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New Millenium Treatments for Pigmentation, Hair Removal and Diffused Redness. IPL does it all!
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 Trudy
Fleming, an electrologist of 30 years and a qualified teacher, has 2
clinics in Website:
www.flemingresources.com.au
email: trudy@flemingresouces.com.au
Ph: [03] 9553 2461
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In
the not so distant past, Intense Pulsed Light was little known.
It was thought to be the poor relative of the laser, the little
known, misunderstood copy cat of the mighty revolution in hair removal.
Guess what folks? Intense
Pulsed Light can stand on its own two feet.
It doesn’t need laser to give it credence, or a reason for
being. Intense Pulsed
light, IPL, flash lamp, I2PL, SIPL, digital pulsed light,
variable pulsed light, whatever you wish to call it, has a life of
it’s own. People choose
it for what it is, not because it is a copy of another modality. Intense
Pulsed Light came onto the market in the late 1990’s. Yes, laser hair
removal systems had already been around a few years, but it was mainly
the medical profession that was buying them at that stage.
During the early 2000’s Intense Pulsed Light systems were being
designed and produced by a number of laser manufacturers. Although it was known that Pulsed Light was capable of
hair removal, it was the rejuvenation aspect that had captured the
imagination. Clinics tended
to have laser for hair removal and Pulsed Light for the new rejuvenation
market. There
was a slow start in Pulsed Light sales into the high end beauty salon
market, with doctors getting a little edgy as they worried about us
lowly therapists edging into their territory.
That movement has now turned into a snowball as it careers head
long into an avalanche as more and more beauty salons are purchasing
these systems. Why are we spending formerly unheard of amounts of money for
our industry on these machines? It’s
simply because they are an extension of what we have always done: hair
removal, treatments for pigmentation and rejuvenation.
Over the years we have used a variety of treatments with varying
degrees of success, now there is something that opens up far more
possibilities. Beauty therapists are sitting side by side with
dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons, plastic surgeons and GP’s in a grey
overlapping area where each profession feels they have the sole right to
use this new exciting technology. Most
of us have some idea by now what Intense Pulsed Light is all about.
It is broad spectrum light, with wave lengths that are attracted
to melanin, oxyhaemoglobin and water.
There are many peer reviewed white papers on the subject
confirming that it is a proven modality1.
It is not second rate to laser.
Studies have shown that the best of the pulsed light systems
match the best of the lasers for hair removal2.
Where it corners the market though, is that in one machine, it
can offer more choice of treatments.
Yes there are some lasers that are able to offer vascular
treatment as well as hair removal, but their treatments are still
limited in comparison. So,
the picture now, is a whole slew of beauty salons purchasing pulsed
light systems. Not just the
large top end salons and spas, but small, one man, owner operated
businesses are joining the bandwagon. What was jealously guarded by the
medical profession is now being embraced whole heartedly by the beauty
industry. Open
up any local newspaper or Sunday supplement and you are inundated with
advertising for these new forms of beauty treatments.
This is thrilling to see, as we are finally moving with the times
and bringing our businesses from a cottage industry mentality out into
the high tech modern world. Pulsed Light technology is meant for us,
it’s ideal. After years
of slaving over a hot needle I have a fast, efficient means of removing
hair that doesn’t torture my clients! And they love me for it! This is a fantastic move foreword
for our industry. The same
is happening with treatment of sun damaged pigmentation and mild
vascular conditions. We
have been working with these conditions for ever, now we have a more
effective tool as we move into the 21st century with this
updated technology. Instead
of a single wavelength targeting melanin absorption for hair removal,
[as in lasers], pulsed light offers a broad spectrum of light that has a
range of melanin absorbing qualities. By not locking into a single
wavelength, this leads to all sorts of interesting possibilities. Along
with varying absorbability of melanin, the different wavelengths have
differing depth of penetration into the skin.
This means that one can treat a range of hair colours and a range
of hair depths [vellus through to terminal].
