Is IPL done in long sweeping movements like a vacuum?

[paulwork]

Hi,

I finally had my first IPL session yesterday, so wasn't sure if this is what to expect.

She said I had a few very fine surface redness/veins, so she said she would start with lower settings to treat those first. I went for test patches first, so this is obviously not the full left and right cheek I had treated - just a small area at the epicentre of redness on each cheek to begin with. (my redness is the whole cheek kind: ear to nose, eye to chin/jaw)

I guess I was expecting that she was going to use the IPL wand in continual sweeping movements (like you do with a vacuum cleaner) but she kind of "dotted around" and made blasts every few centimetres. In total she did 3 blasts on the right cheek, and 3 blasts on the left cheek.

I have sensitive skin, so I don't know if that made a difference, but I definately felt the blasts. I wouldn't say it was painful - more just like small precision electric shocks like getting static electricity on store escalators etc... Of course, I flinched every time she made a blast, but I asked her to carry on, because my flinching is just a reflex reaction.

Is it normal to flinch? She was on 14 joules I think...

I don't have any reaction so far, no bruises, no anything, and certainly no results, but I guess that is to be expected. My next IPL session is in 4 weeks, so I guess we'll see what happens...

Anyway, is that the best way to do IPL? I mean IPL blasts every few cms and not a continual long blast like using a vacuum cleaner or drawing a long line with a pencil? I always had the impression you had to drag the IPL wand continually over the skin without stopping - I didn't know you could dot around with it...

[moomy]

Your experience of IPL is similar to mine. A series of different positionings of the wand with a sharp zap in each position.

I didn't see results for a week or so.

best wishes
moomy

[paulwork]

Great, thanks for replying, at least I know I'm not the only one.

[moomy]

Mine was with dr crouch, who is a bit of an expert in these things so I am sure it is the norm.

[peter.crouch]

Hi,

I finally had my first IPL session yesterday, so wasn't sure if this is what to expect.

She said I had a few very fine surface redness/veins, so she said she would start with lower settings to treat those first. I went for test patches first, so this is obviously not the full left and right cheek I had treated - just a small area at the epicentre of redness on each cheek to begin with. (my redness is the whole cheek kind: ear to nose, eye to chin/jaw)

I guess I was expecting that she was going to use the IPL wand in continual sweeping movements (like you do with a vacuum cleaner) but she kind of "dotted around" and made blasts every few centimetres. In total she did 3 blasts on the right cheek, and 3 blasts on the left cheek.

I have sensitive skin, so I don't know if that made a difference, but I definately felt the blasts. I wouldn't say it was painful - more just like small precision electric shocks like getting static electricity on store escalators etc... Of course, I flinched every time she made a blast, but I asked her to carry on, because my flinching is just a reflex reaction.

Is it normal to flinch? She was on 14 joules I think...

I don't have any reaction so far, no bruises, no anything, and certainly no results, but I guess that is to be expected. My next IPL session is in 4 weeks, so I guess we'll see what happens...

Anyway, is that the best way to do IPL? I mean IPL blasts every few cms and not a continual long blast like using a vacuum cleaner or drawing a long line with a pencil? I always had the impression you had to drag the IPL wand continually over the skin without stopping - I didn't know you could dot around with it...

Dear Paulwork, Moomy/All,
This technique of placing the IPL head onto the skin then firing and then moving onto another area sounds right. It is usually only with other lasers like the gemini NdYAG for example that "a painting mode" is used. The reason for the placement with the Lumenis One IPL is that the treatment head is cooled and I place it on the skin for a few seconds to pre-cool the skin then warn the patient that the treatment pulse(s) is coming and then treat. The reason for leaving the head on the skin for a short while afterwards is that this post cools the skin after the treatment.

With the kind permission of the patients, in order to help demystify some of the treatments, I've put some videos of treatments on the Burghley Park Clinic website www.burghleyparkclinic.com if you click on the links under "Our Treatments" and Media Library. The technique with IPL is shown as is the painting technique with the Gemini. If you can't load of see these, there are also vidoeos of treatments on the triplc site www.triplc.info or if you are still having trouble accessing them at the following address http://www.tawhillsurgery.com/videofiles/LaserVideos/LaserVideoLibraryIndex.htm

Hope that this helps,

Kind regards,

Peter

[bentherebefore]

awesome, thanks Dr. Crouch. Very educational.

[MARPUSBEAN]

Yes, and please remember, as I am sure most people who have had IPL will confirm, it really does hurt, even with a lumenis 1, and a good operator, and if your skin is very sensitive it will hurt a bit more.
However it works and will help your skin in the long run.

[coldwave]

just to chime in: my experience with IPL is exactly the same: pulses of stinging light every few centimeters. i get my treatments done at in san francisco at one of dr. bitter sr.'s offices. i believe it's the lumenis one that's used. the photofacial treatment.

i've had 5 treatments. after my 5th treatment the recovery has been difficult. i've had severely increased flushing. but, it's slowly gotten better, and i see diminished capillaries.

P.S., i flinch each time the light pulses too :)

[peter.crouch]

Yes, and please remember, as I am sure most people who have had IPL will confirm, it really does hurt, even with a lumenis 1, and a good operator, and if your skin is very sensitive it will hurt a bit more.
However it works and will help your skin in the long run.

Dear All,
Marpusbean is absolutely right on this - many manufacturers describe IPL like "the snapping of an elastic band" - when I have my treatments I'd describe it more like a tiny spit of hot chip fat - as soon as you feel it, it is going away - its bearable but certainly not painless!

Kind regards,
Peter

[bentherebefore]

Dr Crouch:

Those videos on your website are very helpful. Once you see it done, it takes the stigma and mystery away, I guess.

All my software is updated, I could see the videos fine in IE but was having trouble in Firefox. Just to let people know in case they have issues.

BTW, you can search youtube for intense pulsed light to see other treatment videos.