A photo facial can treat a variety of skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation (brown spots), sun damage, broken capillaries, spider veins, and facial redness. It is non-ablative and emits a high intensity broad band blast of light at very high energy levels through a hand-held device. It delivers to the deeper part of the dermis while the epidermis layer or surface layer is untouched. The treatment takes on average 20-30 minutes with no real downtime.
What to Expect
Before you book your photo facial make sure you don’t have a tan—even a fake one—as that’ll mess with the machine’s ability to target the brown pigment. If you use Retin-A, you should stop it a week or two before your session to prevent extra sensitivity.
What parts of my body can I have treated?
Most people get photofacials to treat their face, neck, shoulders, back and hands, essentially areas that are frequently exposed in public. But photofacial treatments can be performed on any part of the body except the eyelids and the area just above them. Photofacials have the potential to be very bad for the eyes, so treating areas too close to them is heavily discouraged.
How long do the results last?
This is a tricky question. With so many factors acting on the skin, like sun exposure, age and genetics, it’s difficult to guarantee any specific amount of time.
Typically, however, the results of an photofacial will be apparent for 6 months to a year. Dermatologists recommend maintenance treatments every 6 to 12 months to help prolong results.
Side Effects and Recovery Time
Because this treatment doesn’t use a laser or any harsh chemicals, the side effects of photo facial therapy are minor. Potential effects are localized swelling, redness (do not confuse it with skin discoloration) and facial flushing. Also, brown spots will initially appear darker and will flake off in 7-10 days. The recovery time is very short; however, it often depends upon the extent of damaged area, the amount of collagen and skin thickness (how delicate your skin is).
Follow-Up Treatments
Often, multiple photofacial treatments are necessary to achieve maximum results. Especially if you are seeking to remedy multiple problems – for instance, if you are seeking to improve skin texture and reduce redness – multiple treatments affecting different layers of the skin will likely be needed. Your skin care specialist can help you find out how many photofacial treatments you may need to achieve your cosmetic goals.
Call Dedham Medical Aesthetics today to book your complimentary consultation or email us at info@dedhammeicalaesthetics.com
Contact us today to schedule your appointment with our incredible staff at Dedham Medical Aesthetics. Take your first steps to a more beautiful you.
414 Washington St, Dedham, MA 02026
