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Edmonton, Alberta
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clarionmedical.com
What is BBL BroadBand Light?
BBL is an innovative technology that sets new standards for skin conditions associated with aging, active lifestyles and sun damage. BBL energy allows your clinician to precisely treat age and sun spots, small facial veins, and many other skin conditions. Your treatment will be tailored to match your skin type and your desired results.
How does BBL work?
The light energy delivered by the BBL will gently heat the upper layers of your skin. The heat absorbed by the targeted areas will stimulate your skin cells to regenerate new collagen. This process will restore your skin to it's natural beauty, blending its natural colors and making it smoother, vibrant and younger looking. In addition, the photothermal energy will eliminate fine vessels that cause redness and reduce unwanted melanin that produces pigmented lesions.
What conditions can be treated with BBL?
Pigmented Lesions(e.g., freckles, age spots)
Vascular Lesions(e.g., small blood vessels)
Acne
Uneven Skin Texture
Unwanted Hair
What areas can be treated?
Any area of your body can be treated. The most common areas are those most exposed to the damaging effects of sunlight. The most popular treatments are on the face, neck, back of the hands, chest and shoulders.
How many treatments will I need?
The number of treatments needed will vary from patient to patient and your clinician will personalize a treatment plan based on the level of improvement you desire. Your clinician may also combine your treatment with other popular aesthetic procedures to further personalize your treatment.
PHOTOFACIAL
What is a PhotoFacial™ Treatment?
A PhotoFacial™ Treatment is a series of full face, gentle pulsed light treatments intended to improve the appearance of sun damaged and aged skin, as well as reduce facial and neck redness and flushing. PhotoFacial™ treatments result in a more youthful-appearing skin. PhotoFacial™treatments were developed to consistently and predictably improve the visible appearance of the skin with little or no down time.
How does the treatment work?
An intense light (IPL /BBL) is emitted in a series of gentle pulses over the entire face at intervals of approximately three weeks for a series of five treatments. This special light which is different than laser treatments emits light over many wavelengths allowing the light to penetrate to all the levels of the skin where abnormal easily dilated vessels can be found. Lasers produce only a single wavelength of light and are limited in depth of penetration and what they can treat.
How much improvement will I see?
Typically 75-95%, on average 90% improvement is seen in most patients.
What conditions can be treated with a Photofacial™?
Patients who suffer from photo-aging of the skin, pigmentation from sun exposure (Age Spots), irregularities of skin texture, improves some mild acne scars, reduces large pores and dark circles around the eyes and helps reduce fine lines, especially around the eyes and mouth.
Rosacea can also be treated effectively.
Will I need additional treatments?
After your initial series of 3-5 treatments it is possible to require a follow-up treatment in 2 or more years. We will educate you in ways of caring for your skin to help diminish the likelihood of future treatments.
Are there any conditions that this treatment won’t help?
It won’t treat frown lines, sometimes known as lines of expression on the face, especially the forehead and between the brows. It is not a substitute for a face-lift and will not help baggy or sagging skin. It won’t cure the puffiness around the eyes for which blepharoplasty surgery is needed. It is not a treatment for skin cancer, but can treat pre-cancers called actinic keratosis. 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 the lower cheeks, which can be removed in other ways. It will not remove seborrrheic 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 hyperplasia, a benign growth of some oil glands in mid life.
Are there any contraindications to this procedure?
Yes, it is not indicated in patients with connective tissue disease or auto-immune disorders. It cannot be done during pregnancy, nor can it be done on recently sun-tanned skin or in those who may receive excess sun exposure for a few weeks following treatment. It cannot be used on patients taking Accutane or for six months after stopping Accutane. The procedure is not usually done on patients with active acne cysts and large pustules. The same is true for highly active rosacea. Most photosensitive medications such as antibioics, anti-anxiety or 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.
Are there any side effects?
Yes. Most side effects are mild and of short duration. These can consist of short-term discomfort during the actual treatment. There is usually additional redness immediately following treatment, lasting less than 24 hours in most people. On rare occasions, 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 has been noted on occasion, but is highly treatable and fortunately very rare. Even more rare is a decrease in pigmentation of the skin after treatments. This also clears in time as well. We have never seen a scar or an infection of the skin after treatment, but it 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.
What if I have a low pain threshold or sensitive skin – can I still be treated?
Yes, most patients need no pre-treatment anesthesia, but a topical cream can be applied 30-60 minutes prior to the treatment eliminating most discomfort. We have extensive experience with patients who have sensitive skin , always listen to their concerns, and treat accordingly so that the most sensitive skin type is treated safely.
How long does each treatment last?
Each treatment lasts approximately thirty minutes. During this time, any additional questions will be answered. Prior to your appointment, all make-up or creams must be removed. Men will be asked to shave on the day of treatment, prior to their arrival at the office. If any herpatic lesions or bacterial infections are noted on the day of the procedure, the treatment will be cancelled until the condition has been treated and completely healed. 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. The operator will coach you by counting to three prior to each pulse. After the procedure you may be asked to ice the area, and will be given any additional post-treatment instructions
as necessary.
What are the advantages of PhotoFacial™?
You can have glowing, smooth, blush-free skin with finer lines and more youthful-looking skin with NO DOWNTIME 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 downtime.
Will PhotoFacial™ treatments help my acne scars?
Yes, certain shallower scars, including fine lines, will be improved. However, 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. This consists of a gentle, painless and safe series of abrasions of the skin in conjunction with the PhotoFacial™. This technique is called Photo Derma Resurfacing and will be explained to you if it is indicated for your skin.
If I don’t have very much redness and only have pigmented areas from sun exposure (weather-beaten appearance), can I benefit?
Yes, these patients can also be treated with great results. Some of the most gratified patients are those who have shown the ravages of sun and time on the face.
What if the redness and sun damage extends to my neck and chest as well, can these areas be treated?
Yes, these areas can also be treated successfully, much like the face. Many women especially are delighted to get rid of the "V-neck" effect of sun damage that has accumulated in these areas from years of sun exposure.
