What is a PhotoFacial Treatment?

What are the causes of red faces? Many people have an undesirable redness and or sun damage of the face. The more common causes are rosacea (a condition in up to 13 million people), sun exposure, alcohol, medications, stress, emotional causes, time and aging of the skin, repeated blushing or flushing of the skin and is seen most commonly in fair skinned individuals of northern European descent. Some of these individuals have a condition called erythrophobia a morbid fear of having a red face. A condition, in which some people are shy and embarrassed in public because of fear their face will get red.

An intense light is emitted in a series of gentle pulses over the entire face at intervals of approximately two to three weeks for a series of five treatments. This special light, which is different than laser treatments, emits light over many wavelengths allowing the light to penetrate to all the levels of the skin where abnormal easily dilated vessels can be found. Lasers produce only a single wavelength of light and are limited in depth of penetration and what they can treat. What if I don't have visible vessels only general skin redness. The intense light because of its unique nature of emission, can find even the tiniest of vessels, some of which are packed so densely as to defy individual identity.

Typically 75-95%, on average 90% improvement is seen in most patients. Are there any other conditions that can be treated with the photo facial? Yes, photo facial treatments will also help patients who suffer from photo aging of the skin, pigmentation from sun exposure (Age Spots), irregularities of skin texture, improves some mild acne scars, reduces large pores and dark circles around the eyes and helps reduce fine lines, especially around the eyes and mouth.

After your initial series of 3-5 treatments it is possible to require a follow-up treatment in 2 or more years. We will educate you in ways of caring for your skin to help diminish the likelihood of future treatments.

Are there any conditions that this treatment won't help? It won't treat frown lines, sometimes known as lines of expression on the face, especially the forehead and between the brows. It is not a substitute for a face lift and will not help baggy or sagging skin. It won't cure the puffiness around the eyes for which blepharoplasty surgery is needed. It is not a treatment for skin cancer, but can treat pre-cancers called actinic keratosis.

It won't remove bumpy moles, but can remove their pigment. It will remove, however, acquired freckling. Genetic freckles usually return after treatment. It won't remove those strands of deep parallel blood vessels occasionally seen on the lower cheeks, which can be removed in other ways. It will not remove seborrrheic keratosis including the tiny genetic ones on the upper cheeks and around the eyes sometimes called dermatosis papulosa nigra. It also won't remove sebaceous hyperplasias a benign growth of some oil glands in mid life.