Looking for a good IPL doc in Midwest

[cameron]

I live in Minneapolis but am willing to travel for a good IPL doc. Someone who treats with deeper filters than the 560 hopefully the 590 and the yag. Anyone have an answer?

Thanks,

Cameron

[WrinkledClue]

Hi Cameron,

I would look here if you want IPL; many think the Lumenis One is the best.
http://www.skinandhealth.com/locator/usStart.html

I would look here if you want V Beam; many think the Candela Perfecta is the best.
http://www.candelalaser.com/patients...sk=practSearch

I recommend you choose a dermatologist over a med-spa, and ask if they have before and after photos and have worked with rosacea patients before.

I've had IPL and V Beam. When I first got IPL, it worked so well I thought I was cured. Alas, my rosacea came roaring back.

Now I prefer V Beam. Seems to clear more off my face while putting less heat in, so less down time afterwards, less of the inevitable post treatment flushing.

Whichever you choose, IPL or V Beam, lasers for rosacea have good and bad points.

Against them you have the fact that 1. they cost a lot and 2. hot, effective treatments can leave you flushing for weeks. Also, 3. some folks have apparently been damaged by lasers and 4. they take a long time to work; their benefit is cumulative. So it's a mistake to go into it hoping to see immediate remarkable results after only a few treatments. It's a long term thing.

On the other hand, there seems to be nothing else that actually eradicates the blood vessels causing the problem. Lasers are attracted to the hemoglobin molecule in your blood vessels; they heat it up; the blood vessel ruptures or coagulates or closes off, the tiny capillary dies, it's reabsorbed by the body, and then you have less redness. A rough approximation.

They've been very helpful for me. You used to be able to see broken blood vessels all over my cheeks and nostrils; now they're gone. I don't know anything else that would have removed all of them but lasers.

Hope this helps.

Do keep us posted on your progress.

[shrimpy]

Cameron,

I have not had IPL from my dermatologist but a co-worker has just had 3 IPL treatments from him in recent months with no complications and some signs of success starting to show. I have also never had a better experience with a doctor's office than with this dermatologist. I have never had to wait more than 2 weeks for an appointment, often I can get an appointment that day if I'm having a problem, once in the office I've never waited more than 10 minutes, and everyone is really nice. And they take my insurance. Cosmetic procedures for wealth ladies seems to be his bread and butter but he also seems really knowledgeable about rosacea and dermatitis and he has never tried to sell me any expensive procedures, though he has told me about my IPL options. Unfortunately for you, it's in Chicago, but if you don't find a closer solution you may want to consider him.

http://www.adsci.com/

Best of luck to you!

[cameron]

Many Thanks to both wrincled clue and Shrimpy. I have had over 20 ipl treatments and 1 v beam over the past 10 years. I much prefer IPL over vbeam. to me vbeam is for more traceable dialated blood vessels, where as ipl is for diffuse redness and flushing. The problem is that there are so few doctors and nurses who really know how to use these machines. I was treated by Dr Bitter in early 2000 and had great results. Now after going to 3 different clinics in the minneapolis area and calling another 3 or 4 which I could tell didn't have a clue without being treated I have found what I think to be a good practitioner with the sciton. I had a treatment last friday and she hit me with a ton of power and multiple passes. I am still swollen and burned 3 days later. I have found I get better results with more power. I am not advocating this for everyone but in my case I like power. Anyway this Nurse trains doctors on how to use the sciton and she has 10yrs experience with IPL ranging from the luminis one to the new sciton. Hopefully I will get better now but who knows. This disease sucks. Anyone had success with slowing down or stopping they're flushing with clonidine? If so the patch or the pill? Again many thanks to wrincled clue and shrimpy.

Cameron

[WrinkledClue]

Hi Cameron,

I'm with you, the hotter treatments do me far more good.

They're also much harder to recover from. I just had a hell of a hot V Beam that's taken SIX WEEKS to recover from, in terms of shutting down the post treatment flushing and misery.

Clonidine is a godsend for me. I take 50 micrograms every 8 hrs. Recommend you do a search for it here and learn all about it.

All the stuff I've read about it makes me think it works quite well on many rosaceans.

Also please do a search for Brimonidine here and read all about it, it's been as valuable for me as Clonidine.

Hope this helps.