Lumecca IPL

What Is IPL Therapy?

IPL, or intense pulsed light therapy, is a type of light treatment also known as a photofacial. During a Lumecca treatment, we use a hand-held device to deliver pulses of broad-spectrum light energy to your skin. Depending on what skin concerns we’re focusing on, we can customize the color and intensity of the light to target exactly what we want — whether that’s brown spots, redness or something else.

When the light energy reaches its target, it heats up the area in a precise and controlled way. This gets rid of the unwanted pigment so clear skin can take its place. Many people prefer IPL over laser skin resurfacing because it’s gentler, so it can be used safely on a wider variety of skin tones and types.

Lumecca IPL vs. Regular IPL Treatments

These are a few of the characteristics that set Lumecca apart from other IPL devices:

High peak power

Lumecca delivers three times the energy of older IPL devices. Its impressive peak power of 3.3 kW/cm2 allows it to effectively target and eliminate many kinds of pigment and vascular lesions, giving results similar to some laser treatments. With other IPL systems, you may need multiple treatments to try to match the results of a laser — but not with Lumecca.

Optimized output

Lumecca delivers its light energy in the shorter 500-600 range, which is the sweet spot for treating pigmentation. The pigment in your skin absorbs these light wavelengths more effectively, so you get the most bang for your buck. Plus, the light leaves the rest of your skin untouched, which shortens recovery time significantly.

Sapphire cooling

Lumecca features a sapphire cooling tip for your comfort. Most traditional IPL involves some mild stinging or burning, so you may need a numbing cream to stay comfortable. The sapphire cooling tip delivers a consistent cooling sensation during treatment, eliminating the need for topical anesthetics.

What all this means for you is that you can achieve bright, more even and rejuvenated skin with just one or two 30-minute treatments, with minimal discomfort and virtually no downtime. 

What Concerns Can Lumecca IPL Treat?

Lumecca IPL has been FDA-approved to treat a wide range of pigmented and vascular changes on the skin, anywhere on the body. At California Vein Specialists, we use this treatment for the correction of: 

• Hyperpigmentation 
• Age spots
• Freckles
• Port wine stains
• Rosacea
• Angiomas
• Facial veins

Who Is a Good Candidate for Treatment?

Most adults who are relatively healthy and want to rejuvenate their skin are good candidates for this treatment. The FDA has approved the device for patients 22 years and older who wish to treat superficial pigmented and vascular lesions. 

The treatment may not be recommended under the following conditions: 

• Active skin cancer and pre-cancerous growths
• Pregnancy and nursing
• A compromised immune system
• Active eczema, rash or psoriasis
• Open sores on the skin
• A history of keloid scars
• Serious chronic health conditions

How to Prepare for Treatment

If you are a good candidate for Lumecca IPL, our team will help you prepare for your treatment. Before your appointment, we will schedule a pre-treatment consultation to go over your medical history, explain all the ins and outs of the treatment, and give you tips to help you heal afterwards.

To prep for your treatment, we’ll advise you to:

• Avoid tanning for 2-4 weeks before your appointment and use high-SPF sun protection during this time. 

• Discontinue irritating skin products and treatments for 3-7 days before treatment (e.g. retinol, exfoliating products, dermabrasion and skin peels).

• Stop taking drugs and supplements that thin the blood for 7-10 days before treatment, if medically allowed (e.g. ibuprofen, aspirin, vitamin E, fish oil, ginkgo biloba, etc). 

• Plan your treatment for a day when you don’t have any big social plans, just in case you have a little redness and swelling afterward.

The IPL Treatment

Our patients love how quick, easy and comfortable Lumecca treatments are.

The treatment is performed in the office, with you resting in a reclined position. We’ll start by cleaning your skin and giving you protective goggles to shield your eyes. Then we’ll choose the appropriate settings and gently glide the device over your skin.

The whole treatment should take no longer than 30 minutes from start to finish. You should not feel significant discomfort and can return to your usual routine as soon as you leave our office. Most patients see good results after a single session, but some need one touch-up session for optimal results.

Post-Treatment Care

To get the best results and keep your skin happy and healthy,  you will need to take good care of your skin in the weeks after your session. There’s no required downtime and just a few simple aftercare recommendations to keep in mind: 

• Use high-SPF sunscreen after treatment. This will help prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which is especially common in darker skin types.

• Use a gentle cleanser followed by a moisturizer daily to avoid flaking and peeling and to keep your skin looking great.

• Resume your usual skincare routine as soon as any swelling, redness and tenderness subside. This is usually around 24 hours after treatment for most patients. 

Learn More About Lumecca IPL at California Vein Specialists

At California Vein Specialists in beautiful Newport Beach, CA, we want only what is best for our patients. That’s why we strive to continuously expand our offerings to include cutting-edge treatments like Lumecca IPL that deliver outstanding results and a superior patient experience.

With Lumecca, we can treat many common skin concerns more comfortably and with less downtime and risk than ever before. The results are comparable to more intense treatments, but with way less hassle for you! To learn more about Lumecca IPL in Newport Beach, call us at 949-339-1032 or schedule your first consultation here.

---