IPL and Laser Treatment for Pigmented Lesions

Yellow light is used to treat pigment irregularities and is effective for treating vascular conditions on the face or body. Excellent results are achieved with liver spots, age spots, freckles, thread veins and rosacea.

How does Intense Pulsed Light work?

The light targets the melanin in the pigmented lesion and breaks it up, the broken down melanin is then eliminated from the body. It can work on age spots, liver spots and freckles as well as melasma. IPL does not work on pigmented lesions caused by hormonal changes such as the contraceptive pill or pregnancy. The pigmented lesion will pale from the centre out and the longer the lesion has been present, the longer it may take to remove.

How many treatments are needed?

Usually only 2 to 3 treatments are needed every 4 weeks, but it depends on the size of the lesion and how long it has been there.

Dr. Gilani is a member of the following professional medical bodies:

What is a treatment procedure?

A full medical history, including any medication (prescribed, herbal or homeopathic) that you are on, is taken by the doctor. Then a comprehensive treatment programme is written up for your exact needs. A test patch is needed 24 hours before a full treatment can be carried out. During the treatment the area is prepared and then the applicator head is applied and moved across the area in steps to ensure full coverage. The applicator head is large therefore treatments can be carried out quickly.

Are there any side effects?

In rare cases redness and irritation of the treated area may occur (like sunburn). A small minority of patients develop bruising and blistering. This settles within a few days.

What is melasma and what can be done to treat it?

Melasma is increased pigmentation, usually on the face, in a rather patchy distribution. Various treatments can be tried for melasma, but they do not always work. One very important thing to do is to protect the skin from the sun every day. Always use a high sun-protection cream.

Some treatments can be tried to lighten the skin. The usual active ingredient in bleaching creams is called hydroquinone, but it should be used cautiously as sometimes it can produce an increased darkening of the skin which really is permanent.

Sometimes a mild chemical peel of the skin can help melasma. The peels which might be worth considering are the mild trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peel or glycolic acid (as 50-70% glycolic acid). IPL or laser treatment over the pigmented area can help to lighten the melasma, but it may come back in time. A combination of the above treatments is usually successful.

What do I need to do after my treatment?

1- 2 days after your skin treatment: You may wish to avoid vigorous exercise and swimming, as these may cause irritation. You may prefer not to use any make-up and avoid perfumed products. In case of any irritation, we recommend using a lotion containing Aloe-Vera.
1- 5 days after your skin treatment: You may find that hot baths, showers and saunas can cause irritation. You may wish to avoid contact sports while your skin is more sensitive. We advise you to avoid tanning for 5 days after treatment. When sunbathing we recommend a sunscreen with a UVA 5* rating and a UVB protection factor of SPF 30 or more.

Please check the IPL/laser price list for IPL and laser treatment costs.