From Rosy Red to Red Carpet – Why IPL Has Hollywood Stars Raving!
- Posted on: Aug 2 2016
Do you ever feel nostalgic and decide to pop in a blockbuster film from the early ‘90s? Back then, Julia Roberts and Sandra 
Bullock were the reigning queens of the box office. Not only were they amazing actresses who starred in some of the best movies of that decade, they were also absolutely stunning.
Out of curiosity, have you seen Sandra or Julia lately? If not, be prepared for a shock because… they look exactly the same! Their skin looks absolutely flawless and they look like they’re still in their 30s!
For the record, Julia Roberts is 48 and Sandra Bullock is about to turn 52. It’s incredible; it’s like they’ve been able to stop time. Yes, in my opinion, cosmetic surgery has certainly played a part, but as I always tell my facelift patients, you can’t expect to achieve superior results just by having a facelift. The lifted skin needs to be nourished with regular skincare treatments to keep it looking smooth and flawless. One of my most favorite treatments to erase sun spots and achieve even skin tone is Intense Pulsed Light therapy.
So what is it?
Intense Pulsed Light therapy, or IPL, is a fantastic non-invasive and non-ablative treatment that uses nothing but light to get rid of redness, wrinkles and sunspots. It’s similar to laser treatments, but it’s not quite as intense. High-intensity light is flashed on your face, generating quick bursts of heat that go through the upper layer of your skin. This heat causes very specific damage to that layer of skin, that’s designed to break down red and brown pigments that are a result of broken capillaries and sunspots. The red pigments vanish before your eyes and brown spots work their way to the top of your skin and simply flake off! As an added bonus, IPL also promotes new collagen growth under the skin, smoothing out wrinkles.
Does it hurt?
I will be honest; IPL is not the most comfortable way to spend half an hour, but no, there shouldn’t be real or lasting pain. The light treatment will feel like someone is snapping your skin with an elastic band. It’s not the best feeling in the world, but it’s certainly bearable. The treatment will only last around twenty minutes, so any discomfort will be over quickly.
Another great thing about IPL is that there’s no downtime involved. You’ll see some redness on your skin, a bit like a mild sunburn, but that’s it. The redness can be easily covered with mineral makeup from Trilogy Laboratories. My wife, Dr. Kristen Flaharty, is the founder of Trilogy and I can tell you with pride that these products are the “best-of-the-best” medical-grade skincare that are all 100% backed by science.
Is IPL treatment for everyone?
If you have extensive skin damage, I might recommend that you start with a stronger procedure like the Fraxel Laser treatment to really get down deep to fix the issues. After that, you could move on to IPL as a maintenance procedure. Generally speaking, I recommend an IPL once a year for maintenance, once your skin is in great condition.
If you’d like to learn about Intense Pulsed Light therapy, we have a lot of great information on our website at www.azulbeauty.com, or give the office a call at (239) 415-7576. We also invite you to come into the office for a free consultation — one of my medical estheticians can give you a personalized recommendation about how you can achieve the best possible skin tone and complexion.
We hope to see you soon!
Dr. Patrick Flaharty
Posted in: Procedures