Category: IPL

The Ultimate Guide To Pigmentation, Its Causes & Treatments

Thank you for visiting our ultimate guide to pigmentation. We hope after you have finished reading it you will be better prepared to tackle your pigmentation. (8 min read)

This guide covers the following areas:

What is pigmentation?

What causes skin pigmentation?

Pigmentation and hyperpigmentation

Common pigmentation issues

What can I do about hyperpigmentation?

Treatments for hyperpigmentation

What works best for your skin tone?

Dark circles

Effective treatments for dark circles

What is pigmentation?

According to the Mariam Webster dictionary pigmentation is :

“a colouring matter in animals and plants especially in a cell or tissue”

What causes skin pigmentation?

We can suffer from pigmentation issues whatever age, sex, skin tone and ethnicity we are.

Skin pigmentation can result in an over or under production of melanin. Melanin is produced by the meloncytes in the skin cells. When there is an over production of pigmentation it is called hyperpigmentation, when not enough is produced it is called hypopigmentation.

Skincare experts and Doctors are not sure of the exact reason for certain skin pigmentation changes. Other conditions like sun spots have obvious causes.

Pigmentation and hyperpigmentation

Pigmentation of the skin is a misleading phrase as all skin contains pigmentation. When it is unwanted or a problem it is best referred to as hyperpigmentation.

Hyperpigmentation causes dark patches or spots. They can be beige, brown, red or purplish coloured and can appear anywhere.

Common pigmentation issues

The sun is one of the biggest causes of pigmentation, along with pregnancy and hormonal changes. Below are the most common forms of pigmentation. Sometimes it can be severe and noticeable like vitiligo or albinism. Let’s look at these two extreme forms of pigmentation first.

What is Vitiligo?

Pop star Michael Jackson is said to have suffered from vitiligo which saw his skin colour change over the years from dark to light.

  • Vitiligo happens when pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) die or stop producing melanin.  Melanin is the pigment that gives your skin, hair and eyes their colour. It triggers your immune system to attack and destroy the melanocytes in the skin. Vitiligo is estimated to affect around 1% of the worlds population with it more noticeable on people with darker skin.

What is Albinism?

  • Albinism is a rare inherited disorder caused by the absence of an enzyme that produces melanin. There is a complete lack of pigmentation in eyes hair and skin. Albinos have an abnormal gene stopping the body making melanin. There is no cure for albinism. It is vital people with albinism use sunscreen all the time because they have a higher chance of skin damage and skin cancer. It can occur in any race but is most common among caucasian.

Other severe skin pigmentation issues can occur due to autoimmune conditions, hormonal changes and sometimes shock.

Pigmentation seen in clinics everyday is not a severe as the two conditions above. The following types of pigmentation are more common, starting with one of the most common Melasma.

What is Melasma?

Pigmentation caused by pregnancy is called Melasma. (It is also known as ‘chloasma’ or ‘pregnancy mask’). The name comes from melas which is the Greek word for black. It results in brown or greyish patches of pigmentation developing usually on the face.

It is more common in women with up to 50% affected during pregnancy, in people of colour and those who tan easily.

Hyperpigmentation From Sun Damage Sun Spots (Solar Lentigenes)

When on the face it is normally found on the most exposed areas of the cheeks, nose and forehead. They can look like freckles or age spots or just as uneven patches of colour. Sun spots or age spots are commonly found in people over 50 but they can also appear in younger people who have spent many unprotected hours in the sun.

Hyperpigmentation from Acne Scarring

Scarring from acne can also cause hyperpigmentation. It is often red and can be very noticeable and difficult to cover up as the skins surface is damaged and uneven.

Acne pigmentation

This is caused by the extra melanin which can form around damaged skin. It is often referred to as hyperpigmentation and can be removed with careful skin care and laser treatment. Lasers destroy the discoloration and is suitable for all skin types

The darker pigmentation left behind by acne can be as bad as the acne and is more permanent. If an acne breakout gradually fades away red, brown or purplish discolouration, where the spots once were, can permanently be left behind.

premier laser

Freckles (Lentigenes / Ephelides)

Lentigo is one freckle and lentigene are many. Freckles are a type of hyperpigmentation. The medical term for them is ephelides. They happen because more melanin is produced unevenly across the skin. This causes little spots of discolouration known as a freckle.

