Me, after 4 IPL Treatments

[Sylvia66]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/Sylvia66/S111_1147-2.jpg

This was taken last weekend at a Renaissance Faire. Ignore
what I'm wearing :oops:

[DukeCity]

Looking good Sylvia! -- How bad was your rosacea before the 4 IPL's? - And who did your IPL? - That's all you've done as far as treatment?
-- p.s. How can you ignore the feathers, simply marvelous!

[Sylvia66]

Once upon a time, I had baaad acne/rosacea. Tomato red in color.
Everything inflamed my skin. I ended up being on Doyx for
10 years, had laser resurfacings on my cheeks, and now I'm going
through IPL. It's been a long road...


An Esthetician/IPL Technician is doing my treatments. She's awesome.

[lafittevillage]

Your skin looks absolutely amazing!

[Sylvia66]

Your skin looks absolutely amazing!

Wow... I've never had anyone say that to me before. Thank you!

I use to have the worst skin any (local) dermatologist had ever seen.
When I lived in CA, strangers would ask me what's wrong with my face...
Ouch! :cry:

[lafittevillage]

Well you do! : ) There is absolutely nothing wrong with your skin now. It's really amazing. I hope one day to achieve your results.

What were your IPL treatments like? And did you get them for rosacea?

[Sylvia66]

What were your IPL treatments like? And did you get them for rosacea?

You mean was it painful...? I originally got it for rosacea. After the
second treatment, the setting was changed to rosacea and acne
scarring. Tomorrow, I'm having the last of the package deal.

[francois]

Can you also post your photos before you started IPL?

[Sylvia66]

Can you also post your photos before you started IPL?


I rarely had my pic taken during the 'inflamed years'.

[Sylvia66]

Todays treatment was changed up a bit. From 2 to 3 pulses. Also
a stronger setting. I still didn't feel a thing. I wonder if that's normal?

[btw] In less than four months, I'll turn 40. My dirty little secret :lol:

[francois]

Wow!

You look somewhere between 25-30.

I think you should cast in commercial of a skin care brand :)

[lafittevillage]

you don't look 40! Aaaah! :D I can't wait to see what my results are with IPL!

[fanta]

what was your protocol, who treated you? well, hope your 20 years birthday turns out well :)

[Sylvia66]

Lafittevillage: IPL removes redness. It can't make you look younger.

Francois: You're waaay too kind!

Fanta: Protocol?... I guess you are asking the kind of IPL machine used.
It's a Lumenis Quantum-SR. An esthetician in the Little Rock area is
treating me.

Thanks guys. Your kindness is sooo appreciated :)

I found this on their site:

Skin + uses the Lumenis Quantum-SR for IPL treatments. This is the EXACT machine
featured on Oprah, Extreme Makeover, The Swan and other makeover shows. This
machine is considered the gold standard for photo rejuvenation. It is not necessary
to pay huge prices to get big results. We encourage you to call around, ask about
equipment and prices and then come to Skin +. We are confident that you will find
our service both valuable and affordable.

[DukeCity]

Sylvia, - Just how much $$$ does Skin+ charge for a full-face IPL treatment?

[Sylvia66]

Usually $225. My first treatment was $175 during a special. I told
the lady doing the IPL, that I didn't know how many I would be able
to afford. So I was allowed to pay $175 each, for a package of five.
After that, it is considered maintenance... $99 per treatment. They
are really nice understanding people.

[Sylvia66]

The hospital that I had the laser resurfacing at wanted $2,500
for a package of IPL treatments :shock:

[fanta]

I think its OK paying like 500 USD when its a physician taking care of treatments..thats similar to what a dentist makes per hour.

[Sylvia66]

I definitely wouldn't pay that much for a treatment...

::faints::

[fanta]

I agree that someone not being a physician could do the same treatments just as well ...and at a lower price..but still I would personally prefer being treated by someone with a medical degree. Rosacea is afterall a skin disease with tricky inflammation, so would feel most safe in the hands of a physician. However, I think you should stick to what you got, cause it works for you and its cheap.

[Sylvia66]

If I needed my spleen removed, I would be looking for someone
w/ a medical degree lol

Seriously, I've done my research. Considering the hundreds of people
she has treated, she must be doing well... there are no complaints.
btw, At first I was a bit apprehensive.

In the past, I've been treated by dermatologists who must have gotten
their degree out of a Cracker Jack box :roll:

[DonH]

Each one of my IPL RF treatments were $600.00!

[Sylvia66]

Ouch! #-o

[scrumptious]

Sylvia, i agree yr skin looks wonderful!

I couldn't be bothered to wear any make-up yesterday and i was amazed at how good my skin looked. its a fantastic feeling!

