Rosacea isn’t a serious medical condition, but it can really have a negative effect on your appearance. The reddish patches on the facial skin are caused by an overabundance of near-surface capillaries and also by skin cells that keep reproducing themselves with an abnormal amount of pigment. There’s a simple way to diminish the visibility of rosacea, and it involves the use of highly concentrated light energy. At Adoro Medical Spa, intense pulsed light (IPL) and broadband light (BBL) are your options for rosacea care.
There’s really no difference in the two methods of treatment. The instruments used to produce IPL and BBL can differ just a bit, mostly having to do with the spread of light and the mix of frequencies. Unlike a laser, photofacial treatment with IPL doesn’t produce cauterization of the skin layers. Instead, the treatment targets pigment-rich cells that lie beneath the surface, and it also constricts capillaries.
How It Works
A laser beam is made up of a single frequency of light. The light waves are of the same frequency as heat waves. On the other hand, an IPL or BBL instrument produces a mix of wavelengths. This mix is predetermined before treatment, and the instrument is calibrated based on the actual tone of the tissues being targeted.
Chromophores are cellular components that contain pigment. Darker tissues absorb light more readily and don’t reflect much of it. The idea here is to heat up and affect the darker, pigmented cells and leave the adjacent tissue unaffected.
Consultation and Preparation
For your rosacea care, we will examine the affected areas and note the depth of discoloration as well as the thickness and tone of the skin. This allows us to calibrate the instrument properly. We will generally schedule four or five treatment sessions, each of which can be completed in less than an hour. You will be given all the details of the treatment procedure. There’s no at-home preparation required except to keep the skin out of direct sunlight.
Treatment Procedure
We apply a cooling gel to the skin surface and give you protective eye shades. The instrument is placed on the skin surface, and the lamp is flashed for about two milliseconds. There’s a slight snapping sensation felt as the light energy penetrates through the skin.
Each of these ultrapulses produces a highly concentrated beam of multi-frequency light. The capillaries, being rather dark, absorb the energy and begin to constrict. The darker cells also absorb the energy and are slightly damaged. The body will replace the damaged cells with new tissues. After about four or five treatments, the reddish patches begin to fade. In some cases, the repair is permanent, but this isn’t always the case.
Better Overall Skin Tone
If you’re tired of applying makeup to hide those unwelcome rosacea spots, we offer a simple solution. Learn more about IPL and BBL treatment therapy by reaching out and making an appointment with Adoro Medical Spa. At our convenient location in Severna Park, we are proud to serve the areas of Annapolis and Columbia. Our caring and dedicated team will be pleased to explain these options to you in full and answer any questions you may have about rosacea care. Contact us today to set up your consultation!
