FotoFacial Treatment: Your Face in a New Light

FotoFacial treatment is one of the most popular cosmetic choices for rejuvenating your healthy, beautiful skin. Here are the facts about this procedure.

What is FotoFacial treatment?

FotoFacial is a proprietary term for a rejuvenating treatment that combines the benefits of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and RF (radiofrequency) technologies to treat signs of UV damage and aging. These two forms of light energy work together when applied to targeted areas with a special handheld device.

What issues can FotoFacial treatment address?

Among the many reasons patients choose FotoFacial treatment are pigmentation and UV-damage issues — spider veins, pink and brown blemishes, age spots, and freckling — and signs of aging such as wrinkles, lines, and enlarged pores. FotoFacial treatment can also be of benefit in calming the redness of rosacea, smoothing acne scarring, and resolving melasma (“the mask of pregnancy”).

How does FotoFacial treatment work?

FotoFacial treatments are given in a series of 3 to 6, scheduled over up to 18 weeks, for optimum results. When the pulsed light waves of a FotoFacial are absorbed into the skin, they destroy areas of UV damage and absorb the blood that causes redness and inflammation. Surface areas of damage skin then dry, blacken, and flake off, exposing new, healthy skin. At the same time, the radiofrequency waves work below the surface to tighten tissues and stimulate supporting collagen for a smoother, more youthful look.

Syneron-ff-before-and-after

What should I expect during and after treatment?

FotoFacial treatments are particularly popular because they offer many of the same benefits as more invasive laser rejuvenation or cosmetic surgery without the expense or risk and with no downtime. Patients generally experience a gentle “zapping” sensation in the targeted areas as treatment is applied. Following each treatment, the affected skin will turn dark and flake off naturally over a day or two. Your skin care provider will recommend procedures for keeping treated skin clean and moisturized. You will need to use a high-SPF broad spectrum sunscreen and avoid prolonged sun exposure during the course of your treatment schedule, as treated skin will be more sensitive to UV damage until it is healed. On treatment days, avoid wearing any lotion, cream, perfume or makeup on skin to be treated as these may interfere with or block the FotoFacial light waves.

How successful is FotoFacial treatment?

Each patient’s results are individual, but most people see an immediate improvement after each treatment and a 50% to 70% improvement in the appearance of treated areas over the full course of treatment. Patient satisfaction rates for FotoFacial treatment approach 90%, making it one of the most popular treatments in cosmetic dermatology.

If you’d like to learn more about what FotoFacial treatment can do for you, contact our cosmetic consultant Mary Lou for a complimentary consultation. She’ll help you design a treatment plan that fits your skin, your schedule, and your budget. It’s time to see the light!