[lafittevillage]

So what is your secret?! On Friday, I didn't wear any make-up either and I was pale and purdy! Sat I woke up with pimples and today, forget it! : ( !!!!

[fanta]

Sylvia, i agree yr skin looks wonderful!

I couldn't be bothered to wear any make-up yesterday and i was amazed at how good my skin looked. its a fantastic feeling!
I thought you only flushed but werent red :-s

[Sylvia66]

So what is your secret?! On Friday, I didn't wear any make-up either and I was pale and purdy!
Sat I woke up with pimples and today, forget it! : ( !!!!

Secret? I wish I knew lol Maybe it has to do w/ those 10+ yrs on doxy?
I'm still as oily as I was when I was 16. Throughout most of my 20's
my cystic acne was out of control (as was my rosacea... paints a scary
pic, eh lol).

[scrumptious]

Sylvia, i agree yr skin looks wonderful!

I couldn't be bothered to wear any make-up yesterday and i was amazed at how good my skin looked. its a fantastic feeling!
I thought you only flushed but werent red :-s

I do not need to explain myself to you.

Sylvia i wish you continued success x

[Sylvia66]

Sylvia, i agree yr skin looks wonderful!

I couldn't be bothered to wear any make-up yesterday and i was amazed at how good my skin looked.
its a fantastic feeling!

TY :)

I try to avoid foundation on the weekends. When I don't wear it, I still
kinda worry if folks are wondering "what's wrong w/ her face". I guess
it's something you never forget.

[Sylvia66]

Sylvia i wish you continued success x

To you as well :wink:

My Christmas wish is to have skin like Nicole Kidman lol It's not
gonna happen in this lifetime, but it doesn't hurt to dream :D

[lafittevillage]

the problem with me and make-up is that i have no idea how to use it. the easiest thing to do is to dust myself with powder but that doesnt cover much unless i'm pale and not flushing..then it all looks great. :D

and then, it all feels so icky..maybe i just havent found the right mix.

[Sylvia66]

Go to an Estee Lauder counter and get them to try "Double Wear" on
you. That's the foundation I wear to work! (And when you work at a
makeup counter, you can't scare the customers away lol) My skin looks
even better than the posted pic, when I wear it :D

[Bonnie]

Go to an Estee Lauder counter and get them to try "Double Wear" on
you. That's the foundation I wear to work! (And when you work at a
makeup counter, you can't scare the customers away lol) My skin looks
even better than the posted pic, when I wear it :D

I also wear the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation. It really helps to cover blotchiness, bumps and tones down redness. I would recommend this for all skin types.

[Sylvia66]

I would recommend this for all skin types.

We tell our customers to avoid this foundation if your face is
dry, inflamed, or (overly) sensitive.

[lafittevillage]

okay, this might be a silly question and i know about the test where you smear some of the foundation on your jaw and go and see if you can see it in daylight..but how exactly do you apply foundation? It's hard for me to touch my bumps because I'm afraid I'd make them worse and worse for me would equal scarring..so I couldn't imagine rubbing foundation on my skin. How do ya'll do it? And is this stuff good for oily skin? does it look natural?

:shock:

[Sylvia66]

okay, this might be a silly question and i
know about the test where you smear some of the foundation
on your jaw and go and see if you can see it in daylight..but
how exactly do you apply foundation? It's hard for me to touch
my bumps because I'm afraid I'd make them worse and worse for
me would equal scarring..so I couldn't imagine rubbing foundation
on my skin. How do ya'll do it? And is this stuff good for oily skin?
does it look natural?

:shock:


We apply it with a foundation bush. For my own preference, I like it
thinly applied. I make small dots on my face (one side at a time) and
using a makeup sponge gently blend (Double Wear dries f-a-s-t).
The key to a natural look is a good color & tone match. If the person
applying your makeup is clueless about rosacea, they probably will
give you a 'cool' foundation tone...noticing only the pink or red
flushing in your face. A good makeup artist will look at your neck
(or inner wrist) to see your *true* undertones. In my early 20's, my
rosacea was sooo bad, it was always assumed ( :roll: ) that I
naturally had pink undertones to my skin. If you ignore my rosacea,
my skin is slightly yellow. Therefore, I needed a yellow or neutral
foundation. In Double Wear my color is Shell (a very slight rose
cast... the alternative was Bone which is too yellow).

btw, My skin is freakishly oily and it stays on lol

Hope I haven't confused you too much :)

[lafittevillage]

You actually havent! That helps a lot. I've always wondered what they meant about undertones and yes! My skin is slightly yellow too. Well, except for my face and all the blotchies! I bought a sample of a Mineral Secrets powder but will not try it until my skin is slightly clearer than it is now. Don't want to aggravate things. I'm somewhat scared about using it too. Definitely going to give Estee Lauder a chance probably even before Mineral Secrets because it sounds like you and I have similar skins --except mine right now is trying to act like a rebel!

