Fotofacial/IPL versus Similar Treatments

There are several methods of skin resurfacing being used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, get rid of scars and age spots, and tighten and smooth loose, sagging skin. Most of them use lasers of different intensities, while one uses light pulses. Since there are several choices in skin repair treatments, you should do some research before you choose the procedure that is right for you.

FotoFacial/IPL

This form of skin resurfacing may be the gentlest way to get rid of the flaws in your skin that the passage of time has given you. Instead of lasers, the treatment uses light pulses. The heat in these light pulses is generated by a plasma created with the use of nitrogen. The light pulses infiltrate the innermost layers of skin and remove the damaged skin from the inside out. When the damaged skin is removed, the body stimulates the production of new collagen to take the place of the old skin. The advantage of FotoFacial is that it does not use lasers, thus causing less irritation and making healing time minimal. It can safely be used in areas close to the eyes and the neck that are usually very sensitive. Unfortunately, it is not powerful enough to exfoliate dead skin cells as well as laser procedures can.

Similar Procedures

Other skin resurfacing devices use lasers, versus the gentler FotoFacial light pulse technology. Some of the laser techniques are: ? Fraxel ? A Fraxel laser treatment concentrates on minute amounts of skin tissue at a time. The laser penetrates to the dermis, which is the second layer of skin, and does its repair work there. The point of this is to create a small wound in the damaged area. As the wound heals, the body begins to create new collagen and skin to fill in that area. Fraxel can be used on small areas like age spots or fine wrinkles, or the more thorough form of the procedure can completely resurface the entire facial area. ? Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatments ? CO2 lasers are the most powerful lasers and can therefore penetrate and repair extremely deep wrinkles, birthmarks, and scars. After treatment with a CO2 laser, the skin begins to get smoother and tighter because the laser constricts the collagen underneath the second layer of skin. Because the laser is so powerful, it is possible to get burned, but in qualified hands it is still considered very safe. ? Erbium Laser Treatments ? Because CO2 lasers are powerful, they are not as precise as an Erbium laser. These treatments are good for people who have overall healthy skin with some minor flaws like fine wrinkles or the occasional age spot. Healing time is much shorter than with a CO2 laser.