Rosacea & Skin Discoloration

Almost everyone has a pigmented lesion of some type. These areas of the skin contain especially high concentrations of melanin and are typically caused by an excess of pigment commonly due to sun exposure, aging or congenital factors. Pigmented lesions vary widely in size, shape and depth. Some are no bigger than a fingertip or even a pinhead, while others may be as large as a hand and occur in such conspicuous places as the face, neck or arms. They can be either raised or flat and are usually a cosmetic rather than a medical concern. However, certain moles or "sun spots" can be precancerous; removing these lesions is medically necessary.

Lumenis covers the entire cutaneous landscape with its time-proven laser and Intense Pulsed Light solutions for use in the physician's office. Its versatile and upgradeable Lumenis One and IPL Quantum product lines offer comprehensive and effective treatment for the wide range of pigmented lesions and cosmetic flaws.

IPL technology allows the physician to select the wavelength and parameters appropriate to the specific type of pigmented lesion, depth and location.

During treatment, the IPL; wavelength is optimized so that the energy is absorbed only by the unwanted melanin, raising the temperature to cause shattering of the pigment.

Shortly after treatment, the unwanted pigment cells (or melanin) have been thoroughly fragmented without damage to the surrounding tissue.

In the weeks after treatment, the shattered melanin particles are eliminated through phagocytosis, whereby the fragmented pigments and damaged melanocytes are absorbed by the body. In most cases little or no trace of the initial lesion remains.

FAQs:

Can the Lumenis One effectively treat Rosacea?

Although the IPL Quantum can target the telangiectasia and blush associated with rosacea, the high power, short pulses and optimal pulsing technology only available with the Lumenis One is believed to result in superior treatment for the vascular symptoms associated with rosacea.

Some pigmented lesions have to be removed surgically, as they are potentially harmful. Can they be treated by IPL instead?

Technically, it is possible to treat such pigmented lesions with IPL and diminish their brown color; However, doing so does not affect the pre-malignant cells; it only obscures them and delays the diagnosis. It is therefore essential to consult a dermatologist prior to IPL treatment of any suspect pigmented lesion.

Can IPL treat hairy pigmented lesions?

Yes, due to the versatility of filters, IPL is an effective treatment for hairy pigmented lesions. IPL with longer filters can penetrate deeper than IPL with short filters. Thus, a shorter filter may be used to treat the superficial (epidermal) pigmented lesion while a longer filter may be applied to remove the hair. Disclaimer: References or links to other sites from Wellness.com does not constitute recommendation or endorsement by Wellness.com. We bear no responsibility for the content of websites other than Wellness.com.