Freckles are not caused by the sun. They’re genetic. They do, however, appear when the skin is exposed to the sun.

What can I do about hyperpigmentation?

The best protection against it to use sun protection daily. When it is caused by medication or by certain illnesses it is best to speak to your doctor.

Before seeking treatment have the area checked by a skincare expert, doctor or dermatologist. Any skin changes should also be checked by a medical professional.

Once you are given the go ahead for treatment and have been advised there is nothing dangerous about your pigmentation, or any recent changes, you can take the next step to have them treated. But what treatments are available?

Treatments for hyperpigmentation

There are many miracle cures, over the counter lotions and creams all claiming to work wonders for skin pigmentation. The internet is full of them. And they are usually quite expensive. Only a few of these treatments will have an effect for most people.

That is why it is important to speak to a professional so they can point you in the right direction. Trying to navigate through all the claims and promises can leave your skin worse off and out of pocket for hundreds of pounds.

Some of the best proven treatments for pigmentation are listed below.

Pigmentation/ Lightening Creams

Over-the-counter (OTC) treatments use specific ingredients to reduce pigmentation in either gel or cream form. Many have stronger varieties available via prescription. Applied once or twice a day, over time they help lighten the skin over time.

  • Common ingredients in OTC products include:
  • hydroquinone
  • liquorice extract
  • vitamin B-3 (niacinamide)
  • N-acetylglucosamine

 

  •  WHO IS THIS FOR?

Creams or gels are most effective on flat spots like age spots or melasma. They are also good for patches of discoloration across most skin types.

OTC products are easily available and a more affordable option for hyperpigmentation. They can take longer to work than professional treatments.

If you are buying online only purchase products from websites and manufacturers you trust.

Face Acids

Face or skin acids exfoliate or shed the top layer of your skin. The new skin cells replace older ones evening out your skin tone making it smoother.

Face acids are available OTC at beauty clinics and chemists. Always look for an acid content of 10% or less from a trusted source. A higher percentage may increase risks of side effects and are best left to professionals in a clinic setting.

Popular acids include:

  • vitamin C (in the form of l-ascorbic acid)
  • alpha hydroxy acids, such as glycolic, lactic, citric, malic, or tartaric acid
  • kojic acid
  • azelaic acid
  • salicylic acid

 

  •  WHO IS THIS FOR?

Face acids are ideal for mild hyperpigmentation on lighter skin tones.

Retinoids

Retinoids are some of the oldest skincare ingredients used in the beauty industry. Derived from vitamin A, their small molecular structure lets them deeply penetrate into the skin layers below the epidermis.

Retinoids can be either prescription or OTC, with OTC being weaker. If after a few months you don’t notice results ask your skincare provider about retinoid tretinoin (Retin-A).

 

  • WHO IS THIS FOR?

OTC retinoids may be safe for all skin tones. If you have darker skin, check with your skin care provider if you plan on using them long term.

Also retinoids may not be the first line of defence as they are more often used to treat wrinkles than hyperpigmentation.

Microdermabrasion & Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion goes much deeper into the layers of the skin then microdermabrasion and is more invasive with a longer healing time required. The results are more effective as a result of the invasive nature.

For microdermabrasion a diamond head is used along with a unique nourishing serum. Tiny crystals are “blasted” over the skins surface in a controlled way.

Old and damaged skin is smoothed away with clear, fresh skin left behind.  As the upper skin layer is removed collagen production is encouraged. A course of treatments is ideal to target scars or pigmentation.

Practitioners can use various methods to lessen the pain to a tingling or scraping sensation so you should not worry about it being painful.

The treatment must only be carried out by professionals. Too much or over vigorous treatment can damage the skin and actually cause new pigmentation to form. If applied correctly microdermabrasion is very effective. It can be used on a wide range of pigmentation issues including acne scarring.

