IPL Treatment in Singapore
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) For Acne
Acne and pimple treatments has significantly advanced in recent years, making it more manageable with a deeper understanding of the condition. Approximately 90% of all adolescents and 25% of all adults experience acne at some point in their lives. Acne, (or pimples) is caused by overactive sebum, the buildup of oil, dead skin cells and bacteria, which leads to inflammation in the pores. The majority of the teens get it during puberty due to the overstimulated oil glands when their hormones become active. Other factors may include genetics or are further affected by eating chocolate, greasy foods or poor hygiene.
Acne and pimple breakouts are very common on the face. It can also occur on the neck, chest, back, shoulders, upper arms and legs, as well as the scalp. IPL Acne Therapy is one of the effective acne treatments that helps to destroy the most common bacteria that causes acne — without drugs, pain and downtime. The US FDA clearance IPL device treatment is a safe and effective acne treatments available for mild to moderate inflammatory acne. Its technology uses light that is UV-safe and has no known side effects.
How does IPL work?
IPL utilizes a broad spectrum light source to treat various skin treatments for aesthetic and therapeutic uses (hair removal, acne, rosacea, age spots). Various cutoff filters are often used with the versatile device handpiece to narrow the wavelengths to target specific penetration depths under the epidermis.
For effective acne treatment, three filters are applied–420 nm (blue light), 560 nm (yellow light) and 590 nm (red light). These filters have a distinctive property, i.e. destroying the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria, treating inflammatory acne lesions and inhibiting overactive sebaceous oil glands, respectively.
IPL Hair Removal Benefit
The bacteria that cause oily skin travel from the skin's pores via facial hair, resulting in the oil and bacteria spreading to adjacent pores. Clients with thick, dark hair usually suffer ingrown hairs that spread bacteria trapped in the pores, leading to acne flare-ups. With facial laser hair removal, eliminating hair will significantly reduce breakouts because there will no longer be any hair available for the bacteria to cling onto. The sebaceous glands are also likely to produce less oil after a treatment. And with less oil, there's less acne.
Acne happens when skin cells don't shed properly and sebum, oils and bacteria are trapped. Therefore, unblocking these glands will substantially reduce the further development of acne. Mild scars that are usually associated with current acne outbreaks will also decrease. IPL can also be used to destroy the follicles that produce hair to remove unwanted hair in bikini lines, faces, armpits, legs and chests. It is more effective on people with dark hair.
IPL Acne Benefit
IPL is the one of the most versatile multi-application modalities that provides the most popular, non-invasive aesthetic procedures. It is effective in treating vascular lesions that result in spider or telangiectatic veins. These are veins in which capillaries have been broken, leading to the appearance of the veins on the skin's surface. IPL can be used to blast these broken capillaries, destroy them eventually, cut the blood flow into these veins, and let the veins die until the body reabsorbs them. However, the actual effects of IPL still depend on the severity, size, and site of the vascular lesions. IPL can also lighten prominent birthmarks or hyperpigmentation by destroying the pigment-producing cells that cause the discolouration.
The technique also effectively treats skin conditions caused by prolonged or consistent exposure to the sun (photodamage). These include age spots and freckles. It can also treat melasma, acne, and stretch marks. The technology destroys the cells that produce melanin, the pigment that provides colour to the skin. Once these cells are destroyed, the body is forced to generate newer skin cells, which lead to a more even skin tone.
Since the treatment is broad, it usually takes at least three treatments before achieving the desired results. The sessions are advised to do a month apart to give the skin enough time to heal. This treatment can be used as standalone or complementary with other treatments.
Doctor’s Advice & Recommendation
Unlike laser treatments, IPL is not a regulated procedure, which means that anyone trained to operate the machine can perform the procedure. For your safety and to achieve optimal results, we recommended to approach doctors or professional aestheticians who have experience and training in using the machine. He or she should have a deeper knowledge of the skin and the conditions that affect it.
We recommend to speak to doctor before the treatment to assess and evaluate if your skin condition is suitable for IPL therapy.
What to Expect in a complete Acne Facial Treatment?
- This treatment begins with a double cleansing to thoroughly remove the day's buildup from the skin.
- Chemical peels are then tailored to your specific skin condition and goals according to a strict protocol developed by doctors. It helps to exfoliate the skin to slough off dead skin cells more effective to reveal smoother and radiant skin.
- Next, our medically trained therapist will perform a comprehensive pimple extraction with clinically acne extraction tools on the individual's back in a comfortable setting.
- Following our FDA-approved Photofacial Acne Therapy, this treatment helps to destroy acne-causing bacteria, control overactive oil glands, and reduce inflammation and redness.This method reduces breakouts significantly when used in conjunction with an IPL hair removal treatment since bacteria cannot cling to the hair. A cold gel is then applied to the skin to alleviate any redness or discomfort during the treatment. The patient will also be provided with protective eyewear, which should be worn throughout the course of therapy. The aesthetician controls the intensity or wavelength of the light pulses during the treatment, according to your skin concern. After the therapy, the aesthetician will apply a layer of DrKT's sunblock.
- Once the treatment is completed, the patient can return to regular activities, with minimal sun exposure. Apart from IPL treatment for acne, patients can also consider other course of acne treatments such as oral medication, topical acne treatment, medi-acne repair facial or other energy-based devices treatment. Speak to a doctor for a detailed assessment.