When you start the day with a clear mind and clear skin, nothing can stop you. Feeling optimistic and free, you approach people, places, and problems without the weight of insecurity pulling you down. The future looks bright—just like your skin!
But when blemishes mottle your appearance, self-consciousness can rear its ugly head. From first dates to workplace presentations, how you feel about your appearance impacts how you think and behave. Low self-esteem leads many people down a shadowy path, but with help, you can shine a light on that darkness.
At Smart Skin Med Spa, we’ll reignite your inner glow with intense pulsed light in Birmingham. Our team has decades of combined experience helping men and women realize their cosmetic goals and their full potential. Request an appointment or call 205.968.1301 to start your journey to clearer skin.
What is intense pulsed light?
Intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment uses light energy to resolve a number of common skin concerns. Safe for most areas of the body and skin types, an IPL device emits broad-spectrum light, meaning it releases both visible and infrared light energy to help regenerate cells, enhance healing, and improve skin clarity.
IPL treatment can reduce a range of concerns:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Sun damage
- Acne & acne scarring
- Hyperpigmentation
- Dark spots
- Hair removal
- Superficial vascular lesions (e.g., broken capillaries around the nose)
What to Expect at Your IPL Appointment
At Smart Skin Med Spa, your IPL appointment will include a consultation, treatment, and post-care instructions. Before long, you can notice results that’ll have you jumping at the chance to flaunt your bare face and skin.
Consultation
When you schedule an appointment for intense pulsed light in Birmingham at Smart Skin Med Spa, a 30-minute consultation will precede the actual IPL treatment. During your consultation, we’ll discuss your medical history, aesthetic concerns, and goals for treatment to ensure IPL will deliver the results you desire.
Treatment
Once we’ve confirmed you’re a good candidate for IPL, we’ll escort you to a clean and comfortable treatment room. Next, we’ll cover your skin with a water-based gel, designed to enhance the safety and efficacy of an IPL treatment.
Then, the magic begins! Using our state-of-the-art V-IPL technology, we’ll administer the light therapy by lifting and placing the handpiece on your skin repeatedly. The device also delivers contact cooling to soothe your skin and provide an additional safeguard. An average V-IPL treatment session takes 30-minutes to complete.
Post-Care Instructions
While you may experience mild redness, you should not require any downtime following your treatment. In fact, you may resume your regular activities right away. Before you leave, we’ll review our IPL post-care instructions, confirming that you’re well-equipped to facilitate a smooth and safe healing process.
Results
Approximately 1 week after your appointment, you should begin noticing results from your IPL treatment. Because IPL triggers your body’s natural healing process, your skin health will continually improve over the coming weeks. To achieve the optimal outcome, we may recommend you schedule 1 to 2 more treatment sessions.
Shining Light on the Science of IPL
By minimizing skin concerns and revitalizing overall skin health, IPL can encourage incredible transformations. How does IPL do it? Let’s turn our spotlight to the science behind this leading aesthetic therapy.
Understanding Wavelengths
When we administer intense pulsed light in Birmingham, we expose you to certain wavelengths that can penetrate the skin to be absorbed by targeted tissues. The scientific term for this process is “selective photothermolysis.” We can better understand selective photothermolysis through its 4 parts:
- “Selective” refers to the ability to target specific areas.
- “Photo” refers to the use of light.
- “Thermo” refers to the creation of heat energy.
- “Lysis” refers to the breakdown of a cell.
Together, these parts refer to the use of light waves to create heat energy that breaks down specific cells. Your different tissues have distinct molecular combinations, which means they can only admit certain wavelengths. Therefore, using deliberately chosen wavelengths of light, we can pinpoint and address your skin concerns without affecting nearby tissues.
IPL Technology in Action
Once absorbed by your cells, the targeted light wavelengths from IPL convert to heat energy. Once they get too hot, those cells rupture and die.
For instance, when aiming to treat dark spots on the skin, we choose longer wavelengths that your darker pigment will absorb. During IPL treatment, the cells comprising your dark spots will rise in temperature until the pigment breaks down. Within a few weeks, your body will flush out these destroyed dark-spot tissue cells, leaving your skin more clear.
