In the News: Advances in Skin Care

A Wonderful Season for Photorejuvenation (Intense Pulsed Light)

Do you wish for a smoother, more youthful complexion? Would you like to erase imperfections from your skin? Want to toss your concealer stick, but shy away from invasive therapies with lengthy recovery periods?

If you responded with a “yes” (or a nod) to any of the above, consider the list of benefits offered by a non-invasive and safe technique called photorejuvenation (intense pulsed light or IPL™). In the modernized comfort of our center’s health and beauty suites, Chapin Aesthetics combines state-of-the-art IPL™ equipment with the best available techniques to make your skin glow.

Photorejuvenation or intense pulsed light effectively targets wrinkles, redness, fine lines, and discoloration, and it reverses skin damage caused by stress, hormonal changes, smoking, and sun damage. Unlike bleaching creams that take years to remove hyperpigmentation and discoloration, intense pulsed light can bring desired results in less than 3 months. Benefits emerge gradually in the weeks following treatment, and the technique works well on sensitive body areas, such as the hands, chest, and neck.

In Philadelphia, photorejuvenation yields a more balanced and even skin tone as it erases imperfections like age spots, sun-induced freckles, redness and flushing caused by rosacea, birthmarks, spider veins, broken blood vessels, acne scarring, discoloration, and hyperpigmentation. Photorejuvenation gently restores your skin to greater youthfulness, and skin benefits often become apparent in fewer than three treatments. With photorejuvenation, there is no downtime and minimal discomfort.

Spring is an ideal time to use this safe and effective technique, as skin without a tan reveals more of the imperfections that are targeted for treatment. (For patients with even a slight tan, the effect is an increase in the number of treatments needed to achieve the desired result.)

Photorejuvenation represents a breakthrough in treating skin damage and discoloration. The intense pulsed light passes harmlessly through the surface of the skin, constricting blood vessels and drawing redness away from the surface. Photorejuvenation also stimulates the growth of collagen, a natural protein that fills in wrinkles and scars and decreases pore size, for skin that is smoother and more supple. Photorejuvenation not only repairs damaged skin, it also works to protect and renew healthy cells. It is much more effective than creams and medications and far less costly than invasive procedures.

Immediately after your photorejuvenation treatment, and for the following 5 to 7 days, our aesthetician will ask you to follow a simple skin care routine that provides your skin with extra moisture and protection. At Chapin Aesthetics, we also assist you in establishing a healthful daily routine that includes a moisturizer with sunscreen, so you can maintain beautiful skin. By including sunscreen and anti-oxidant creams in your daily skin care regimen, you can actually eliminate or reduce the need to repeat photorejuvenation treatment. Our aestheticians also will assist you in choosing the proper home care products to allow you to continue to protect the investment you have made in your appearance. You can expect results from your photorejuvenation treatment to last as long as six months (or more, with proper home care).

A full-face treatment with photorejuvenation (intense pulsed light) takes up to 45 minutes; less time is needed for spot treatment. While photorejuvenation is most often applied to the face, it is also used to treat the arms, hands, and upper chest. Patients return to their daily routine without any need for downtime. Slight, temporary redness (comparable to a sunburn) may occur for a few hours, and makeup can be applied immediately. We recommend scheduling your photorejuvenation treatment ten days in advance of a special event.

A more refined complexion contributes immeasurably to an overall revitalized appearance. So why wait for another season to fly by? Call Chapin Aesthetics or use our online contact form to learn how you can achieve your personal beauty goals this spring.

Chapin Aesthetics serves plastic surgery patients from the Philadelphia region, including Doylestown, Bucks County, Montgomery County, and the Delaware Valley.