Question: I have heard of something called photo facial. What is this and what does it do?
Answer: A photo facial is an intense pulse light treatment that can be performed in a variety of ways. Most places perform a single pass of intense pulse light treatment and this light energy targets pigment and vascularity on the face, but can also be used on the body as well. It injures the pigmented and vascular structures and then the body slowly resorbs these structures and it essentially clears these abnormalities from the skin in a way that creates no downtime. Frequently, several episodes or treatments are necessary to create the desired effect. At Quintessa Medical Spa we perform a photo facial in a little bit of a different way in that we treat the face with several passes of this intense pulse light all at one time, creating a much more significant effect, which will greatly improve the result and decrease the number of episodes or treatments that are necessary.