My PicoSure Laser Facial

So I’m sharing this post not because I love showing my skin without makeup, but because I know how hard it is to navigate the whole Laser Skin Resurfacing, IPL Photo-facial scene. It’s overwhelming! There are so many types of lasers and light treatments out there with limited real reviews and before/after photos. So here it goes friends! My candid experience with one laser, the PicoSure, and my untouched before/afters. I must say, I really hesitated writing this post because I didn’t want to show my before picture; I look incredibly tired with dark circles under my eyes and major skin discoloring! I blame it on the child-rearing and being pregnant and/or breast feeding and raising tiny humans for the last 5 years…! Y’all it takes a toll on the skin…

Laser Resurfacing

But first, what are the differences between Laser Resurfacing and IPL Facials? Well, Laser Resurfacing is basically a more focused beam of light that targets skin imperfections deep below the skin’s surface. According to Dr Oz’s RN Jodi Sawyer  “It’s like getting rid of your imperfections from the inside out…lasers target imperfections at the core. I compare it to a weed; if you pull up a weed and don’t actually get to the root, the weed is going to come back again and again.” I just love this analogy, and that is why I am hooked on laser resurfacing facials. Because the lasers target the skin’s imperfections below the skin’s surface, it can take some time to bring them to the surface and remove them. Lasers also encourage collagen growth, lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, help with hyper-pigmentation, brown spots and skin discoloration. I prefer non-ablative lasers that do not injure the skin’s surface and have minimal downtime. The laser I am reviewing today is a non-ablative laser, PicoSure (I paid for this laser treatment and this post is not sponsored).

IPLs

Now to IPLs. Some MedSpas refer to IPLs as lasers, but they are not. An IPL stands for Intensive Pulsed Light. Its a type of light therapy used to treat wrinkles and spots (side note, both IPLs and Lasers can be used to target hair removal but for this article I am only discussing their cosmetic use). The pivotal difference between the two is “the light from IPL is more scattered and less focused than a laser…IPL releases light of many different wavelengths like a photo flash {while} a laser focuses just one wavelength of light to your skin. Pigment cells in your skin absorb the light energy, which is converted into heat. The heat destroys the unwanted pigment to clear up freckles and other spots.” It is not recommended to use IPLs on skin with raised scars, or darker skin tones or if you have melasma (skin discoloration due to hormonal change or sun exposure). IPLs will exacerbate melasma–trust me it is not pretty. I have more than a few friends and associates whose melasma worsened with an IPL treatment. 

IPLs are quick, fairly painless and don’t effect the top layers of skin so there is minimal downtime. However, to see more dramatic results you must go back for multiple treatments and there are limitations depending on your skin type. On the flip-side, IPLs are typically less expensive than lasers, so there is a cost benefit. There is also a nice “brightening” effect after getting a IPL, almost like the brightening after a really solid microdermabrasion facial (in my experience). But overall, if you really want to see dramatic results, I still recommend a Laser resurfacing treatment over an IPL (I’ve done both). 

PicoSURE Laser Resurfacing

Ok so now on to the PicoSure! This is the laser I chose to use, as I had heard a lot of good press, and I found a Groupon for three treatments! If you know me, you know I never pay full price for anything. I didn’t actually purchase the Groupon online, however, but went directly to the medical office and paid (I don’t want to criticize Groupon, but the cut they take from the businesses is crazy high!). 

The PicoSure Laser was introduced in 2012, so it is not necessarily a brand new laser, but it is one of the newer lasers to market. If you want to find out more about the science behind the PicoSure laser, here is the link to how it works and the width of the laser wave length. I chose the PicoSure because it also has FDA clearance to remove tattoos, so I did three other treatments to remove a tattoo (it has faded significantly but I will probably need 2 more treatments). 

On to the juicy stuff, the before and afters. Below are my “Before” photos–these was taken at the medical office before my first treatment. And mind you–these were taken with tinted sunscreen (so slight makeup effect). You all–it was so hard posting this I just look so exhausted without makeup!

Here is me one month after my first treatment, about to have my second treatment. As you can see, my skin appears tighter and my acne scaring and skin texture has improved enormously.

And here is me one week after my 3rd treatment. As you can see, my brown spots have diminished and the acne scaring along my jaw line has decreased. One nice bonus I noticed was my jaw line actually tightened after the treatments. Had no idea that would happen! My skin is also much brighter with less fine lines. 

What to expect during the treatment

There will be mild discomfort during the treatment. Your practitioner can apply a layer of lidocaine or an ice pack to the treatment area prior to the resurfacing. This will minimize any discomfort. I found it to be tolerable but my practitioner did  a very thorough job so I certainly needed the ice pack. I found the tattoo removal much more painful; almost like a burning or snapping (similar to getting a tattoo!).

Downtime

So a couple of you asked what the downtime is like with the PicoSure laser? The day of the procedure the skin is slightly red. You may have some “white head” like bumps appear in a few areas, but that goes down within the week. I literally was able to put on tinted sunscreen and go out and about the same day. No one noticed except my sister, who mentioned I looked a bit red. 

Well, I hope this helps clarify the differences between IPLs and Lasers and gives you an idea of what a PicoSure laser is! Please reach out–I love hearing your feedback or if you had a great experience with a different treatment option!

Love,

Lana