Intense Pulsed Light Rosacea Treatment

Intense Pulsed Light Rosacea treatment (IPL) may well be one of your best options – for certain types of rosacea. While being a form of laser therapy, IPL should be distinguished from other vascular laser treatments such as Pulsed Dye Laser, where wavelengths of powerful light destroy targeted blood vessels without affecting surrounding facial tissue, or the Ablative Laser, which acts as a type of cauterising procedure to shave off the bulbous lumps that come with phymatous rosacea.

Instense pulsed light rosacea therapy on the other hand, is a relatively new form of laser treatment which is being regularly used to reduce the symptoms of visible blood vessels and the general redness and flushing that comes with rosacea. But it’s different from the pulsed dye laser in that the lasers are a broader spectrum of light and therefore are designed to treat a broader area of facial tissue. It’s primary aim is to heat up the offending blood vessels and seal them off but IPL treatment also serves to stimulate new collagen growth, thus improving skin texture.

Intense Pulsed Light is not only effective for rosacea, but is also applied for ageing spots, sun damaged skin, birthmarks, broken capilliaries and even freckles.

The Intense Pulsed Light Rosacea Procedure

Should you choose to undergo IPL treatment, here’s what you can expect from a typical dermatologist:

Once you’ve checked in and are sitting comfortably in the doctor’s chair, some protective eyewear will be given to you and they should offer some anaesthetic gel to apply to the treatment area for added comfort. This is optional. A cooling gel will then be applied to reduce discomfort from the laser waves and it’s even possible that cold air may be blown on your skin for the same purpose. It is recommended that you accept all offers designed to reduce discomfort, as some have complained that it can be a painful experience.

The intense pulsed light rosacea equipment is a hand held device with a smooth glass surface, which is placed directly over the affected area. From this device, the precisely calibrated light waves will be emitted. These vary in intensity according to the type of skin you have and the depth of penetration necessary to treat your rosacea symptoms. A typical treatment involves passing the device over the affected area with a series of brief, even passes. This should go on for about 30-40 minutes, after which the session is complete.

After Effects of IPL Treatment and Followup

After your intense pulsed light rosacea treatment, you can expect some redness in the treated area, but within the next day this should pass and your complexion should improve. The following images show a “before and after shot” of patients who have undergone IPL treatment so that you can get some idea what to expect.

Studies undertaken by the National Institute of Medicine in the USA have indicated that intense pulsed light treatment for rosacea has a 75{950de5e870313faf4c5db3a7d190801ab62f662c92458036dbe5490915c0acf5} success rate for patients experiencing poor skin texture and facial flushing, while 64{950de5e870313faf4c5db3a7d190801ab62f662c92458036dbe5490915c0acf5} of acne rosacea patients displayed fewer breakouts.

You may need followup treatments at 3-4 week intervals, depending on how severe your rosacea symptoms are. After this, your complexion should be clear of discoloration, spots and other visible symptoms. It should be noted that this procedure is not a cure for rosacea, only a treatment. You may need to do it all over again in about a year’s time, but in the meantime can expect to enjoy the benefits of a much healthier looking complexion and the social confidence that comes with it.