 

  • WHO IS THIS FOR?

Microdermabrasion works best on superficial scars and for people with lighter skin. Your skincare provider will help you decide whether it is the right treatment for you.

Dermabrasion works on more serious pigmentation and is far more riskier, requiring a longer healing process of 10-14 days. There is also a risk of infection as layers of skin are scrapped away.

Chemical Peels for Pigmentation

A chemical preparation is used to take off upper layers of skin. The most popular chemical is glycolic acid mixed with other skin nurturing ingredients.

The preparation is applied by brush and left like a normal facial peel. When it is removed the skin sheds. This happens over the course of a few days. Applying sun block after a chemical peel is critical. If not more pigmentation may occur as the new fresh skin is very vulnerable and delicate.

Two popular peels many clinics offer are the Cosmelan Depigmentation Peel and the Dermaquest Skinbrite Peel.

  • Cosmelan:

Cosmelan is a skin whitening treatment which is effective for reducing dark spots and patches. It is a one-off peel that is suitable for anyone suffering from deep pigmentation or melasma. It blocks the melanin production in problem cells so gets to the root of the problem.

After the peel you will need an extensive home care kit to help improve your results in the weeks and months following the treatment.

  • DermaQuest SkinBrite Peel:

This is a more gentle pigmentation peel. It is ideal for targeting sun spots, age spots and freckles. It works by exfoliating the skin encouraging the damaged skin.

  • Pigmentation Facial Or Skin Lightening Peel

Skin lightening peels are also fantastic treatment for rejuvenating the skin where age spots or darker pigmentation is visible. Over a course of treatments, a special Alpha Hydroxy treatment is applied under clinical conditions. This removes a layer of skin revealing fresh, undamaged skin beneath. The treatment is not painful and the results are superb.

 

  • WHO IS THIS FOR?

Chemical peels are best suited to treat age spots, sun damage, melasma and blotchy skin. They also work best on lighter skin tones and may provide quicker results than face acid products.

Laser Pigmentation Removal:

Non invasive and pain free, laser treatment is very effective against many forms of pigmentation. It is becoming increasingly popular because of the fantastic results and technology used.

Todays lasers are more advanced and sophisticated then earlier models and are now very successful on a range of skin types too.The laser beam targets the unwanted pigmentation in the skin cells. It destroys the pigmentation without affecting the surrounding tissues.

The pigmentation is then removed from the body naturally over time through its immune system. Laser pigmentation removal is not painful or uncomfortable. After 2-6 sessions most will notice  improvements in skin.

 

  • WHO IS THIS FOR?

Laser treatment work well on Freckles, Sun Spots, Hyperpigmentation, Age spots (solar lentigines), Flat pigmented birthmarks (congenital melanocytic naevi) and is suitable on all skin types.

 

IPL For Pigmentation Removal:

IPL is a type of non-ablative (fractional) laser treatment. Non ablative means it heats up the skin and is gentler then ablative procedures which destroy the layers of skin and require a longer healing period.

Intense Pulsed Light treatment  (IPL) is great for lighter skin tones. It is different then laser treatment as it uses multiple wavelengths to target larger areas. Unlike laser which focus a targeted laser on an exact spot at an exact wavelength.

Collagen production and growth is stimulated within the dermis. It normally requires multiple sessions.

IPL is used for overall pigmentation issues, but flat spots especially respond to this treatment. It may also help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, spider veins, and enlarged pores.

 

  • WHO IS THIS FOR?

IPL works best for people with fair skin.

What works best for your skin tone?

Skin tone affects the intensity and length of treatments. People with all skin tones can use the treatments mentioned above but if you have a darker skin tone you may need more time for treatments to work.

  • Lighter skin tones respond well to most hyperpigmentation treatments

The following may be ruled out if you easily tan or have darker skin:

high-beam lasers

IPL therapy

  • Medium skin tones should consider

chemical peels

microdermabrasion

  • Darker skin should consider:

glycolic or kojic acid

microdermabrasion

lower-strength chemical peels

laser treatments – only used at lower intensities over a larger number of sessions

Dark Circles Under The Eye Dark (Preorbital Dark Circles)

Dark circles under the eyes or preorbital dark circles occur when the skin below the eyes shows blood vessels and pools. They appear blue in people with fair skin as skin only lets in the blue wavelength of light.