[Bonnie]

I apply foundation by first using a 35 spf oil free moisturizer made by DDF. I then put a large dab of foundation on my forehead and each check and nose. I blend using my fingertips. Try to rub as lightly as you can. I then pat my hand on a wet wash cloth and go over the jawline and neck to make sure it is well blended and there are no lines. I then put powder on my nose. I can't use powder anywhere else because it makes me break out. At least it used to. I haven't tried using it in several years.

I don't like using brushes or sponges unless they have never been used before because of bacteria. But that is just me. Some people love using sponges.

And yes this makeup is great for oily skin. I used to be very oily in the T zones when I was younger. The only thing oily now is my nose but not that bad anymore.

If you can't weat this makeup you can return it and get your money back.

If I couln't wear some kind of makeup I probably would not leave my house.

Good luck to you!

[ddist_001]

Have you tried any of the 'mineral makeups' on the market? These are actually a powder that you apply with a brush but it is very different to regular powder. It's very easy to adjust coverage depending on the area of skin you need to camouflage.

It zinc in it, which is also good for your skin. It's also SPF 15.
I converted to the mineral makeup a few months ago, and I find it excellent. My skin is very oily. The other great thing is that it doesn't feel at all gloopy or heavy.

Go to Sephora and try it out - have someone apply it for you if possible. If you don't have a Sephora near you, maybe try a dept store.. you'll want to test the color to make sure it's a good match. The brand I am using is Bare Minerals. The starter kit comes with the brushes, foundation, powder and blusher. here you go: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P116620&categoryId=C10470

1. First dab on concealer of your choice and blend in
2. Dip the makeup brush (I use the kabuki brush) in a very small amount of the 'foundation powder', swirl it round in the lid, tap off the excess and then swirl the brush around on your face till it is all blended. Hit the area you need the most coverage first.
3. Repeat above method with the Mineral Veil, which is a kind of clear powder that gets rid of shine, absorbs oil and sets the makeup (you only need to use a tiny bit of this - there's usually enough in the lid).

Then you can apply blusher or whatever you want. I find that it stays put all day.

Make sure you don't get confused with "powder cream" makeups or anything else, they are very clogging.

Hope this helps a little! :)

[Sylvia66]

You actually havent! That helps a lot. I've always wondered what they meant about undertones and yes! My skin is slightly yellow too. Well, except for my face and all the blotchies! I bought a sample of a Mineral Secrets powder but will not try it until my skin is slightly clearer than it is now. Don't want to aggravate things. I'm somewhat scared about using it too. Definitely going to give Estee Lauder a chance probably even before Mineral Secrets because it sounds like you and I have similar skins --except mine right now is trying to act like a rebel!

I've been a makeup artist for years. So it's easier for me to do, than explain. lol

I can't use any of those mineral powders. My skin is so oily, that it cakes in areas.

[Sylvia66]

If you can't weat this makeup you can return it and get your money back.

All the foundations and creams sold in dept. stores (thankfully) have
that policy.

[irishgenes]

Sylvia, your picture link is not working any more.

[Sylvia66]

Sorry, I thought the thread was dead.

[Sylvia66]

Because of the PM's I have received, the photo is back up. Although, I
made the photo a bit smaller... it's still large enough to see my complexion
clearly.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/Sylvia66/S111_1147-2.jpg

I hope this will help others with Rosacea and/or acne scars see that a vast
improvement is very possible :)

[bootfetish]

Looking at your pictures and stuff, I am considering the IPL. I go right now for laser haire removal on my face. I love those results.

What is the first treatment like?

Did you get really red or puffy afterwards? If so how long would that last?

How many treatments did you have to get before you really saw those beautiful results? :)


I am happy to hear you were able to get your skin back into beautiful condition,and I am jealous...I am in a self hate phase with the rosacea at this time.


thanks for your help.

[Sylvia66]

Looking at your pictures and stuff, I am considering the IPL. I go right now for laser haire
removal on my face. I love those results.

What is the first treatment like?

Did you get really red or puffy afterwards? If so how long would that last?

How many treatments did you have to get before you really saw those beautiful results? :)

I am happy to hear you were able to get your skin back into beautiful condition, and I am
jealous...I am in a self hate phase with the rosacea at this time.

thanks for your help.

The first treatment (like all the others) I felt a slight rubber-band-esque
snap against my skin. It wasn't red or puffy afterwards (don't honestly
know if that's typical or not). I noticed a vast improvement after my
3rd/4th treatment. The machine used was the Lumenis Quantum.

I can totally relate to the self hatred (and humiliation) phase of Rosacea.
People can be cruel to what they don't understand. Have faith! If my
complextion can help helped... anyones can.

Btw, thank you so much for the kind words :D