One Laser, Two.

29 May 2024

One Laser, Two? Picosecond ND-YAG Laser & IPL

Pew pew pew. . .!

Those our dear readers are the “sound effects” of a laser, but not our lasers. Now that your attention is grabbed, let us dive into our double Laser feature blog. We would like to discuss with you the benefits of YAG and IPL treatments. Both of these treatments can be used to improve a variety of skin issues. First let us talk about the IPL treatment first, also known as Intense Pulsed Light Therapy or a Photofacial.

IPL Therapy

You guessed it, this is a cosmetic procedure! It is used to improve the skin’s texture. Meaning the goal of this device is to give you clearer, even and youthful skin. It is designed to treat a range of skin pigmentation and blood vessel issues on areas such as your face, hands, neck and chest.

To give you an idea, these undesirable skin issues may be due to sun damage, hormonal changes, or a genetic vascular condition.

The main difference between this treatment and the ND-YAG laser, is that IPL is gentler on the skin, though it requires more sessions. The best part about IPL is that it sends out more than one wavelength of pulsating light, meaning it can treat a wide range of skin conditions at the same time. Cool, right? Plus certain skin conditions may respond better to IPL and vice versa for the ND-YAG Laser. One of the licensed providers will be able to match you the correct treatment for your needs.

HOW DOES IT WORK EXACTLY?

IPL is designed to target specific colors in your skin. When the skin is heated from the light energy pulses from the device, the body is then able to get rid of the unwanted cells which in turn gets rid of the issue you’re being treated for. Since it only targets certain skin conditions, it doesn’t target/hurt other tissues, which means a swifter recovery.

WHAT CONDITION(s) DOES IT TREAT?

IPL works best if you have pale or light brown skin. Talk to one of our staff to see if you are a candidate, and to see if you can lessen or get rid of the following:

Acne
Dry eyes
Birthmarks
Stretch marks (Striae)
Liver or age spots
Broken blood vessels (capillaries)
Brown spots, also called liver or age spots
Dark spots from hormonal changes
Discolored skin
Fine wrinkles
Freckles
Redness from rosacea
Scars
Spider veins
Unwanted hair ( Keep in mind, this devices is not specifically designed for hair removal, this is one of those happy side effects. )

WHO IS NOT A CANDIDATE FOR IPL?

Pregnant women
Sunburn
Certain skin conditions, such as skin cancer
Take medications such as blood thinners, or accutane.
Light sensitivity
Recently tanned or used tanning creams
Dark-skinned (IPL targets colored pigments)
Skin resurfacing disorder
Severe scarring or keloids

FOOD FOR THOUGHT…!

IPL is not considered a Laser, it works differently and uses different light energy than a TRUE laser.

Pico ND-YAG Laser

Yes, before you even think about it, this is also a cosmetic procedure. This Laser treatment is designed to address a wide range of skin concerns, including but not limited to tattoo removal, pigmentation removal, and skin rejuvenation.

This device works by producing short pulses of high-intensity light that are absorbed by the targeted tissue, which can be anything from pigmented lesions to tattoo inks.

HOW DOES IT WORK THOUGH?

There is a crystal inside the handheld device that is “excited” by a diode, causing it to emit light at specific wavelengths. The laser beam is then focused by a lens, then directed onto the targeted tissue. The energy from the Laser is absorbed by the targeted tissue, which causes it to heat up and break down. As the tissue breaks down, it releases pigments or other substances that are then removed by the body’s natural processes, i.e. the lymphatic system.

In short it produces very short pulses of light measured in picoseconds with a very high peak power that allows it to target the pigmented lesions or tattoo ink without damaging the surrounding tissues.

Pico ND-YAG Laser can be used on a wider range of skin types and colors ( if you remember, IPL only treated pale to light brown ).

WHAT DOES THE PICO ND-YAG LASER TREAT?

The following concerns can be treated by our Pico ND-YAG Laser:

Melasma
Naevus of Ota
Naevus of Ito
Minocycline-induced pigmentation
Solar lentigines
Blue, black, red and green tattoo pigments
Acne scarring
Sun damage
Wrinkles (Rhytids)

WHO CANNOT GET PICO ND-YAG LASER?

Light sensitivity, or taking medications that increase sensitivity such as antihistamines, NSAIDS, and antibiotics for example.
Light trigger seizures
Accutane within the last 6 months
Active or localized systemic infection, or an open wound in the treatment area
Significant systemic illness or localized illness in the treatment area such as lupus
Nevi that are predisposed to the development of malignant melanoma
Active herpes simplex/zoster in the area being treated
Suspicious lesions or keloid history
Pregnancy

Last but not least, we do offer two more lasers! If we did a triple or quad feature, the blog would be too long. So let us discuss another laser next week. The CO2 Laser!

Come experience a newer and improved you here at UR Royalty Med Spa. We would be grateful for you to select us to accompany you on your self care journey. Stop on by and get a free consult with one of licensed providers to discuss all of your options and concerns. Book a IPL and Laser treatment consultation today, give us a call at 832-674-8797 today.