If they appear darker it is because under eye circles reflect light from blood under the thin skin. The contrast is greater and more apparent the lighter your skin. Skin under your eyes is only 0.5mm thick which compares to 2mm thick on rest of your body.

Causes range from:

  • Seasonal allergies, sleeping too much or too little, eczema, stress, or even crying. In these cases dark circles might disappear by themselves.
  • Excessive exposure to the sun or even skin pigmentation abnormalities.
  • Ageing could also be guilty as you lose the fat and collagen around your eyes, and that magnifies what may not have seemed like a dark circle just a few years ago.
  • Genes and ethnicity also play their part.

Effective Treatments for Dark Circles

Dark under eye circles can be treated by a number of ways.

Combines microneedling and radiofrequency.  It stimulates collagen production and helps to plump and firm the skin. The skin under the eyes becomes fuller unable to reflect blue light as much and reducing the dark appearance.

Puffiness or “bags” often come with dark circles. Dermal fillers can help restore brighter, more youthful eyes. Injectables are not for everyone and can be seen as a step to far but they do work well and are an option.

This works by penetrating beneath the skins surface to start cell regrowth. Heat targets the connective tissue which makes it pull together and lift. It reaches deep into the layers stimulating cell regrowth and eliminating dark circles.

Designed for ages 30 – 50, it can either be used to preventative or restore.  Results develop over eight weeks and it is considered to be highly effective, safe as well as FDA approved.

 

With so many effective and affordable treatments on offer, you don’t need to suffer with skin pigmentation any longer. The first step you can take today is to apply good quality high SPF sun cream to your skin. The next step should be to contact a qualified skin care practitioner to examine and discuss your skin and draw up a treatment plan for you.

Why not book a free consultation with one of our skincare specialists today. It’s free, the only cost is your time.

 

 

The Difference Between IPL and Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal and intense pulse light  or IPL has been the ‘go to’ method for long term hair removal for many years. With advanced technology, it is much easier to achieve long-lasting results with laser and IPL than any other treatments. According to the new studies the average woman spends around £23,000 during their … Continue reading “The Difference Between IPL and Laser Hair Removal”

Laser hair removal and intense pulse light  or IPL has been the ‘go to’ method for long term hair removal for many years. With advanced technology, it is much easier to achieve long-lasting results with laser and IPL than any other treatments. According to the new studies the average woman spends around £23,000 during their lifetime for hair removal. While unwanted excess hair is such a problem, many of us are looking for long term.

When it comes to choosing the right treatment the most common questions are:

  • Should I choose IPL or Laser?
  • What is he difference between IPL and laser?
  • What gives the best results and best value for money?
  • Which one is faster?
  • What is safer for my skin type?

Is IPL and laser hair removal the same?

Many people confuse laser hair removal and IPL. IPL is not a laser. They both use light but that is where the similarities end. Not many people know there is any difference between IPL and laser hair removal technologies. Often thought of as similar. However, the difference between laser hair removal and IPL are many. If you are trying to make a decision between or IPL treatments, we’ve prepared you a comparison guide for you to help you make your decision.

Understanding Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is selective photothermolysis (SPTL). The crucial element in laser hair removal is matching specific wavelengths of light and pulse duration to the hair target. The hair target is the melanin found in the hair follicle. Melanin is a naturally occurring pigment in our skin and hair is associated with determining colour. Importantly for safety and comfort, the laser energy is focused and absorbed only into the follicle, thus avoiding the surrounding skin tissue area.

The process works by destroying the hair root. This prevents blood flow to the follicle, disabling the hair growth long-term.

Understanding IPL hair removal

IPL technology, also known as intense pulsed light technology is actually not a laser treatment. Compared to laser hair removal, it uses a broad spectrum of light with multiple wavelengths. This means it has more unfocused energy around the hair and skin area. The light is like the flash from a camera which spreads over a large area against a focused beam of light from a laser. 

