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Natural Beauty

Sun Damage & Pigmentation

BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTAION WITH A SKIN SPECIALIST AT OUR BOLTON CLINIC

BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION WITH A SKIN SPECIALIST AT OUR BOLTON CLINIC

Dark spots, age spots, sun spots
What is pigmentation?

 

You may not have deep frown lines or crow's feet, but if you feel like you're ageing, chances are it's thanks to uneven skin tone. Now, we're not talking a sweet smattering of freckles, but bigger, uneven brown patches on not only the face but hands, décolletage and shoulder areas. It's these ageing dark spots of bother that is known as pigmentation, caused by sun exposure and specifically the UVA rays which penetrate deep into your skin and cause ageing.

UVA stimulates your pigment cells called Melanocytes to manufacture the pigment called Melanin. This is responsible for your tan and also your unwanted dark patches These sun spots may take up to 10-20 years to develop, so if you notice some showing now it could have been caused when you were a child.

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Treatment for Pigmentation

WHAT IS IPL?
IPL stands for 'intense pulsed light'. Depending on the wavelength setting, this technology is used to reduce hair growth and skin pigmentation. The light is attracted to dark areas so this suits fairer skinned people the best. This is a suitable way to treat both brown skin pigmentation (sun damage and hormone related melasma) as well as red skin pigmenation (eg rosacea and fine thread veins).

WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE IPL TREATMENT?
After an initial consultation to determine if IPL is definitely the most suitable treatment, you will be asked to return for the first session. The consultant will advise that IPL shouldn't be undertaken two weeks prior or after a holiday in the sun.
After skin has been cleansed, a cold gel is applied to the skin to help improve conductivity. 
The therapist will then apply the laser to the skin and fire a short burst of light onto each patch of skin. After the treatment, skin will be protected with a UV protection cream.

DOES IPL HURT?
IPL on the face involves a degree of discomfort. The first burst of the laser is a bit of a shock. It feels like a mild electric shock which can seem stronger on sensitive areas such as the nose, upper lip or along the jaw near teeth, but is barely noticeable on the forehead or cheeks.
Once you know what to expect though, the treatment is easy to bear. One good thing is that it is over very quickly. 

IS THERE ANY DOWNTIME AFTER IPL?
Skin may sometimes appear a little reddened in patches for a couple of hours after the treatment but nothing that makeup couldn't easily camouflage. In the next few days you'll notice that the targeted red or brown marks on your face will appear slightly redder or browner. This diminishes quickly over a couple of days and then skin will appear clear and bright. None of this is particularly noticeable or unsightly.

IPL works well in combination with chemical peels that also help to lighten skin. Reinforce clinic treatments with at home skin lightening creams

Pigmentation Pricing

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