Do I Need a Photofacial?

How to Achieve More Luminous, Healthy Skin In Less Than Two Weeks

Now that the warm weather is over and winter is setting in, you might be starting to notice the impact all that time in the sun has had on your skin. If you suffer from sun damage, sunspots, rosacea, flushing, or even spider veins and broken capillaries, you could benefit from a photofacial.

Everyone wants luminous, smooth and natural-looking skin. Photofacials, or photorejuvenation treatments, are a great way to achieve this without looking overdone or artificial. They can even reduce the appearance of freckles.

So, What Is a Photofacial and How Does It Work?

A photofacial uses intense pulsed light (or IPL) to target the hemoglobin and melanin in your skin that causes visible redness and dark spots.

First, the handheld IPL device is applied to your skin. It then emits a flash of light that causes the melanin (brown pigment) or hemoglobin (red blood cells) in your skin to heat up and be reabsorbed by your body’s natural healing process. In the case of brown spots, you will notice they will become darker and eventually slough off. Normally, it takes only 1 to 2 weeks to see results and up to a month for your skin to heal completely.

A photofacial session usually takes around 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the area you’re treating. A full face can take up to 90 minutes. You will need 3 to 5 treatments, once every 4 to 6 weeks. You may experience some mild discomfort during the first session, but as your skin starts to improve, the discomfort will lessen with each subsequent treatment. There is very little risk.

The effects of a photofacial can be long lasting. With the use of the right products, you can help to extend the results. However, photofacials are more of a control than a cure, and you may choose to go for a touch-up session about once a year following the initial series of treatments. The most important thing to remember is to continue taking good care of your skin both during the treatments and afterwards.

IPL Vs. Laser Treatments

Photofacial treatments are different from fractional laser resurfacing because photofacials produce a single white flash, which is emitted from a rectangular window. The fractional laser produces a concentrated pulse of narrow-bandwidth light which is, as the name implies, fractionated into many tiny microbeams of light, which penetrate the skin and cause micro-columns of heat.

IPL light is absorbed only by a target in the skin, such as brown pigment or red in the blood cells. This causes them to heat up, destroying the cells which contain them. The results take 1-2 weeks to appear.

Fractional laser resurfacing creates micro-columns of heat throughout the surface of your skin, stimulating the body’s own healing process to produce fresh new collagen. As it takes time for your body to create the collagen, the improvements will appear slowly over the course of three to six months.

There is very little downtime after a photofacial. You will leave the treatment looking like you had a mild sunburn, and this will resolve within a day or two. If the photofacial was targeting pigmentation, the targeted areas will appear darker immediately after the treatment and will naturally slough off within 1-2 weeks. Makeup may be gently applied immediately after the treatment.

You may appear a little redder after a fractional laser treatment, but this redness will also subside after a day or two.

How to Prep for A Photofacial

+ Avoid Tanning For 4 Weeks Prior

Do not use self-tanning agents for at least four weeks before your appointment. If you have used these products, thoroughly cleanse and exfoliate the area to remove all product four weeks prior to any treatment. You should also avoid the tanning bed before your photofacial.

Active tanning or using self-tanning products can create pigment in the skin and will increase the risk of adverse effects. For this reason, tanned skin should not be treated with photorejuvenation.

+ Avoid Direct Sunlight

In order to minimize any side effects, you should avoid spending too much time in the sun for at least 4 weeks before your appointment. If that’s not something you can avoid, make sure you stock up on SPF30 sunscreen with UVA and UVB filters and wear a broad-brimmed hat and clothing that protects the area to be treated.

+ Moisturize and Hydrate Regularly

The healthier your skin is going into your treatment, the faster it will heal and the better your results will be. Hydration is extremely important for your skin. Using unscented moisturizer also helps hydrate the skin. Be sure to give special attention to the treatment area, as dry skin will slow down the healing process.

+ Avoid Smoking

To prep your body for a smooth healing process, you should not use tobacco in the weeks prior to your photofacial. Smoking can also negatively affect your results. Specialists recommend that you stop smoking before and after your procedure to achieve maximum results. If you’ve been looking to kick your smoking habit, now may be the perfect time!

