Great skin just in time for the holidays: IPL, Fraxel, Injectables with Linda Behla of SkinSpirit

Linda Behla, RN at SkinSpirit has been treating my skin with IPL procedures for the last couple months.

• IPL #1 – face, neck
• IPL #2 – face, neck, chest, hands
• IPL #3 – face, neck, chest hands (yesterday)

Trying to attack those stubborn brown and red spots from sun damage years ago is no simple task. But Linda knows what she’s doing!

Day2 Post-IPL Spots lifting

Chest décolleté: I see a big reduction in hyperpigmentation on my chest—where I’ve incurred the most sun damage… with more to come.

Rosacea: Linda was pleased with the diminished red blood vessels from rosacea on my face, especially around my nose and chin.

Sun spots: We’re having some difficulty with the sun spots on my cheeks which had been treated in the past with a laser. The damage goes to a deeper level below the skin than expected. Time to set the IPL strength to a higher level, says Linda. She also did more spot treatment on this third go around now that she’s seen how these spots have reacted so far.

Hands with hyperpigmentation: I look forward to making some progress on my hands too, an area which we haven’t focused on much yet. The annoying darkness around the scars is what needs the most help.

After two IPLs with Linda Behla, I see a significant reduction in skin spots and redness which results in clearer skin.

A person in the waiting room at SkinSpirit before my third IPL appointment said to me:

Your skin looks great already. I don’t even see the redness or brown spots. I hope my results are like yours!

Of course, I am probably seeing more imperfections than others since it’s my focus. Linda does as well since she’s a skin specialist. Our goal is: spot-free skin!

Skincare products: In between IPL #2 and #3 I used the TNS Complex human growth factor, both morning and night, to rejuvenate my skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and to enhance the skin texture and tone. Each night, stopping 3 days before today, I used Retin A and hydroquinone. The Retin A reduces wrinkles, which caused exfoliation and sensitive skin each morning. It was noticeably wiping away dead skin cells to make room for renewed ones. The hydroquinone lightened the darker spots.

New skin regimen: From this point going forward I will protect my skin with sunblock every day, even on the cloudiest days in winter. I especially need to remember that driving in a car (with a sunroof, despite the glare screen) is a big culprit to the brown sun spots on my face, sides of neck, chest and hands.

Linda believes that, in my case, the IPL is great for reducing redness and some brown but that a Fraxel (after we’ve gotten rid of the red) may be the best way to zap—and practically erase—the remaining brown.

What is a Fraxel? A Fraxel® is a laser procedure that restores your youthfulness by resurfacing the skin, resulting in smoother skin as well as improved tone and texture. We lose our youthfulness through the years from sun, pollution, stress and fatigue. The Fraxel® treatment uses a fractional laser technology by safely penetrating the skin layers in microscopic laser columns—leaving some cells untouched—to stimulate your own body’s natural healing abilities to produce new skin cells and generate new collagen. You’re left with fresh new glowing and healthy skin.

I am going to start saving up for a Fraxel treatment in the future, after seeing my IPL results of course.

Great skin for the holidays: Many procedures can help you look great for the holidays. Besides IPL to reduce red and brown spots, Linda Behla is an expert injector. BOTOX® or Dysport™ temporarily erase wrinkles (for many months) and fillers such as Restylane® and JUVÉDERM® fill in the gaps that appear when we age to restore a more youthful look.

Stay tuned for my IPL results.

© 2013 R.E.L. Copywriting

IPL photofacial for face, neck, chest and hands: To reduce brown and red spots with Linda Behla of SkinSpirit

Linda Behla, RN, SkinSpirit Mill Valley

My second IPL procedure was yesterday with Linda Behla from SkinSpirit. During round one we focused mainly on my face and neck, paying close attention to hyperpigmentation (brown spots) from sun damage and aging and also red vascular problems (i.e., pronounced blood vessels) from rosacea on my face.

Yesterday we added my chest (i.e., décolleté) and hands to the mix, totaling 4 areas.

In preparation, I have remained out of the sun, covered or with plenty of SPF 50 sunblock on my skin since I know the IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) targets the unwanted discoloration; in other words, my natural skin needs to be a natural (and light) as possible so that the colors stand out the most.

SkinSpirit lobby

SkinSpirit in Mill Valley has a cozy, secluded waiting room. I always look forward to arriving early just to hang out there, drink some of my favorite tea and some fruit-infused water.

