Should I Get Laser Therapy or IPL Treatments?

Your skin is your body's first line of defense between your vital organs and the world around you. It takes on everything from the sun's harmful rays and pollution to the inevitable effects of time — it's no wonder your skin is one of the first body parts to show visible signs of aging. 

But just because your skin has started to lose its youthful shimmer, doesn't mean that youthful shimmer has to stay lost forever. 

Our skilled team of experts at CANJ Aesthetics in Oakland, New Jersey, is proud to offer a wide range of aesthetic treatments that provide a way to restore healthy, youthful-looking skin. Here, we dive into the similarities and differences between our most popular services — IPL treatments and laser therapy — and help you decide which may be the best solution for your skin needs. 

What are IPL treatments?

Your friends or favorite influencers may call IPL (intense pulsed light therapy) a photofacial. IPL is a procedure that uses high-energy pulses of light from multiple wavelengths to address common skin concerns. 

These waves of light energy penetrate deep into your dermal tissues, stimulating the production of two key proteins — collagen and elastin — in the foundational layers of your skin. As your levels of structural skin proteins increase, your skin becomes smoother, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage disappear, and you regain a more youthful appearance. 

Because IPL treatments target your skin's upper and lower layers, they provide results that are immediately apparent and improve over time. 

IPL treatment applications

IPL treatments are incredibly versatile. We use them to brighten your skin and address concerns with tone, texture, and pigmentation, including:

• Sun damage
• Hyperpigmentation 
• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Spider veins
• Rosacea
• Acne scars
• Birthmarks
• Freckles
• Melasma

We also recommend IPL for getting rid of unwanted tattoos or hair.

What you can expect

Compared to laser treatment, IPL devices are less focused, which allows us to treat a wide range of skin concerns. We can customize the wavelength, energy level, and duration of each pulse to meet your precise needs. This customization also makes IPL a bit gentler than laser therapy. 

During your IPL treatment, you see a white flash because it uses many wavelengths of light rather than a single color of concentrated light. You must also stick to a few aftercare instructions, including avoiding makeup and lotion for the first 24 hours. 

You may notice mild redness and a rough texture in your skin for the first few days. These side effects are minor and go away quickly as the collagen remodeling process kicks into high gear and your skin heals. 

To get the best results, we equip you with a skin care plan that protects your skin and maximizes your treatment. You may need a few treatments (four to six sessions, with each session spaced at least four weeks apart) to attain optimal results. 

What is laser therapy?

Laser therapy and IPL share many similarities but have a few key differences. Both treatments employ heat and light to address skin concerns, but laser therapy uses a much more concentrated light rather than a broad spectrum. 

We use a different wavelength of light depending on what we're treating. Various wavelengths serve different purposes because various cells and tissues absorb some wavelengths instead of others. For this reason, laser therapy works best for targeted areas and concerns. 

Laser therapy applications

Laser therapy and IPL treatments address many of the same conditions, including unwanted body hair and tattoos, spider veins, acne, wrinkles, and pigmentation problems. 

The main difference is that with laser therapy, you choose which cosmetic skin concern you’d like to address, and we adjust the laser to target that specific problem.  

What you can expect

Laser treatments are well-tolerated and don't require post-treatment downtime, but we do apply a topical numbing cream to keep you comfortable during your sessions. Afterward, expect swelling and a warm sensation in your skin for a day or two as collagen production ramps up and your dermal tissues heal.  

We love laser therapy because it produces fast, long-lasting results. As with IPL treatments, you can expect results to show up quickly and continue to improve over the coming days, weeks, and months. Many of our patients also benefit from a series of laser treatments. 

The bottom line

IPL and laser therapy are incredibly effective treatments — they just take slightly different approaches. We make recommendations based on your needs, goals, lifestyle, and health history. 

Ready to get started on your journey to better-looking skin? We'd love to talk with you about your options. Call our friendly staff at 551-231-1733 today, or use our online booking tool to schedule an appointment any time.