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It is still amazing that in
the new millennium, Intense Pulsed Light technicians are still taking
risks with their clients when choosing appropriate settings for
treatments. Specifically, the choice of energy settings with different
types of skins, and in particular skins with a mixed genetic pool. The
professional practice of determining potential outcomes when using light
based therapies is called Risk Assessment.
Any skin care professional undertaking treatments
using light based devices should be aware of the risks involved. These
risks manifest themselves in burns or post treatment pigmentation
problems and are usually caused by inappropriate energy settings or
technique due to incorrect assessment of the Fitzpatrick skin tone and
the individuals reaction to the light source.
In this age of technology, there is really
no excuse for “guessing” likely reaction to light based devices, and
with the more diverse cross-ethnicity in society, it is only too easy to
make a mistake.
This cross-ethnicity is producing more skins that appear to be darker,
but are carrying the MCR1 gene. It is here that there is more of a risk
for unpredictable effects.
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Professionalism & credibility
Photodermatological research has established that
the most accurate method of determining the Fitzpatrick type and it’s
reaction to various light sources is to measure the melanin content and
erythema levels of the skin across a minimum of three areas of the body
that represent minimal, moderate and maximum levels of sun exposure.
The technology to do this comes in the form of a device that measures
the rate of absorption and reflection of specific wavelengths of
light. This method of testing is universally recognised as
the most accurate and consequently found in professional dermatological
devices.
With this knowledge, we can assess the average rate that Melanogenesis
occurs within a clients skin, and more accurately predict the response
to the Intense Pulsed Light, choosing energy settings accordingly. This
should be undertaken before test patches or initial treatment is
commenced, and in between treatments to monitor changing melanin levels.
With the ability to measure the levels of Melanin and Erythema in the
skin we are more readily able to monitor changes in between treatments
and adjust device settings to avoid potential problems.
The use of devices to determine the rate at which Melanogenesis
occurs within skin is also used to measure the efficiacy of sunscreens
and suntanning equipment.
Proliferation of IPL
technology
With the dramatic
increased use of light based devices by skin care therapists, there
understandably comes a corresponding increase in unsatisfactory
outcomes.
These are commonly due to inadequate training and lack of the
fundamentals required to perform these treatments safely and correctly.
In fact, some users of IPL devices have received little more training
than a day covering the device operation.
It is this considerable variation in standards of training from device
marketers where the use of measuring devices can play a vital role in
reducing risk.
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Measuring
the rate of absorption and reflection of specific wavelengths of light
is universally recognised as the most accurate method of determining
melanin desity in the skin
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Health
insurance and accident compensation
organisations in both New Zealand and Australia are reviewing a number
of cases of inadequate consultation, risk assessment and test patch
protocols that have resulted in unsatisfactory outcomes such as scarring
and pigmentation issues.
Some of these may prove to be costly oversights for the practitioners
who provided the treatments, particularly if investigations deem
litigation appropriate.
If the
frequency of these instances increases enough to attract the attention
of regional health authorities, there may be a likelihood that
non-medically trained personnel will loose the ability to provide these
light based treatments. This would be a disaster for professional skin
treatment therapy.
We now have quality internationally
accredited training and affordable
tools at our disposal to help ensure this does not happen, and whether
we choose to employ them is a clear indication to our clients of our
professionalism.
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