IPL Photo Rejuvenation Specialist

Essential Aesthetics and Laser

Medical Spa located in Charlotte, NC

While the sun feels good on our faces, the sun’s wavelengths and UV rays can damage and discolor skin. Essential Aesthetics and Laser in Charlotte, North Carolina, harnesses the power of light through IPL — intense pulsed light — to treat discolored skin caused by sun exposure, aging, or other causes. Call today to find out if IPL can help you.

IPL Photo Rejuvenation Q & A

What causes skin discoloration?

There are many reasons why the smooth and uniform skin color of youth fades over time. Age and sun spots are common, as are blood vessels close to the skin’s surface. Called rosacea, the resulting redness often looks like fine webs of capillaries. Instead of a smooth, rosy glow, the redness is typically splotchy and uneven.

Further, acne and other skin conditions can leave behind unnatural skin pigmentation, called hyperpigmentation. While chemical peels, lasers, and RF technology all reduce the appearance of certain spots, IPL proves particularly effective at reducing rosacea and other skin conditions.

What’s intense pulsed light?

Unlike lasers, which use intense beams of a single wavelength of light, IPL uses a much broader spectrum. Depending on the skin condition treated, this light is filtered to target specific flaws or parts of the body. For instance, when used in photo rejuvenation, chromophores and melanin are typically targeted for their effect on skin discoloration.

The redness stemming from surface capillaries and rosacea also responds well to IPL treatment. Essential Aesthetics and Laser uses IPL handpieces in conjunction with the Icon laser system to produce the wider wavelengths needed for photo rejuvenation techniques. The clinic also uses the CynoSure PicoSure® laser to treat hyperpigmentation.

What does the PicoSure do differently?

First of all, the PicoSure isn’t an IPL source, but instead a modified laser that uses a special lens to convert laser energy at the 755-nanometer point of the spectrum. At the cellular level, this creates pressure instead of heat, which in turn creates more energy at the treatment site than typical lasers and proves to be a powerful tool for combating skin discoloration. The PicoSure is also well-suited to acne scars, wrinkle reduction, and tattoo removal. Given the tuned light of the laser as well as the short duration of the energy bursts, the PicoSure is less likely than other lasers to affect the skin surrounding the treatment site.