I did it!! My journey with a popular facial that gives you clear skin. Yes please!
Before I get into my actual treatment process & the outcome let me give you a little background on the IPL. IPL treatments are also referred to as “Photofacials” or “Foto Facials.” IPL treatments boast 50-75% improvement rate in treating rosacea, age spots, wrinkles, sun spots, brown spots, chronic sun damage & skin laxity. Cost per treatment at Aesthetica Skin Health & Wellness Clinic is $475 and currently on special for new clients it’s $99.
So let’s start from the beginning… I am one who loves makeup. I fill my vanity with products & indulge in Sephora’s newest items. I’m on an endless hunt for that “perfect” foundation, “perfect” concealer (that doesn’t crease) & finding brightening powders for my less than bright skin. Now for those who don’t use or know much about makeup this can be a similar battle. It’s common how we can be so critical over beauty products when in fact these exact products are a direct result of our skincare regime. It’s all about the canvas you’re starting with. I think of it like this; You can buy the best paint & paint brush but if your walls have cracks & imperfections they’re not going to look their best. That’s why we sand & buff them. Same rules apply with our skin.
My goals:
Middle of June, 2017 I went in to see Kara Welle. I wanted a full assessment & a skincare plan that would lead me to my goals.
- Even skin tone
- Brighten my dull skin
- Hydration – A natural dew to my skin
Assessment & Consultation
The assessment begins: Kara noticed my concerns & she saw some problematic areas I didn’t notice. I have freckles & dry skin – Nothing too alarming so it was hard for me to understand why I was running into certain problems. What she saw that I didn’t was a lot of texture, pigmentation & some redness. So she recommended this treatment plan: 3 IPL’s & 3 Hydrafacials in rotation a couple weeks apart.
End of June I did my first Photofacial. I was sooo nervous. I have a low pain tolerance. Kara explained what to expect, put a topical numbing cream on my face (which is optional and some don’t even use it) and handed me the stress balls. After about 10 minutes I was pretty numb. She began running the laser on my face. I would explain the pain as a rubber band snap as each area was treated that lasted maybe a half a second.
As you can see below the laser covers a large area so there wasn’t much to it. One zap covers a a good portion of your face. Then we want to treat my neck – on my neck I didn’t feel a thing. The actual treatment lasted about 10 minutes.
Next Day After Photofacial
Hello dark spots! The next day is when you’ll see what was on its way. Over the course of a few days these will flake off. I saw spots I never knew existed. Freckles I never had before, a little more redness & sun damage (I’m not a person who is in the sun often) If you are a sun goddess this is a must if you want to prevent further damage.
IPL Photofacial: One Week Later
My skin felt firm, my spots lightened & the biggest thing after the 1st treatment was how well it treated my texture. It was nearly gone! My makeup went on well & without anything on my face it was so smooth! Going into this I didn’t even realize how much texture I had until I didn’t have it! You can see below from the left picture to the the right picture how the texture improved.
My Second Photofacial Treatment
1 month later (after my hydrafacial) I did it again. This time is was painless! I asked Kara if the setting was lowered, it was not. It was at the same intensity level. Kara said “because the heat stimulates collagen production to strengthen and plump up your skin it is a good possibility your skin handled the sensation.” I was very happy to hear that! I have also heard this from many other friends who do these regularly.
I was extremely happy with my results this second time. My freckles were 90% gone. Redness was no where to be seen and again, my skin felt even tighter. I do see slight changes in my fine lines so that was a great bonus! The next day I saw those spots again but not nearly as bad. As you continue your treatments the dark spots will lessen.
Below is my before picture, middle picture is the next day, the last picture is my after. Not too bad after a couple treatments.
Photofacial: My Over All Experience
It’s been close to 4 months since my first treatment and everything is still feeling and looking great. I do have freckles on my chest so because my face was 90% freckle free, I am going to do my final treatment once I can get my chest caught up. I think this is a wonderful treatment that offers more than just one benefit. There’s several different laser attachments that can be used to pin point a specific color or pigment on your face. Kara was very informative though the process, which was helpful. I’m an instant gratification type person so when you hear “series” don’t get discouraged! It’s worth it! I will continue to these, especially after every summer and maintain a regular schedule with the hydrafacial – more on that facial in a separate post.
Now when I put my makeup it goes on smoothly. Which makes the process & product hunting much easier (and affordable) Add a couple hydrafacials in there for a great glow! Next up, my chest, and what better time to do it in fall & winter.
Quick Notes:
- Do the preferred amount of treatments! So many do one & get discouraged – this works very well so stick with it!!
- With these lasers, there is so many different kinds, each doing something slightly different & there is something specifically for every skin issue you may be targeting.
- There are many lasers & other various treatments it can seem overwhelming but when in the right hands it’s as easy as booking a consultation. You will be educated, a treatment plan will be in place and you will reach your skincare goals.
Over All Experience
Skincare goals met!
- Texture Free
- Clear Complexion
- Hydration
- Make-up Free
It’s been close to 4 months since my first treatment and everything is still feeling and looking great. I do have freckles on my chest so because my face was 90% freckle free, I am going to do my final treatment once I can get my chest caught up. I think this is a wonderful treatment that offers more than just one benefit. There are several different laser attachments that can be used to pin point a specific color or pigment on your face. Kara was very informative though the process, which was helpful. I’m an instant gratification type person so when you hear “series” don’t get discouraged! It’s worth it! I will continue to these, especially after every summer and maintain a regular schedule with the hydrafacial—more on that facial in a separate post.
Now when I put my makeup it goes on smoothly. Which makes the process & product hunting much easier (and affordable) Add a couple hydrafacials in there for a great glow! Next up, my chest, and what better time to do it in fall & winter.