Hair removal with pulsed light is totally accepted now; the
results are well documented and proven. What is still news to some, are also the incredible results that pulsed light produces with photo rejuvenation. When wavelengths starting around 530 – 550nm are used, they pick up on epidermal pigmentation. This is pigmentation due to sun damage, which causes photo aging. This lower starting point has greater absorption into melanin along with lesser depth of penetration into the skin. This works well as the melanin increase in the skin due to sun damage is found in the epidermis. There is strong absorption by this form of melanin which results in a phenomenal reduction in pigment in photo aged skin.
These
shorter wavelengths are also attracted to oxyhaemoglobin and so will
reduce the diffuse redness found on face and décolletage.
Some pulsed light systems will treat more specific
Telangiectasia, especially those around the 530nm range. Pulsed
light is also known to increase collagen synthesis [collagen
re-modelling] in the dermis, causing an improvement in the tone and
texture of the skin. This is due to a mild inflammatory response caused
by the light’s effect on the blood vessels.
There is a sequence of events, finally leading to the production
of fibroblasts which are responsible for synthesizing collagen. This is
clearly evident, not only after treating the face, but hands in
particular respond well. These
results are not seen over night however, as this collagen production is
a process that takes time. It
may take up to 3 months to see the result. Another
use for pulsed light is not a new discovery, but many are still not
aware of its effects on acne. This
is a subject close to many beauty therapists heart, as it is an
intrinsic part of most therapists’ treatment menu. Acne
is a chronic inflammatory disease of the sebaceous hair follicles. Sebum
is trapped within the follicle, due to insufficient shedding of cellular
debris which plugs the gland’s duct.
This oil-rich medium encourages a proliferation of the bacteria,
propionibacterium acnes, commonly known as p. acnes.
P acnes release porphyrin which is light sensitive. When
porphyrin is exposed to certain wavelengths of light, a chemical
reaction occurs, which releases singlet oxygen that is effective at
killing the bacteria. P.
acnes literally self destructs as a result of its own metabolic process,
reducing the severity of the acne. Blue
light, between 400 and 420nm [S oret
band] has always been considered the most effective wavelength as it is
strongly absorbed by porphyrins, and is known to be effective even at
low fluencies of 4 J/cm2.3
However, blue light does not travel very far into skin and so
does not easily find its way to 1 mm into the dermis, to the sebaceous
gland where the P. acnes is known to concentrate.
There are however, other porphyrin absorption peaks in the green
and yellow spectrum of: 505nm, 534nm, 578nm and 630nm4.
These do not have as strong an absorption, but they are longer
wavelengths and can get deeper into the dermis, therefore more likely to
affect the sebaceous gland. A
number of intense pulsed light manufacturers have rejuvenation
applicators with wavelengths starting from about 530 or 550nm, and some
of these companies are now promoting acne treatments as another
modality. There is still not much recorded research in this area, so
results are not known for sure yet, but it’s an exciting new
possibility. Some
manufacturers are recommending topical drugs in conjunction with pulsed
light treatments, others not. There
is no recognized protocol as yet, but it’s on its way I feel sure. We
do know though, that high energy does not necessarily improve results,
and that cystic acne does not seem to respond.
All
this news and excitement has a serious side though.
Training and education is vital.
I was lucky in that I had studied laser and intense pulsed light
overseas before I bought my first pulsed light system.
It meant that I had some theoretical and clinical experience with
this type of technology. But I have also been willing to spend time and
money in trialling what we could and could not do with the various
pulsed light systems we have had. More
visits to the US, Denmark, New Zealand and an upcoming UK trip further
enhances my understanding as I spend time learning from top educators in
the field, along with physicists and engineers. It is a young industry with little or no regulations or
training protocol in place at this stage.
We have to be very serious in obtaining the best possible
training and education so that when regulations do come into place, we
will be ready. References 1
– 2
– S. Stangl, M. Drosner, Laser 2002 11th Annual meeting of
Deutsche Dermatologische Lasergesellschaft, 3
–
A.R. Shalita MD, Y Harth, MD, M Elman, MD, Acne PhotoClearing
using a Novel, High-Intensity enhanced narrow-band blue light source
2001 4
– D.B. Vasily, MD Treatment of acne using Palomar LuxV handpiece. Trudy
Fleming, an electrologist of 30 years and a qualified teacher, has 2
clinics in Website:
www.flemingresources.com.au
email: trudy@flemingresouces.com.au
Ph: [03] 9553 2461
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