What is phototherapy, and what would I use it for?
Phototherapy is oftentimes called a photofacial, but it can be used anywhere on the body, not just on the face. It’s a quick, no-downtime procedure that – in a nutshell – makes the skin younger. How does it do this? Well, different wavelengths of light penetrate the skin to search and destroy a target chromophore. A chromowhat?
A chromophore. Which is defined as “An atom or group whose presence is responsible for the color of a compound.” Basically, things of color get destroyed. Different wavelengths have different jobs, if you will, which is to destroy certain colors. Some wavelengths have multiple jobs and can destroy more than one color.
Your main target chromophores are, what I like to call, the BMW:
Blood
Melanin
Water
Blood (Hemoglobin): A protein in the blood and in those tiny blood vessels on the face that we call “telagectasias,” or the even smaller, much tinier ones that you can’t even see, but contribute to flushing and blushing, or rosacea.
Melanin: Your brown spots, sun spots, aging spots, “liver spots,” freckles and birthmarks.
Water: Good old aqua. Also a target for some wavelengths. When this is your target, you get what’s called a laser peel.
By selecting the appropriate wavelength, your practitioner will be able to treat a broad range of skin conditions caused by skin aging and sun exposure. One of the most common chromophores to target is melanin, and so using phototherapy to lighten and remove sun spots, age spots and brown blotches on the face, neck, chest, hands and other areas of the body is a really easy way to clear up and lighten the skin. Here are some examples:
BONUS! Did you know phototherapy also stops aging skin cells in their tracks and actually reverses the aging process?! It’s a proven fact. Check out these studies.
Delaying Skin Aging in Fitzpatrick Skin Types 1-5, Dr. Patrick Bitter MD
Note: The gentleman in the last set of photos is 12 years older in the picture on the right. Can you believe it!
What is phototherapy, and what would I use it for?
Phototherapy is oftentimes called a photofacial, but it can be used anywhere on the body, not just on the face. It’s a quick, no-downtime procedure that – in a nutshell – makes the skin younger. How does it do this? Well, different wavelengths of light penetrate the skin to search and destroy a target chromophore. A chromowhat?
A chromophore. Which is defined as “An atom or group whose presence is responsible for the color of a compound.” Basically, things of color get destroyed. Different wavelengths have different jobs, if you will, which is to destroy certain colors. Some wavelengths have multiple jobs and can destroy more than one color.
Your main target chromophores are, what I like to call, the BMW:
BLOOD
MELANIN
WATER
Blood (Hemoglobin): A protein in the blood and in those tiny blood vessels
on the face that we call “telagectasias,” or the even smaller, much tinier ones
that you can’t even see, but contribute to flushing and blushing, or rosacea.
Melanin: Your brown spots, sun spots, aging spots, “liver spots,” freckles and birthmarks.
Water: Good old aqua.
Also a target for some wavelengths.
When this is your target,
you get what’s called
a laser peel.
By selecting the appropriate wavelength, your practitioner will be able to treat a broad range of skin conditions caused by skin aging and sun exposure. One of the most common chromophores to target is melanin, and so using phototherapy to lighten and remove sun spots, age spots and brown blotches on the face, neck, chest, hands and other areas of the body is a really easy way to clear up and lighten the skin. Here are some examples:
BONUS! Did you know phototherapy also stops aging skin cells in their tracks and actually reverses the aging process?! It’s a proven fact. Check out these studies.
Delaying Skin Aging in Fitzpatrick Skin Types 1-5, Dr. Patrick Bitter MD
*This gentleman here
is 12 years older
in the picture on the right.