FotoFacial™

Patient Frequently Asked Questions

Improving the Signs of Photoaging in Your Skin

The pleasures and stresses of life take their toll and cause our skin to look older. Sun exposure, the major culprit of skin damage, only compounds this. The actual conditions that develop are often a complex of changes in the small blood vessels (called “telangiectasias”) and the appearance of spots and blemishes of pigment.

A remarkable new technology called Intense Pulsed Light (IPL^™) can treat these developments with a very special flash of light.

Understanding Natural Skin Changes

As we age, our skin experiences various natural and environmental changes that are associated with the following:

• Redness, including the symptoms of rosacea, flushing, and broken blood vessels
• Pigment discoloration, such as freckles and age spots
• Sun damage
• Similar imperfections on non-facial areas like the neck, chest or hands

Result-Oriented Treatments

From creams to chemical peels, there are several approaches to improve the appearance. But can any of them provide significant improvement without interrupting your daily routine?

According to experts, the best solution would:

• Address conditions that are most visible
• Treat your entire face, not just a spot
• Be virtually pain-free
• Provide a gradual, natural-looking improvement
• Produce long-lasting results
• Offer immediate return to routine activities

The Newest Aesthetic Procedure for the Treatment of Photoaging Skin

A new procedure is now available that treats a combination of changes in facial skin — the changes that may often be the earliest and most dramatic signs of aging. The procedure is called IPL Skin Treatment. Because Intense Pulsed Light (IPL^™) treats multiple factors in your skin, this treatment is ideal for many patients. In addition, it is a procedure that fits the lifestyle of active people because it requires no downtime-you can resume work or other activities immediately.

As we age, changes in the small blood vessels of the skin may cause red broken capillaries to appear on the surface. Other vascular changes may appear as a generalized redness in one area, or even the entire face, known as rosacea. This can be quite severe, and may be accompanied by episodes of flushing that are very difficult to control. In fact, many rosacea patients are desperate for a solution to this annoying and embarrassing problem, as topical creams and other treatments are rarely effective. Other symptoms of vascular changes may appear as a red blotchy complexion that may not be related to aging at all.

The second major category of skin changes is photo-aging, the source of the changes in pigment and color brought about by exposure to the sun. Even in regions not thought of as sunny, our faces are always exposed to damaging ultraviolet rays. Almost everyone eventually begins to show freckles of brown pigment and other types of sun-damage spots — on the face, and often on the chest and the hands, as well.

For extreme cases of any of the above problems, medical procedures have been developed with good success, including laser skin resurfacing and surgical facelifts. But many people do not need an invasive procedure requiring considerable healing time. They can now be treated with non-invasive, non-laser Intense Pulsed Light.

• The IPL^™ program usually consists of four to six treatments, at three-week intervals. The program gives you a gradual, not sudden, improvement that is remarkable.
• A treatment takes between twenty and forty minutes. The light is transmitted through the small, smooth, flat glass surface. The handpiece is held gently against your skin by the operator.
• The IPL^™ treatment is administered to the whole face each time, for a much more aesthetically pleasing look than can be obtained by treating just one problem area, as with certain lasers that deliver a tiny spot of light.
• IPL^™ Skin Treatment is very effective for use on the neck, the chest, or the hands, as well as the face.
• There is no downtime. IPL^™ is an excellent choice for both women and men.
• IPL^™ treats redness of a vascular origin (including the symptoms of rosacea), the brown-toned pigment of sun damage, while the therapeutic light energy reaches down to the deeper layers of the skin. Skin improves with an even-colored tone, and a natural look.
• As with all medical procedures, there is a risk of adverse reaction, such as a temporary burn or blister.

About FotoFacial^™ Treatments

FotoFacial^™ Treatments are full face, neck and/or chest treatments using pulses of visible light that effectively improve facial redness and flushing as well as the visible signs of sun damage and aging.

FotoFacial^™ Treatments were developed and first introduced by Board-certified dermatologist, Patrick Bitter Jr. MD as a non invasive method of photorejuvenation to improve the appearance of the skin with no downtime. A non-laser medical device (MultiLight^™ and Vasculight^™ from ESC medical) are used to deliver a series of gentle pulses of light to the skin. Specific settings are selected for each treatment for optimal results. A series of five or more treatments are performed at three week intervals. The benefits of FotoFacial^™ Treatments are consistent, visible improvement in the skin with no downtime, little discomfort and minimal risk. With FotoFacial^™ Treatments the embarrassing redness and flushing of rosacea can be greatly reduced and sun damaged, aging skin can be dramatically improved.

What are the indications for FotoFacial^™ Treatments?

FotoFacial^™ Treatments are beneficial in the treatment of the following:

• Treatments effectively reduce redness and flushing.
• Sun damage (Photo-aging). Treatments reduce fine wrinkling, freckling and irregular pigmentation.
• Treatments smooth skin and reduce pores.
• Treatments reduce irregular pigment and even skin tone.
• Rosacea — FotoFacial^™ Treatments reduce the overall redness, flushing and dilated capillaries and may improve the breakouts of this common chronic facial condition.

What areas can be treated?

FotoFacial^™ Treatments can be used on any part of the skin. They are especially effective for improving the appearance of the face, neck and chest.

What results can I expect?

You can expect to see a gradual decrease in overall redness, flushing and dilated capillaries. People with visible aging from the sun can expect to see their skin become smoother with a decrease in fine wrinkles, reduction in pore size and fading of sun spots. Many people with rosacea see an improvement in breakouts and are able to decrease or discontinue their medications.

What is a FotoFacial^™ Treatment like?

Each treatment takes approximately 20 to 40 minutes. A mild amount of discomfort can be expected. Many patients prefer to use a topical anesthetic cream available at our office. Immediately following a treatment, the skin may appear red and flushed and tiny capillaries may appear more visible. Brown spots generally appear darker. All of these changes gradually fade over a period of a few hours to a few days.

How soon will I see results?

After your first treatment, your skin will feel smoother and will have a more even tone. These improvements are gradual and will be more visible after each treatment. Five treatments are performed for optimal results. Some patients will benefit from an additional treatments.

Who are the best candidates for a FotoFacial^™ Treatments?

The best candidates for FotoFacial^™ Treatments are:

• People who suffer from rosacea and experience flushing and redness of their skin.
• People with early aging changes and sun damage who desire healthier more youthful appearing skin.
• People who don’t want to take the time off to heal from laser resurfacing or chemical peels.