Healing Process
Not only does IPL eliminate blemishes, but it stimulates your skin’s healing process, triggering the production of new proteins and hyaluronic acid. The proteins, collagen and elastin, fortify its structure, and the hyaluronic acid restores moisture.
The Results
Because of its ability to eliminate troublesome blemishes and stimulate the healing process, IPL can leave your skin better than ever. The new collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid created can make your skin:
- Healthier
- Clearer
- Tighter
- Brighter
Viora IPL Device: IPL Perfection
At Smart Skin Med Spa, we use the Viora IPL device (V-IPL) for your treatment using intense pulsed light in Birmingham.
PCR™ Technology
V-IPL uses proprietary PCR™ ( PulseConfiguRythm) technology that gives our medical providers groundbreaking levels of control over the duration and frequency of the pulses of light. As a result, we can tailor treatments to each patient’s skin type and concerns with ease while maintaining the highest levels of efficacy and safety.
Interchangeable Filters
The V-IPL interchangeable filters also allow us to adjust the wavelength(s) used during your IPL session, enabling every treatment from wrinkle reduction to hair removal.
Contact Cooling
While administering IPL treatment, our V-IPL handpiece also cools the skin. Simultaneous cooling enhances the safety and comfort of your IPL treatment and eliminates the need for downtime.
IPL Commonly Paired Treatments
We often pair IPL with other rejuvenating services to maximize your results:
IPL Frequently Asked Questions
As one of the most trusted providers of intense pulsed light in Birmingham, we’re often asked questions about the treatment.
What’s the difference between IPL and laser treatment?
Laser treatments emit 1 or 2 wavelengths of highly concentrated energy to target skin concerns with extreme precision and depth. IPL treatments can deliver multiple wavelengths at once, affecting a larger area more gently than a laser would. Also, the filters in IPL devices make them more customizable for your exact concerns.
When should I schedule my IPL treatment?
You can schedule intense pulsed light in Birmingham at Smart Skin Med Spa year round.
Some practitioners misunderstand IPL, believing they should administer it only in the winter months to minimize post-treatment sun exposure. At Smart Skin Med Spa, we perform IPL year round by using low and slow settings for more gradual rejuvenation. Our knowledge can help you achieve radiant and beautiful skin, even during the summer.
What does intense pulsed light do?
Intense pulsed light, or IPL, delivers light energy to heat and destroy blemishes within your skin, reducing the appearance of specific skin concerns and enhancing overall skin health.
What is the downside of IPL?
A drawback of IPL is that stronger settings can pose risks to those with Fitzpatrick skin type V. IPL works when darker pigments absorb light energy and die, so those with melanin-rich skin are hypersensitive to the treatment. A high level IPL treatment, such as laser hair removal, on Fitzpatrick skin type V may cause skin damage or changes in skin color.
Request an appointment at Smart Skin Med Spa to learn if your skin type is well-suited to an IPL treatment.
Does IPL actually work?
Yes! According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, IPL was between 88.24% and 96.45% effective at treating photoaging and rejuvenating the skin.
How much does intense pulsed light (IPL) cost?
The cost of intense pulsed light in Birmingham varies with the size of your treatment area and severity of your skin concerns. To get a price estimate for your IPL treatment, call Smart Skin Med Spa at 205.968.1301.
Is IPL right for me?
If you struggle with skin aging, sun damage, or hyperpigmentation, IPL may be right for you. To find out for sure or to explore other treatments for your concerns, fill out our virtual consultation tool.
Book at Smart Skin to Get Clarity
Smart Skin Med Spa provides quality, thoughtful care with everything we do. We want to treat your aesthetic concerns and improve your self-confidence—without wasting your time or money. That’s why we offer a range of excellent membership options. Be sure to learn more about how a membership can help you save on your IPL treatment and much more!
As one of the top providers of intense pulsed light in Birmingham, the team at Smart Skin Med Spa is eager to help you out. To get started with a consultation, request an appointment using the button below. We look forward to hearing from you!
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