Are there any side-effects to treatments?
There can be transient reddening of the skin immediately after treatment, which settles with cooling. The target areas i.e. sun damage/pigment/veins will darken initially, then resolve over the next 2 weeks, when improvement will be noted. This is a heat process, so every effort is made to avoid thermal damage, but this is possible occasionally.
Treatments usually take place about 4-6 weeks apart. It is essential with Laser/IPL treatment that the skin is untanned during the period of treatment.
Does it hurt?
The glass filter in contact with your skin is pre-cooled, which minimises discomfort. However, there is some discomfort experienced during each flash of the Laser/IPL likened to the sensation of an elastic band being snapped against the skin. This sensation is brief, and the treated skin is immediately cooled, which removes any feelings of discomfort.
How do I find the right Practitioner?
Always ensure that the clinic is registered and approved by the Care Quality Commission. Clinic inspection reports are available to view at www.cqc.org.uk. Ensure that only experienced qualified Doctors and Nurses carry out the treatment.
How many treatments would I need to have?
Usually, 3-4 treatments are necessary to get good results, but occasionally more are necessary. There should be some improvement after each treatment, so you can stop when you are happy. However, the appearance of the treated veins may improve for up to a year after the initial course.
Is there anything before treatment that I can do?
Yes! It is very important that the area to be treated is not tanned, and to avoid artificial sun-tanning cream, unless it can be completely wiped off prior to treatment. This includes avoidance of sunbeds, and preferably using high SPF factor sun-cream daily and/or covering the area with clothing if possible. If tanned skin is treated with Laser/IPL, the light is absorbed excessively by the surrounding tanned skin, and can lead to complications such as burning/increased/decreased pigmentation. We are very careful not to treat tanned skin for this reason.
What are the advantages of Laser; ND: YAG technology?
The Laser technology provides multiple synchronized pulsing to selectively heat blood vessels of different sizes and depths. The wavelength of light and pulsing characteristics of the system allow the energy to be virtually invisible to the epidermal melanin, thus protecting the skin and allowing treatment of all skin types and tanned skin. Normally only a few pulses of the laser are required to achieve complete closure and sealing of the vessels. The sapphire cooled Nd: YAG treatment head, available in the IPL Quantum DL increases patient comfort. The spot size of the Nd: YAG head allows accurate targeting of broken vessels, thread veins anywhere on the body including larger telangiectasia, (broken veins) on the face.
What should I expect after treatment?
The veins will darken after treatment, which is normal, and resolves over 2-3 weeks, when an improvement should be seen. Occasionally, when dense areas of veins are treated, there can be some temporary bruising, which resolves in a week or two. In our experience, there is little or no discomfort after treatment, but we always provide clients with an ice pack, to cool any treated areas that may feel warm for an hour or two. We advise clients to avoid very hot conditions, such as saunas/ hot showers/baths for the rest of the day after treatment. It is important to avoid suntan/sunbeds on the treatment area before, during, and for 3-4 weeks after treatments have finished, and to use high SPF factor sun-cream daily on those areas, if exposed to the sun.
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