your questions answered

Hair Removal (ipl)

 
Q:  Does IPL hurt?

A: During the treatment, you may feel a slight tingling or pinch (similar to the snap of a rubber band) from the IPL hand piece; most people tolerate the procedure very well. Some areas of the body are more sensitive than others. Our in-built cooling system alleviates discomfort, providing minimal pain in sensitive areas.

Q:  I have heard you can be burnt by laser hair removal – how does your machine combat this?

A:  We use a Novalight IPL machine. Novalight are made to the highest standards using European technology and are both CE and TGA approved. Novalight is a digital machine, which ensures the light pulse emitted is consistent throughout your full treatment. 

Q: How often and how many treatments will I need to be hair free?

A: Each persons hair growth cycle will differ slightly along with the area being treated.  Therefore, your therapist will advise you individually on the best course of treatment for you.  Typically we would suggest appointments between 4 to 6 weeks apart and a minimum of 6 treatments. 

Q: What are the do's and don't when having IPL?

A: During your consultation you will be given a pre and post treatment brochure, but the main point to be aware of is that during your course of treatments your skin will be more photosensitive i.e. you will be more sensitive to the sun and could burn more easily.  Therefore it is imperative that you wear SPF on the treatment area throughout your course of treatments and avoid sun exposure.

Q: Will IPL work on all skin/hair types?

A: As a general rule, the darker the hair and lighter the skin, the quicker and better result will be achieved.  Unfortunately if you have blonde, red or grey hairs they will not be targetted in the IPL process, but any darker hairs will be.  Lighter brown hairs will be targetted, but may take longer to gain the desired result.  Your therapist will be able to advise you at your free consultation of what you can expect with regard to treatment program for your skin/hair type.  

Dermal Rolling / Skin Needling   

Q: How does skin needling work and why is it so effective? 

A:  A medical grade skin roller is rolled over the area being treated which causes multiple tiny pin point puncture wounds to the dermis.  This dermal damage induces the release of growth factors that stimulate the production of new collagen and Elastin without the removal of the healthy epidermis (which can occur using other resurfacing techniques).  

A typical treatment would last between 5-20 minutes.

With the epidermal layer left intact, the healing period is rapid.  The skin does not risk permanent structural damage sun sensitivity, skin colour loss or hyperpigmentation.  The new collagen continues to renew for up to 12 months after each treatment providing you with long lasting results.

Q: What skin type and areas can be treated? 

A: Skin needling can be safely administered on all skin types and colours as the epidermis in the basal area are left intact, there is no risk of hyperpigmentation.  

Any area that has scarring can be treated including sensitive areas such as below the eyes, the neck and back of hands.

Q: How does this differ to IPL or Fraxel treatments?

A: Skin needling is far less invasive than both IPL and fraxel treatments.  You will have no downtime with needling other than the appearance of a mild sunburn for a few hours where as with alternate treatments you can have severe redness, blistering and skin flaking/shedding for a week or more in some cases. 

Some clients have resported experiencing severe discomfort during more invasive treatments and due to this pain decide they can not proceed through the course of treatments.  With most courses of invasive treatments, you are asked to pre-pay for all treatments which means you will lose your money if you decide you do not wish to proceed past the first session.

In comparison to prolonged recovery time from laser resurfacing and chemical peels, a few days healing time makes skin needling a more desirable and cheaper alternative.   

At Essential Skin & Body you will be given a quote for your course of treatments, but only asked to pay as you complete each treatment.  We don't ask that you pre-pay as we know you will be surprised at the minimal treatment discomfort and love the results you will see.

Q: How much time does it take to recover and how often will I need the treatment?

A: Your skin could appear flushed immediately after treatment, however mineral make-up can be applied immediately.  The skin may feel slightly tight, dry and flaky for 2 to 7 days after treament - this is normal, and the moisuriser recommended by your therapist should be applied. 

 
Multiple treatments are usually necessary to achieve significant improvement to lines and scars. Treatment effects are cumulative and will usually be seen within 6-8 weeks of each treatment. Treatments can be safely repeated every 6-10 weeks.