Photorejuvenation (IPL and BBL) in San Francisco

Name: Photofacials (IPL)
Brand: The MAAS Clinic
Rating: 4.9 (144 reviews)

If the visible signs of sun damage, time, and lifestyle choices are appearing on your complexion, Photorejuvenation (Also known as photofacials or photo facial rejuvenation) at the Maas Clinic™ in San Francisco can help you achieve younger and healthier-looking skin with little to no downtime and minimal discomfort.

Transformative Results

IPL™ (Intense Pulsed Light) and BBL™ (BroadBand Light) treatments can significantly reduce the appearance of freckles, wrinkles, birthmarks, broken or dilated capillaries, dark spots, blotchy skin color, enlarged pore size, and uneven pigmentation, targeting multiple issues in one easy treatment. For those suffering from rosacea, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the facial skin, Photorejuvenation is also a highly effective treatment that can address vascular redness in the face and neck.

How Photorejuvenation Works

In a photorejuvenation treatment, targeted high-intensity light energy is delivered via a crystal in the handpiece to the skin. The IPL device filters enable us to specify the exact range of light waves to use to target unwanted brown spots and redness in the skin caused by sun damage. The heat from the light energy is absorbed by the unwanted red or brown pigment, raising the temperature of the targeted areas high enough to damage the lesion cells while doing no harm to the epidermis and surrounding tissue. The process is gradual, non-invasive, and non-ablative, and therefore more gentle than traditional laser therapies. As skin cells undergo their natural turnover, the damaged cells will be eliminated by the body, resulting in a more even skin tone. The treatment also triggers a controlled response, stimulating the generation of new collagen in the skin for a more even and vibrant complexion. The procedure can be reliably performed on various areas of the body, including the face, neck, decollete, and hands.

What Happens During and After an IPL or BBL Treatment?

After eye protection is provided, the handpiece is applied to the skin surface to be treated. There will be a bright flash of light each time the energy is delivered into the skin, and multiple passes will be performed. The crystal tip of the device will be oriented in a specific way on each pass, to ensure the energy covers every treatable square millimeter of the treated areas. The treatment itself can take just a few minutes to half an hour, depending on your specific skin concerns, to the number of areas being treated.

You will see some redness in the skin for an hour or so after treatment, but this can easily be covered by makeup, which we can provide for you. Sometimes, fine vessels in the face may shrink upon themselves immediately or even burst during the treatment.

But any bruising is only temporary and will resolve within a day. You may notice brown spots getting a little darker in the week after treatment, but they will fade and disappear in time.

Introduction to Photo Rejuvenation (IPL) - The Appearance Care Center San Francisco

Does Photorejuvenation Treatments Hurt?

To us, the treatment experience is just as important as the outcome. We want patients to be able to tolerate the treatment in order to see optimal results and see long-term improvements to the evenness of their skin. To minimize any discomfort you may feel, we recommend patients arrive 30 minutes prior to treatment for the application of a topical numbing cream.

Our devices are equipped with advanced cooling technology for greater comfort and safety, and our experienced laser technicians are also well-versed in the latest techniques, both of which serve to reduce the painful ‘rubber band’ snapping or stinging feeling from the treatment.

How Can IPL Be Used to Treat Dry Eyes?

Although most people are familiar with IPL as a skin rejuvenation treatment, it is becoming increasingly well-known as a solution for dry eye symptoms. The treatment works by improving the health of the meibomian glands, which produce an oil that helps prevent tears from evaporating too quickly. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is the leading cause of dry eye disease and its associated symptoms, including itching, watering, burning, light sensitivity, red eyes, gritty sensation, and blurred vision. IPL has multiple mechanisms of action as a treatment for dry eye. The light energy:

Warms the meibomian glands to improve their form and function
Targets underlying causes of inflammation that contribute to dry eye
Reduces Demodex mites that stimulate infection
Facilitates critical cellular functions, such as collagen synthesis
Disrupts the inflammatory cycle that triggers and perpetuates dry eye

Each session of IPL for dry eyes usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. Patients can expect to experience relief within a few minutes of the first session. To receive the full benefits of this treatment, Dr. Maas recommends a treatment protocol of four sessions spaced six months apart. Following a full course of treatment, patients can anticipate improved vision and more eye comfort, as well as a reduced or eliminated need for eye drops. If dry eye symptoms reappear at any time, another IPL treatment can be scheduled.

What is the difference between IPL and BBL?

Simply put, BBL can be considered the next generation of IPL treatments. FDA-cleared for the treatment of sun-damaged skin, BBL spans a wider visible spectrum of light than IPL, with both producing light from the visible to the infrared spectrum.

Both technologies have provided well-documented results for skin rejuvenation. To discover which is more suitable for your needs, we invite you to schedule an in-person consultation with us today.

Schedule an IPL or BBL Consultation in San Francisco Today

Even with disciplined use of sun protection, it is very difficult to completely protect your skin from UV damage. IPL and BBL are excellent treatments that can be done a few times a year to achieve and maintain uniformly clear and bright skin. Whether you’re treating your face or other parts of the body, photorejuvenation can help get rid of unwanted skin changes.

Dr. Maas is a big believer in IPL technology and the advances it represents in the field of aesthetic medicine. By successfully smoothing and evening out complexion tone and texture with extremely minimal risk, transformative photorejuvenating treatments can be safely enjoyed by the vast majority of patients.

To experience how IPL or BBL can make a difference to your skin, or to find out more about these treatments, including how these systems work to treat specific skin concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

The information about photorejuvenation (IPL and BBL) was reviewed by Corey S. Maas MD™. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us using our contact form on the sidebar.