What is IPL?
IPL is intense pulsed light, also referred to as Photo or Skin Rejuvenation, Photo facial and Fotofacial. These are all essentially one and the same - laser treatments applied to your skin to achieve correction of redness, irregular pigmentation, sun damage, broken blood vessels, age spots, and coarse or rough skin.



What does IPL or a FotoFacial do?
A Fotofacial provides gradual, but noticeable, results in a gentle, non-invasive, virtually pain-free series of 3-6 treatments. There is no "down time" or interference with active lifestyles. Most patients have a dramatic decrease in fine lines and wrinkles, brown spots, sun damage, pigmented spots, melasma (pigment of the cheeks and forehead often associated with hormonal changes such as pregnancy) and age spots. Patients also realize decreased pore size, improved skin tone, and better skin texture.

The absence of downtime, minimal discomfort, ease of treatments and high degree of patient satisfaction make Fotofacial a popular alternative to other cosmetic procedures.



Is it painful?
Most patients are very comfortable during their treatments. A Fotofacial treatment feels like the snapping of a small rubber band. We offer a topical anesthetic that can numb the area to be treated and minimize any possible discomfort. Each person's level of discomfort will vary.



How long will the results of the treatments last?
You can expect long-term results. FotoFacial treatments are working to reverse the signs of aging caused by the sun and other factors. During treatments and after the desired results are achieved, you are responsible for maintaining and taking care of your skin. How you care for your skin, staying out of the sun, wearing sunblock and getting and staying on a good skin care regimen with physician quality products are a necessity to maintain the effects of the treatments. We are not stopping the aging process, but we are working to reduce the damage that has been done to the skin over time.



How long is treatment and recovery time?
Treatments take approximately 30 minutes and patients can continue their normal activities immediately. Redness normally occurs following a treatment. This will subside within 1-2 hours; in a few cases it may last 1-2 days. The reds and browns in the skin may become darker initially and will begin to fade over the next 5-7 days. Some flaking of the treated area may occur, this is normal and expected.



Who are the best candidates for FotoFacial Treatments?
Whether you are a man or a woman, if your skin is showing signs of aging and/or sun damage you are an ideal candidate. Brown spots, age spots, freckles, rosacea, flushing and redness of the skin can find dramatic relief with these treatments. Active people who don't want to take time off to heal from laser resurfacing or chemical peels will appreciate the "no down time" aspect.



What results can be expected?
Your skin will improve over-all with more even-colored tone, smaller pore size, smooth texture, radiant complexion, and a revitalized appearance.

After your first treatment, your skin will feel smoother and will have more even tone. You can expect to see a gradual decrease in overall redness and flushing from broken capillaries, as well as a decrease in fine wrinkles, a reduction in pore size and fading of sunspots. Improvements are gradual and become more visible after each treatment; three to five treatments are advised.



What is a FotoFacial Treatment like?
Each treatment takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes and you will be given dark glasses to shield your eyes from the bright light.

During a treatment, the smooth surface of the hand-piece is gently applied to your skin and delivers pulses of light to the area being treated. There may be some mild discomfort, but most patients find the treatments to be pain-free. There is no discomfort after a treatment.
Immediately following a treatment, the skin may appear flushed and tiny capillaries may appear more visible; brown spots generally seem darker. All of these changes fade over a period of hours.



How many treatments will I need?
While you may see improvement after only one treatment, most of our patients require a series of 3-5 treatments to yield the best results. Some severe cases of irregular pigmentation or rosacea may require additional treatments to achieve a satisfactory result. The Lasting SkinSolutions physician staff will give you an estimate for the recommended number of treatments and a quote for the cost of treatment.



How much do treatments cost?
Treatment prices are based on the amount of time it is expected to take to help correct your skin imperfection. During your free consultation, our physician staff will be able to estimate the cost of treatments. You will find that our prices are significantly below the fees charged by others in this market. We encourage you to call around and compare our pricing. At Lasting SkinSolutions, we pride ourselves on our competitive prices.



Do you offer financing?
We do have some payment plans available for some of the services offered.



What about skin care products?
Lasting SkinSolutions offers several physician-grade skin care products to enhance the effects of your treatments. Proper skin care will help reduce the appearance of fine lines, and help create more radiant skin.



What makes Lasting SkinSolutions treatments different?
First, we realize that each person is different. Each has a unique set of problems and skin type. In order to treat you in the most effective manner, these unique problems must be matched to the proper laser or other treatment. Because Lasting SkinSolutions is a full time laser and cosmetic dermatology practice, we have more equipment and more treatment options than any other facility offering cosmetic treatments. We use this advantage to formulate a treatment plan than will be the most effective for you.