Rosacea is a common complexion disorder, which causes facial redness, flushing of the nose, cheeks, forehead, chin & neck, dilated capillaries and acne. As many as 13 million Americans, usually over the age of 30, are affected by this condition. Up until now, lasers have been used to treat the capillaries, but there has been no treatment to control the embarrassing & uncomfortable flushing & redness.

Now, a new treatment has been developed, based on research by a dermatologist in California. It uses pulses of light to eliminate the redness & flushing of rosacea. In a study of 16 patients with rosacea, facial redness was treated using intense pulses of light from a PhotoDerm™ (ESC Medical). This laser-like medical device allows the doctor to precisely set the characteristics of light energy for each patient’s skin, permitting exact treatment of the dilated blood vessels and redness without injuring the remainder of the skin. With this treatment, the entire face (or the affected part) is treated in 8-10 minutes using repetitive flashes of light from the PhotoDerm™. Then, after healing, microdermabrasion will be considered. No anesthesia is necessary. Patients experience only mild redness immediately after the treatments. All patients are able to return to their full activities immediately.

Every patient saw improvement in eliminating redness, flushing & capillaries immediately. Maximum benefit occurred after 3 treatments. Flushing was reduced at least 80%. 100 percent of patients achieved much smoother skin, and smaller pores. It has been observed that the pimple-like breakouts disappeared or even stopped entirely when the flushing was eliminated. Some patients were even able to discontinue dermatological medications they had taken for years. Redness of the neck & chest is also treatable by this method. No adverse reactions or scarring was observed. With pulse light treatment, people no longer need to suffer the embarrassment of red faces, red necks, red chests, or the discomfort of flushing. The PhotoDerm not only treats the redness of rosacea but also shows promise as a possible cure for rosacea. Few things are as dramatic as the elimination of a red face that a person has suffered from for years.

WRINKLES BE GONE!

• Intense Pulsed Light Treatments for Aging Skin

• Pulsed Light: An Alternative to Laser Resurfacing

Over the past six years, laser skin resurfacing has gained great popularity in the treatment of facial lines and wrinkles. The disadvantage with laser skin resurfacing is the lengthy “downtime” and persistent redness following the procedure, lasting from 3 weeks to 3 months. Now there is a nonsurgical alternative to laser skin resurfacing using intense pulses of light. A series of three to five 15 minute treatments requires no anesthesia a results in dramatically smoother, softer skin that has few wrinkles, smaller pores and less redness. Patients are able to return to work immediately following treatments.

The treatments are effective for the aging of non-facial skin where laser resurfacing of these areas poses a much greater risk of scarring. PhotoFacials™ are especially beneficial for younger patients with fine lines and early signs of aging who are not candidates for laser resurfacing. PhotoFacials™ involves less expense, discomfort and downtime. They are the ideal treatment for individuals with early aging changes and for redness and flushing.

Answers About the Pulsed-Light Facial Using Intense Pulse Light

The treatment involves a unique pulsed light rather than the intense hot laser beam, which improves the appearance of sun damaged and aged skin, as well as reducing facial & neck redness and flushing. PhotoFacial treatments result in a more youthful-appearing skin

The Ideal and 1st Long-Lasting Treatment

Seventy million Americans have an undesirable redness and/or sun damage of the face. The causes are: Rosacea, sun exposure, alcohol, medications, stress, emotional causes, time and aging of the skin. It occurs most commonly in fair-skinned individuals of northern European descent. Some of these individuals have a condition called Erythrophobia - a morbid fear of having a red face. In severe cases, emotional & social problems occur.

The New Treatment for Redness, Wrinkles & Dilated Facial Blood Vessels

An intense light is emitted in a series of gentle pulses at intervals of approximately three weeks for a series of five treatments. This is different than laser treatments, which emit light over many wavelengths, allowing the light to penetrate to all the levels of the skin where abnormal easily dilated vessels can be destroyed. Lasers do not work because they use only a single wavelength of light, which is limited in depth of penetration.

It Works Well if There is General Skin Redness

The intense light, because of its unique nature of emission, attacks the tiniest of vessels, which can only be seen by a microscope.

Most Patients Have 75-95% Improvement - On Average, a 90% Improvement is Seen

It will also help patients who suffer prematurely from excess sun exposure, pigmentation (Age Spots), irregularities of skin texture, and it can improve mild acne scars, reduce large pores and dark circles around the eyes and helps reduce fine lines, especially around the eyes and mouth.

Most people require 3-5 treatments, and, if necessary, a follow-up treatment in 2 or more years to maintain the “fresh” look, and to avoid the likelihood of future treatments.

