IPL – Stellar M22 with XPL™ (Expert Pulse Light) 

What is IPL?

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light and is a light treatment that uses a broad spectrum of wavelengths rather than a single specific wavelength, as is the case with a traditional laser.

The Stellar M22 IPL operates across a broad spectrum of light and uses various filters to target different areas of the skin.

The light can be absorbed by, amongst other things, melanin in pigmented areas and haemoglobin in blood vessels. The light energy is converted into heat within the target tissue, making it possible to treat a wide range of skin conditions.

It is precisely this ability to customise the light that makes IPL such a versatile treatment.

What can IPL treat?

IPL treatment with the Stellar M22 can be used for, amongst other things:

• sun damage and pigmentation spots
• uneven skin tone
• redness
• superficial blood vessels and telangiectasia
• rosacea
• acne
• photodamage
• general skin rejuvenation and improved skin quality

With a full-face IPL treatment, we can also address several of these issues during the same session.

IPL for pigmentation spots and sun damage

IPL is particularly popular for the treatment of sun-related pigmentation and brown spots.

The light is absorbed by the pigment and heats up the treated pigmentation.

After treatment, it is common for the pigmented patches to initially become darker and more prominent. They may then take on a dry, slightly scab-like appearance before the pigment gradually rises to the skin’s surface and is shed.

This is a normal reaction following IPL and should not be confused with the pigmentation becoming permanently darker.

You shouldn’t pick at or try to scrub away the darker patches, but let the skin recover naturally.

IPL for redness, broken capillaries and rosacea

IPL can also be targeted at haemoglobin, making the treatment suitable for diffuse redness and superficial blood vessels.

We therefore use IPL for, amongst other things:

• general facial redness
• superficial vessels
• telangiectasias
• rosacea-related redness

Vessels and pigmentation require different settings and filters. The treatment is therefore tailored to what we wish to treat above all else.

Rosacea is a chronic condition, and IPL does not cure the underlying disease, but in the right patient it can reduce visible redness and superficial blood vessels.

IPL for acne

The Stellar M22 also has a special IPL filter for acne.

IPL can be used as part of the treatment for inflammatory acne and redness. However, the best treatment depends on the type of acne you have and whether the problem is mainly active acne, redness, pigmentation or scarring.

For acne scars, we often recommend other treatments, such as microneedling, Sylfirm X RF microneedling or fractional laser treatment.

BBL or IPL – what’s the difference?

BBL stands for BroadBand Light and is Sciton’s proprietary technology for treatment using broad-spectrum light.

BBL has become very well known internationally, particularly in the USA, for the treatment of pigmentation, redness, sun damage and general photorejuvenation.

The Stellar M22 is not a BBL machine, as BBL is a specific brand and technology from Sciton.

The principle behind the treatments, however, is very similar. Both BBL and advanced IPL use filtered broad-spectrum light, in which different wavelengths can be targeted at, for example, pigment and blood vessels.

At NYOclinic, we chose Stellar M22 as the platform offers us great flexibility in adjusting the filters, pulse and energy levels to suit both skin concerns and skin type.

For those of you looking for BBL treatment in Gothenburg The Stellar M22 may therefore be an interesting alternative to compare it with.

IPL and skin rejuvenation – more than just pigmentation and blood vessels

IPL is not used solely to remove visible pigmentation and blood vessels.

For many years, the treatment has also been used for photorejuvenation, that is, the treatment of skin that has been altered by ageing and prolonged exposure to the sun.

Studies on IPL have, amongst other things, shown changes in collagen and the skin’s supporting tissue following repeated treatments.

This means that an IPL treatment carried out primarily to treat pigmentation or redness can also help to improve:

• skin tone
• skin texture
• shines
• overall skin condition

This is one of the reasons why IPL is often used as a regular skin rejuvenation treatment.

The interesting BBL study on gene expression in the skin

A high-profile study from Stanford University investigated the skin’s gene expression before and after repeated treatments with BBL.

The researchers identified 2,265 RNA transcripts whose expression differed between older and younger skin. Following BBL treatment, 1,293 of these shifted towards an expression pattern more similar to that of younger skin.

That does not mean that the treatment ”rejuvenates DNA” or alters your genetic age.

Furthermore, the study is a small-scale pilot study and was conducted specifically on the BBL, not the Stellar M22.

The results are nonetheless interesting, as they suggest that broad-spectrum light may influence biological processes in the skin in more ways than simply by reducing visible pigmentation and blood vessels.

Studies focusing specifically on IPL have also shown changes in, amongst other things, collagen and skin structure following repeated treatments.

• IPL with the Stellar M22 in GothenburgAt NYOclinic in Gothenburg We offer IPL treatment using the Stellar M22 for conditions including pigmentation marks, sun damage, redness, superficial blood vessels, rosacea and acne, as well as for general photorejuvenation.We chose the Stellar M22 so that we could offer a powerful and flexible light treatment where the filter, energy and pulse can be tailored to both skin type and treatment goals.For those of you who have heard of BBL (BroadBand Light) and are looking for a similar type of advanced light treatment in Gothenburg, the Stellar M22 is an option based on the same underlying principle – broad-spectrum light tailored to different target structures in the skin.The easiest way to find current prices and bookable IPL treatments is via our Book Direct.