That’s why at Premier Laser in London we do not use IPL technology for hair removal treatments, as it is not as efficient or effective.

What’s the difference between Laser Hair Removal and IPL?

Both laser and IPL use light to destroy the hair follicle and prevent further growth. However, the kind of light and the technology used to deliver the light is quite different. Hence the treatments, process, and results are not the same. Let’s see the laser and IPL comparison under most asked segments.

IPL wavelength does not penetrate as deeply as laser

laser hair removal

The technology

As mentioned the main difference between laser and IPL is the type of light.

  • Laser machines provide a very specific type of light wavelength which is targeted and concentrated. The wavelength of light going to one direction creates a strong and highly effective light.
  • IPL machines provide a broad range of wavelengths to create a single flash of light, like a flash on a camera which covers a larger area. This decreases the power of the treatment and causes less effective results.

Winner:

IPL: Not as powerful

LASER : More powerful and effective

 

laser hair removal

Area of target

When the light enters the skin, it is absorbed by the melanin pigment in the hair follicle. The absorption of the light heats the hair follicle and interrupts the hair growth cycle. Concentrated light in laser finds the target and shoots the hair follicle. With the effective direct light, only the hair follicle gets struck by the laser. On the other hand, while IPL shoots with a broader and scattered light, the critical temperature for the hair follicle cannot be reached as easily. The majority of the energy is absorbed by the smaller more superficial targets. 

 

Winner:

IPL: Unfocused wide area targeted

LASER : Pinpoint focus on hair follicle

Safety on skin

IPL using scattered light also causes the surrounding tissue to absorb the light. While the light is not as focused as a laser, in order to heat deeper targets, IPL requires to use higher energy levels. This energy is also absorbed by the surrounding tissue. And it can lead to skin damage such as burning, hyperpigmentation, blistering and scarring.With laser as only one targeted wavelength is used, deeper penetration occurs. The energy directly targets the hair follicle and it is not absorbed by other chromophores in the path of the beam, so the surrounding skin is unaffected.

 

Winner: 

IPL: Hair and surrounding skin damaged

LASER : Only hair damaged

Number of sessions needed

Hair grows in different cycles. And laser and IPL can only treat the hair follicles at a certain stage called the anagen phase.

As the laser cannot determine which hair is at which stage in the growing cycle, the laser can only destroy the 10% of the current hair follicles. Hence, it is advised to have 6-8 sessions of laser hair removal for the best results.

IPL works with weaker and scattered light. It doesn’t provide a precise target shooting as the laser.

Hence, less hair follicle can be destructed at each session, leaving you with need in more sessions.

 

Winner:

IPL: More sessions

LASER: Fewer sessions

 

laser session

Treatment time

As the light beam used in laser treatment is highly concentrated and targeted; one shot with a laser at the area is enough for the results. The IPL devices feature a larger pad for the treatment and it might seem like the session can be completed quicker as the machine’s head is bigger. But because the light is weaker, the practitioner often needs to treat the same area more than once. Which leads your session to take longer than laser.

 

Winner:

IPL: Quicker sessions – longer to notice results

LASER : Longer sessions – quicker to notice results

Cost

Laser requires more advanced technology and the machines are more expensive costing up to £100,000 at 2020 prices. However as we’ve mentioned, IPL usually requires more sessions for good results and you are more likely to end up spending more for IPL in the long run.

 

Winner:

IPL: Cheaper

LASER : More expensive

laser hair removal

Safety

As laser uses a stronger beam of light, you might think the IPL is safer. However laser only targets the hair follicles and unlike IPL, it doesn’t affect the surrounding skin tissue. IPL is not as strong as laser so will need more sessions. This puts your skin under more stress and it will spend more time healing.  One shot over the area might seem to make it safer than laser but as mentioned in order to get the same results you need to treat the same area more than once causing your skin to be exposed more light than laser. At Premier Laser & Skin we use FDA approved Candela lasers which are also being used in Hospitals. So you are definitely in safe hands.