This treatment won’t help frown lines, especially the forehead and between the brows and eyes, or next to the nose. This requires Botox cosmetic injection therapy, or a surgical face lift. It is not a substitute for a face-lift and will not help baggy or sagging skin, or puffiness around the eyes. This requires Kool Touch laser therapy or blepharoplasty. It is not a treatment for skin cancer. It won’t remove bumpy moles, but can remove their pigment. It will remove, however, acquired freckling. genetic freckles usually return after treatment. It won’t remove those strands of deep parallel blood vessels occasionally seen on lower cheeks, which can be removed in other ways. It will not remove seborrheic keratosis including the tiny genetic ones on the upper cheeks and around the eyes sometimes called dermatosis papulosa nigra. It also won’t remove sebaceous hyperplasias, a benign growth of some oil glands in mid-life.

The Contraindications for This Procedure

• Connective tissue damage or auto-immune disorders

• Pregnancy

• Recently sun-tanned skin (or in those who will receive excessive sun exposure for a few weeks following treatment

• Usage of Accutane, or for 6 months after stopping Accutane

• Active acne cysts and large pustules

• Severe active rosacea

Most medications such as antibiotics, anti-anxiety, sulfa drugs, birth control pills and anti-hypertensive medications are not a contraindication. Care must be taken in patients who get fever blister attacks on the face. An anti-herpes medication can be taken, thus avoiding the problem.

The most common side effects are mild and of short duration, which can consist of short-term discomfort. There is redness immediately following treatment, lasting less than 24 hours. (Rarely, it may last up to three days.) Mild blistering and bruising is possible but in our experience occur in less than 1% and usually clear very quickly. Post treatment pigmentation, or hypo-pigmentation, has been noted on occasion, but is highly treatable and fortunately very rare. Scars or infections of the skin after treatment have not been reported in the research, but they can occur. Swelling of the face for 3-5 days occasionally occurs and is most common in severely sun-damaged skin due to reduced quality of connective tissue around the blood vessels.

To receive this treatment it is necessary for the patient to complete a general medical questionnaire on the nature of the skin to properly evaluate the correct settings for their skin condition and skin type. Pre-treatment, mid-treatment and post-treatment photos will be taken. An informed consent sheet and photographic permit form must be signed. All questions must be asked and answered by the patient prior to treatment.

If you have a low pain threshold or sensitive skin ....

A topical cream can be applied 30-60 minutes prior to the treatment, eliminating most discomfort. This is only required in 50% of patients who have sensitive skin.

Each treatment takes approximately 15 minutes. It is important to remove all make-up or creams. Men will be asked to shave on the day of treatment. Eye shields/goggles will be applied to protect the eyes. A soothing gel will be placed on the skin prior to treatment, which will help reduce discomfort. After the procedure, ice may be applied to the area, and any additional post-treatment instructions will be given.

This is superior to laser resurfacing because laser resurfacing does not affect or remove blood vessels or flushing. In fact, it can worsen this condition, and is unsightly and requires time away from work and your usual everyday activities for two week up to a few months.

With space age intense pulsed light, you can have glowing, smooth, blush-free skin with NO DOWN TIME from work or play. You can usually go to work the same day or the following day without the stares of friends and strangers. No procedure has ever been developed that can accomplish so much with such low risk and no down time. The treatment is based on research and development by dermatology and varicose vein treatment specialists.

The same results cannot be achieved with chemical peels, microdermabrasion (Power Peel™, Parisian Peels™, DermaPeel™) alone. It must be used combined with intense pulsed light, not laser.

Contrary to what some doctors say, there is no laser that can duplicate the efforts of intense light therapy. The laser cannot reach all the levels of the skin in a manner similar to intense light. There is no alternative to this exclusive mode of treatment.

Acne scars will be improved with pulsed light therapy

Especially the shallow scars including fine lines will be improved, but ice pick type acne scarring and deep scars will not be helped. Laser resurfacing or dermabrasion may be indicated here. If the scars are milder and do not respond to PhotoFacial alone then we often add another procedure called microdermabrasion to the treatment schedule.

Other parts of the body can also be treated successfully, much like the face. It is especially noticeable in getting rid of the “V-neck” effect of sun damage that has accumulated in these areas from years of sun exposure. Scientists who treat rosacea believe that there is hope to control the embarrassing blushing that gets worse with age and time. Breakouts from rosacea can be diminished in frequency. Some rosacea patients are able to stop taking antibiotics they have been taking for years, and the need is reduced for topical cortisone creams.