The IPL procedure (face, neck, chest, hands):

Linda Behla analyzed my skin before we began treatment #2. The spots on my cheeks looked noticeably lighter to her, as well as the rosacea, but she decided that she wanted to go deeper this round. She was happy with the results from the first round and noticed that pigments are starting to come to the surface (soon to be erased with next IPL treatments).

As done prior to my previous IPL, I prepared the treated areas with topical numbing cream 45 minutes in advance. This helped tremendously with my nervous system and skin’s heat sensitivity from the IPL light.

Linda continued to be as caring and thoughtful of my comfort, while at the same time turning it up a notch for better results. Of course, the goal remains: erase most of the hyperpigmentation (i.e., brown spots) on my face, neck, chest and hands, and also reduce the redness in blood vessels on my face.

I will post photo comparisons as the days progress but here are the pre-IPL #2 photos:

pre-IPL hand

pre-IPL chest décolleté

pre-IPL2 rosacea

pre-IPL2 brown spots

Linda stressed the importance of skincare following my treatment and ongoing. She advised the following regimen for me (starting after inflammation cools):

Each morning:

1. Gentle cleanser
2. TNS Recovery Complex by SkinMedica – human growth factor
3. Phloretin by SkinCeuticals – antioxidant
4. Dermal Repair Cream by SkinMedica – moisturizer
5. SPF 50 – sunblock

Each evening before bed:

1. Gentle cleanser
2. TNS Recovery Complex by SkinMedica – human growth factor
3. Mixture of a) Tretinoin Cream by Obagi – Retin A and b) Blender – skin lightener with hydroquinone
4. Dermal Repair Cream

As needed in the next few days, I have Epidermal Repair by SkinCeuticals for itchiness.

Day 2:

I woke to more pronounced spots on all treated areas, especially my chest. Linda expected this as it’s where I have the most sun damage.

The only other side effect was that my face reacted with extra fluid under my eyes. It only lasted through the morning.

Linda said that this swelling edema under eyes is normal and is because the IPL targeted small tiny red vessels near my eyes.

No heated yoga for me this morning 😦

Days 3-6:

day4 post-IPL chest décolleté

Chest décolleté: I have the most sun damage here. We expect the best final results here. Linda is pleased with how much of the pigments are lifting.

I’ve experienced some very itchy skin for the last few days. I’m sticking strictly to the Epidermal Repair, topical Benadryl and ice. I’m staying out of the heat since this inflames the itch.

Face: Still a little swelling under eyes in the mornings up to day 5. Rosacea reduced significantly. Linda confirmed in person. She has a plan for attacking the brown spots with a higher strength for the next treatment since we are only seeing minor lifting (darker brown but not getting to the “coffee ground” stage).

Neck: Black specks formed on the darker spots and still there. I’ll wait for them to naturally come off.

day6 post-IPL hand

Hands: A few black specks have formed but Linda did mention that it would take longer to see results on my hands.

My skincare regimen: I’ve been following Linda’s advice and using the skin products above on my face, neck and hands (skipping chest for now until the inflammation calms).

I know for the most part that Phloretin is an antioxidant with vitamin C and protects against the sun, Retin A reduces wrinkles and hydroquinoine lightens the skin. But what about the human growth factor?

What is  human growth factor (TNS Recovery Complex by SkinMedica)? I’m all about cell regrowth. Before my IPL, I’d been using a cell stimulating facial mask which includes argan stem cell + chlorella growth factor, which is plant-based. TNS® official ingredient is Human Fibroblast Conditioned Media (a.k.a. adult human stem cells) and is a physiologically balanced, naturally secreted and stabilized combination of multiple natural messenger proteins.

What does that mean exactly? I wrote a previous article in this blog on how adult stem cells are used in plastic surgery and how they are found in all multi-cellular organisms. They are cells that can take on the identity of other cells (analogous to a chameleon regrowing its tail when it falls off), which are then conditioned in sugars and amino acids to grow. The proteins that are secreted from the cells are what goes into the serum.

The purpose of using TNS® is to rejuvenate skin, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and enhance skin texture and tone. There are many benefits to cell regrowth.

Days 7-9:

Chest décolleté: Today the itching resided. I have noticeable “brown coffee grounds” over a considerable number of spots.

My next appointment is scheduled for 2 weeks from now.

© 2013 R.E.L. Copywriting