When a person notices that something does not look quite right about the pigmentation of the skin on their face, then they have several options as to what they can do about it. Some women, for example, might decide to wear extra cosmetics in an attempt to cover it. However, medical technology has various procedures that can help to eradicate the irregular pigmentation over time.
An example of such a procedure is known as the FotoFacial. This procedure is actually rather unique, in that it can be performed as an outpatient procedure in the office of a dermatologist, or as part of an overall treatment regimen in a medical spa.
In order to have a better understanding as to how a FotoFacial works, it is important to first understand how this procedure got its name. Obviously, there is a connection to photography. When a person has their picture taken, there is always a flash of the camera. This flash is a certain kind of light. So, a FotoFacial uses quick flashes, or pulsations of light, in order to treat various skin conditions.
How can this procedure specifically help with irregular skin pigmentation? In order to get a definitive answer to this question, it is important to understand how the irregular pigmentation is caused. It all has to do with a substance that is known as melanin. Although there can be various internal chemical reactions that can cause excess amount of melanin to be produced, it usually happens because of prolonged exposure to the sun.
Take, for example, what a person will see at the beach at any given time. There will be some people who are hiding behind large beach umbrellas or are diligent about applying an SPF every few hours. Then, there are the people who don not apply anything to their skin, but rather lay out directly under the rays of the sun in order to get a bronzed look.
This latter group might become bronzed, but they are also subjecting themselves to considerable amounts of dangerous ultraviolet rays. These rays, which come directly from the sun, permeate the upper layers of the skin, and cause melanin production. The skin produces this melanin in an attempt to protect itself from the affects of these ultraviolet rays.
In a FotoFacial procedure, the patient needs to arrive with a completely clear face. This means that women should not be wearing any makeup, and men should not be wearing any aftershave. Next, the face will be washed with an antiseptic. A topical anesthetic cream is also sometimes applied to the face.
All of the preparation having been done, the doctor or aesthetician will then use a handheld device to administer the light pulsations to the affected area. The pulsations of light are meant to target the melanin clad skin molecules and bra them apart, slowly eradicating them. At the same time, the light incites an extra amount of blood flow in the area, which helps to rebuild new and healthy skin tissue.
