IPL & Laser Hair Removal

IPL (also known as “Photofacial” or “Intense Pulse Light”) is used to even out skin tone and lighten freckles, brown spots, age spots, acne scars, spider veins, large pores, broken capillaries, and diffuse redness and rosacea.

At Emerald City Beauty, I use the SmoothCool equipment, a state-of-the-art technology to treat blemishes and rejuvenate skin anywhere on your body without the need for invasive treatments. The SmoothCool technology has a handpiece that cools the skin as the heat pulse is applied, mitigating the traditional discomfort associated with older equipment. This IPL technology can safely and effectively treat deeper skin tones.

Our IPL machine has different filters to focus on attracting and lifting the chromophore (color) in the skin-either melanin (brown pigment), hemoglobin (red pigment) and/or bacterial growth in the skin for acne.

The initial color will appear darker for a week or so and you may experience a coffee-ground texture from some of the brown pigment lifting before it falls off. The number or treatments necessary can vary depending on many factors. Typically, positive improvement is visible within a month or two after 3 treatments one to six months apart. Some stubborn chronic red conditions such as rosacea with diffuse redness can take 6-8 treatments. Each IPL session takes about 30-60 minutes and will leave you able to return to your everyday activities with minimal to no downtime. You will have increased sun sensitivity so we will strongly recommend an appropriate SPF for protection.

Our LHR or “laser hair reduction” services can treat any area of the body including pelvic/buttocks, backs, legs, arms, chest and face assuming the hair has color. Our SmoothCool LHR technology targets the root of the hair and the color in the hair with minimal discomfort to reduce the likelihood that hair will grow back. LHR is accomplished through a series of treatments 4-6 weeks apart. The hair follicle must be in the anagen phase of growth to be killed by the heat. When the heat kills the follicle, the skin usually displays a small red bump for the first day and then the hair falls out. Laser hair removal is also effective in the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae (razor bumps).