 

Winner:

IPL: Skin more exposed

LASER : Skin less exposed

laser hair removal

Pain level

On the technical level, the more concentrated the light, the stronger you can feel it. Hence IPL machines may seem to cause less pain. However modern laser machines are designed to be as comfortable as possible for the client. They are built-in with a cooling system where it blows constant cool air to the skin where the laser is being processed. So it significantly decreases the pain level. Most clinicians also use wet wipes to clean the area. When your skin is damper, the cooling air works much stronger.

Many of our clients report they don’t feel any pain during their laser treatment. If you have low pain tolerance, you can also always ask your clinician to use numbing cream.

 

Winner:

IPL: Less painful

LASER : more painful

Suitability for skin and hair types

Both laser and IPL machines are highly sensitive to skin colour and melanin. Which means that it is hard to treat dark skin. However our FDA approved medical-grade lasers are suitable for all skin types on the Fitzpatrick skin scale. And can be used on brown and dark skin as well.

 

Winner

IPL: Damage to surrounding skin and pigment on darker skin means avoid IPL

LASER : Nd-Yag lasers are specifically designed to work on darker skin type

 

laser hair removal

IPL vs Laser hair – a clients personal experience of both

If you are thinking about IPL or laser hair removal Premier Laser Client Tihan shared her experience with us when she visited the Soho clinic for laser hair removal. She visited our clinic after experiencing unsatisfying results with IPL elsewhere.

“I came to this Clinic after my disappointing experience with IPL. I had over 10 sessions of IPL and I still have a lot of hair and have to shave. I also have patches and there were no real improvements in my last few sessions so i decided to look into laser hair removal.

From the start, my experience with the Clinic has been great  

Alex provided me with all information as well as answered all of the questions I had. Transparency was crucial for me to decide whether to take a treatment with them or not, because of the lack of transparency that I had in another place where I started (but haven’t finished) my IPL package.

I am still doing laser at the Clinic, and I expected some results after one-two sessions, but that is an understatement.

The results are incredible.

I do not know where that is because of my skin type, but I am so happy with the results already, and cannot wait for the final result. So happy with my choice!”

Next steps if you live in London

If you live in London near one of our 9 clinics, why not speak to us today about your laser hair removal needs. We offer a free consultation where you can talk over your goals with us.

 

 

Treatments to Get You Wedding Ready

You want to look your best when you’re preparing for your wedding. There are a number of treatments that can help you achieve your best look. Each comes with particular strengths, depending on your goal. The best approach is to coordinate with a single clinic that can help you form a precise plan of action. This ensures that each treatment agrees with and enhances the last one, so you get just the right amount of what’s right for you.

HydraFacial

A HydraFacial is an incredibly effective way to rejuvenate your skin. It combines multiple processes: cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, hydration, and protection. Its major benefits are that it’s a comfortable and even refreshing process. There’s also no downtime for the treatment to take effect, however you will feel a tightness in your skin within the week following the treatment whilst your skin renews.

The Hydrafacial is a great all rounder treatment which can tone out even the finest of lines, and is especially useful if you’re dealing with oily skin. The treatment will leave you skin looking plumper and firmer, and because it’s a soothing and non-invasive treatment, your skin maintains its elasticity.

Carbon Spectra

The carbon spectra is a treatment involves a gentle cleansing of your skin before carbon lotion is massaged over your forehead, nose, chin, and cheeks. A laser is then applied over the carbon. This warms the tissues beneath your skin gradually, enhancing your body’s natural collagen production.

The entire process takes about 20 minutes. Then your face is washed with a cleanser and sunblock is applied (to protect the refreshed skin). It’s a relaxing process focused on balancing the skin tone and minimising pores.

Ultracel

The Ultracel combines radio frequency and ultrasound together. This allows precise targeting of deep collagen layers. Ultracel’s unique combination heats up collagen in a safe and comfortable way. This stimulates the way collagen grows. The benefit of this approach rests in how it uses your body’s own natural collagen response to firm, tighten, and tone skin.