+ Avoid Retinols and Certain Antibiotics

Stop using any creams that contain retinol, such as Retin-A, at least 2 weeks prior to treatment. Certain antibiotics can also cause skin sensitivity to light treatments. Before each session, inform your doctor if you’ve been taking any new medications, as they may not be able to treat you for up to two weeks after you’ve finished the antibiotic.

Photofacial Aftercare Tips

+ Avoid the Sun (Wear SPF)

This is the most important step to ensure that you get the best results from your photofacial. Stay out of direct sunlight for at least 30 days, even for brief periods. Your skin will be extremely sensitive after your treatment and you don’t want to risk re-damaging it while it heals. Be consistent with applying a good broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 40 if you need to go out in the sun and wear a wide-brimmed hat.

+ Hydrocortisone

If you are experiencing persistent irritation in the hours and days following your treatment, you can apply hydrocortisone to the affected area up to two times per day for up to 3 days. This is an over-the-counter cream that can be purchased at your local drug store. You should experience instant relief, just don’t over-do it.

+ Moisturize and Hydrate Regularly

The healthier your skin is going into your treatment, the faster it will heal and the better your results will be. Hydration is extremely important for your skin. Using unscented moisturizer also helps hydrate the skin. Be sure to give special attention to the treatment area, as dry skin will slow down the healing process.

+ Cold Compress

For up to 24 hours after your appointment, you may feel like you have a bit of a sunburn on the treated area. If necessary, the mild redness and inflammation can be soothed with a cool compress or wrap applied for 15 minutes every 1 to 2 hours. Most times, however, this is only necessary if you have highly sensitive skin.

+ Avoid Hard Water and Do Not Scrub/Rub Face

For the first week or so after your treatment, do not use exfoliants and facial scrubs to avoid irritation. While your skin is healing, you may experience minor scabbing or “crusting” as the imperfections come to the surface. These will come off on their own, so it’s important to leave them alone.

Instead, use a gentle cream cleanser with warm water, twice a day. Make sure you avoid hard water for the first few days as well, as it could irritate the treated skin. After washing your face, pat to dry.

+ No Exercise 24 Hours After Treatment

Rigorous exercise may irritate your skin during the healing process, especially if you’re working out outdoors where your skin will be exposed to the weather elements. If your skin overheats while it’s healing, or if you begin sweating excessively, it might affect your results. To be safe, ask your photofacial technician about exercise recommendations and possible limitations after your procedure.

+ No Topical Products That Can Cause Irritation

Although one of the benefits of photorejuvenation is that you can wear makeup and resume normal activities almost immediately after the treatment, you should wait 12 hours before applying a full face of makeup. During the first few days, make sure you apply and remove the makeup with extreme care and avoid harsh makeup removers and excessive scrubbing.

Instead, remove your makeup with warm water and gentle, unscented soap. Be diligent with removing your makeup before bed so your skin can breathe and heal while you sleep. Scented moisturizers, creams, and soaps can irritate your skin as well, so consider giving those a break for the first week.

+ No Topical Products That Can Cause Irritation

Although one of the benefits of photorejuvenation is that you can wear makeup and resume normal activities almost immediately after the treatment, you should wait 12 hours before applying a full face of makeup. During the first few days, make sure you apply and remove the makeup with extreme care and avoid harsh makeup removers and excessive scrubbing.

Instead, remove your makeup with warm water and gentle, unscented soap. Be diligent with removing your makeup before bed so your skin can breathe and heal while you sleep. Scented moisturizers, creams, and soaps can irritate your skin as well, so consider giving those a break for the first week.

The Takeaway

Technically, no one needs a photofacial. But most people suffering from common skin problems can (and should) benefit from one. Not only does it clear up imperfections, but it’s actually healthy for your skin. The results are almost instant, are incredibly long-lasting, and there’s almost no downtime.

If you want to know more about the advantages of having your IPL Photofacial done at the Kanata Skin Clinic, contact us and we’d be happy to discuss options with you.

---

Article written by Dr. Erik Hegmann, MD

Dr. Erik Hegmann, MD, is a family physician who has focused on Cosmetic and Laser Medicine at his Kanata office since 2004. Dr. Hegmann has an extensive educational background with a Master of Science, specializing in cancer research, from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Facility in Toronto, and a degree from the Faculty of Medicine at the Unversity of Toronto graduating with Honours.

Read the biography of Dr. Erik Hegmann, MD