pulsed Light Treatment”/“Advanced Fluorescent Technology” to be exact.
Intense Pulsed Light Treatments (IPL) or Advanced Fluorescent Technology Treatments (AFT) are interchangeable treatments that are used by cosmetic and medical technicians to perform various services within the industry. They are considered to be one of the most versatile skin treatments available as it can target a number of conditions. The FDA first gave approval for photofacials in 1995 for the removal of broken capillaries, and since then the industry as grown tremendously in terms of what it can and cannot treat. The target clientele are those suffering from rosacea, hyperpigmentation, liver spots, sun damage and broken blood vessels. This treatment can be performed on the face, neck, hands and arms. AFT machines use broad spectrum light to target these specific conditions, allowing you to say goodbye to your problem areas!
Broad spectrum light is considered on the market to be more efficient than lasers given the fact that lasers operate within a very specific wavelength, whereas AFT converts unused short-wavelength light into the usable spectrum, which increases emission and penetration. The light beam passes through the skin and is absorbed by either the hemoglobin or melanin (depending on the client’s issue), and the vessels and pigment are then absorbed by the body, which decreases the visibility of the problem area. This process is considered to be a non-ablative resurfacing technique which means that it targets the lower layers of the skin (dermis) without affecting the top layers of the skin (epidermis). Having the treatment conducted in this way allows for little to no downtime and wonderful results!
AFT procedures work best when done in a series of at least four; this is because there is no way to tell just how deep the damage to your skin goes. Doing multiple treatments ensures that the light is penetrating as deeply as it can to allow for your damage to be removed. Your laser technician will not only take before and after pictures to allow you to see the difference in your skin, but will also monitor your skin after each treatment to ensure you are getting the best treatment possible. As your number of sessions increases the settings on the machine will also increase, however the energy level is kept uniform which allows the client to have an extra level of safety and less discomfort over all, even as the course of treatment is getting more intense.
After an AFT treatment you can expect to have a more youthful appearance, less sun noticeable sun damage, rejuvenated skin, less noticeable broken capillaries, and less redness if you suffer from rosacea. Photofacials help to stimulate collagen growth and no skin is removed during the process; your skin will benefit from natural proteins that will help to fill in your wrinkles and aid in making the skin smooth and supple.
During the treatment the technician will use a cool gel to not only protect your skin from the laser being emitted, but will also help to keep the epidermis cool during the treatment. This is beneficial for you because it ensures that you will not have any permanent burn damage to your skin and it will also help to improve any discomfort you may feel during the treatment. In conjunction with this gel, the client is given a tool called a “zimmer”. When activated, this tube consistently blows cool air which the client moves around following the placement of the laser. This once again helps to keep your discomfort level to a minimum.