Dermapen

Dermapen involves microneedling. That may sound a little scary, but it’s perfectly safe and clinically proved. Dermapen accesses and promotes collagen growth and the body’s natural repair process. This can help to smooth out wrinkles, scars, and stretch marks. A full course of treatment can rejuvenate your body. It’s not just for facial use, but can be utilised on almost any area.

Anti-Wrinkle Injectables & Fillers

Anti-Wrinkle Injections are one of the most proved technologies for smoothing wrinkles. They are an injectable that blocks nerve signals to particular muscles. Areas with wrinkles will relax and appear smoother. It’s used chiefly on wrinkles and smile lines.

Dermal Fillers on the other hand can help to fill wrinkles and smooth them out. They can also be used to replace lost volume, contour the face and plump the lips. These are two similar yet distinct solutions for eliminating wrinkles.

Contact us today to book your FREE consultation and discuss your treatment options.

 

IPL: What You Should Know

The field of dermatology and skin care treatment has seen incredible advances in recent years. People who have struggled with skin conditions without relief for years – or their entire lives – suddenly have options to pursue. But sometimes those options can be confusing. What is IPL, how could it help your skin and is it the right solution for you? Let’s find your answers.

What is IPL?

IPL is a quick 30-minute procedure during which broad wavelength light is used to penetrate the skin. It is not a laser. As a result of this light exposure, collagen and blood vessels below the surface of the skin constrict. This reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles, while also reducing redness and uneven tone.

Clients have turned to IPL to help with everything from reducing the signs of ageing and improving skin texture to relieving Rosacea, evening pigmentation and dispelling broken capillaries and veins.

A revolutionary technique, IPL can be used to treat multiple conditions – at the same time. This is remarkable for people struggling with different complaints; it is time-saving, efficient and, most importantly, effective. Pain and downtime are minimised; results are maximised.

Does IPL Work for Hair Removal?

IPL is often confused with laser treatments. No, IPL is not indicated for hair removal, but laser techniques are remarkably effective. Here, highly concentrated light is directed to the unwanted hair follicles. This essentially destroys them.

Remember, IPL affects the blood vessels and collagen stores under the skin. Laser hair removal targets the follicles, making it a much more effective option if your goal is to remove undesirable hair.

IPL and laser technology can each be effective; the right choice for you depends on your individual goals. If you need more information, do not hesitate to contact us. Medical and scientific advances make your goal of healthy, beautiful skin more achievable than ever.

What are Freckles – And What Are Your Options If You Want to Treat Them?

Freckles are a common skin concern, some love their freckles, where as others may wish they weren’t so visible. In this blog we will uncover what freckles are – and how you can treat them effectively?

First, know that freckles are not themselves harmful, nor do they indicate a health problem. They are simply small, flat pigment cells, typically light brown or tan in colour. Once again, we can thank genetics. Freckling is a recessive trait; if both parents have it, they can pass it on to their children. It is associated with the MC1R gene, which regulates skin pigment.

But have you ever seen a baby with freckles? Nope. They can have birthmarks and moles, but not freckles. This is because these spots of melanin appear and are darkened with exposure to sunlight. This is why you’ll notice more prominent freckling during the summer.

But while sun can cause freckles to appear and multiply, they are not a sign of skin damage, they are simply just your skin type. You can do everything perfectly in regards to protecting yourself from the sun, and you’re still going to have freckles.”

So if you’re sun-smart, freckles are fine. But what if, aesthetically, you’re not fine with freckles? Laser pigmentation removal is an effective option; wavelengths of light are applied to the affected area. This shatters the pigments, which are then removed via the lymphatic system.

There are also pigmentation peel alternatives: Cosmelan is a topical treatment that targets cells that are involved in pigmentation. It prevents melanin production, which can lighten blemishes and spots. SkinBrite is another option: this deep exfoliator penetrates damaged layers of the skin. By accelerating the skin’s natural renewal process, it can reveal an even complexion.

There is certainly nothing wrong with freckles; but if you would feel more comfortable and confidence with more even skin, you have effective options to pursue.

Book your free consultation today!