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loss of the top layer of the skin, so the immediate after-care period can be quite uncomfortable, as the skin flakes off and new skin grows – like with a burn." Maryann says there is generally no down time with IPL treatments because discoloured patches which are generated after the treatment, can be easily covered with makeup until they are ready to flake and peel off. She says the fallout from non ablative laser treatments might vary from no down time to just a few days. Fully ablative laser treatments require a few weeks of downtime. The good news is that all three treatments deliver good results. "removing fine lines and wrinkles and tightening lazity can definitely make the skin look younger and feel fresher," Maryann says. "and if you combine IPL or laser treatment with some injectable dermal filler and or wrinkle relaxant and follow with good home care including daily sunscreen, then you can retain the more youthful look you achieve," she says. But be warned. Sun and heat exposure can make pigmentation return and if hormonal imbalances are causing pigmentation those spots will also recur if the imblance is not addressed. LASER V IPL What's the difference IPL stands for 'Intense Pulsed Light' and Laser stands for 'Light amplification by stimulated emission of Radiation'. Fraxel is a brand name of a company which manufactures various types of laser machines. The main difference between the two relates to the wavelength and depth of penetration into the skin's epidermis and dermis. Laser is a tight, unbroken beam and does not disperse as it moves from its origin – meaning it is slow to spread out or diverge. Laser light is monochromatic – having a single wavelength which corresponds to one specific colour. Laser light is collimated and very powerful and is coherent – meaning that the light is reinforcing in the way that it does not cancel itself out. IPL is made up of an assortment of different coloured light waves. It is polychromatic and the light is omni-directional or dispersed (quick to spread out as it is not collimated). It is non-coherent. You may need more treatments with IPL than with laser to get the same results, however, IPL treatments tend to be less expensive than laser. IPL is also able to treat a greater variety of skin types, because it can be adjusted. Ablative laser treatments (where the dermis is removed) require at least a two-week healing process and, because the dermis is removed, you effectively have an open wound – so run the usual risk of infection that comes with open wounds. Laser also carries some radiation risk, while with IPL, there is no known risk of radiation. Because laser is such an aggressive treatment with potentially nasty side effects, the WA Health Department has decreed that only medical practitioners can operate a Class 4 laser (the highest grade). The use of an IPL machine is unregulated, but selecting a well-trained, experienced operator is just as important. Maryann Rowan is a senior medical aesthetician at Assure Medispa, Subiaco. She can be contacted on 08 9380 0380 or visit www.assuremedispa.com.au SHEILA JULY 2012 83