Acne can affect any people's skin, regardless of age and body part. It is usually due to nutrition or hormonal changes. Puberty and post-pregnancy are leading causes, as well as changes to contraceptive medications.
Treatments usually take around 15 minutes. They feel warm but are painless. A single treatment will generally achieve a good result, with 2 to 4 follow-ups sometimes recommended.
IPL Acne Removal uses the same core technology as IPL Photo Rejuvenation, however the acne virus responds best to a very specific wavelength of yellow light at 420 to 440nM. For that reason, I treat IPL Acne Removal as a separate procedure. It even uses a special bulb to generate that specific wavelength.
Have a brilliant day.
Andrew Thompson.
Prices - IPL Acne Removal
Chin$49
Cheeks$55
Forehead$65
Full Face (lips, chin, nose, cheeks, forehead) 
$169
Full Face with Diamond Micro 
$268
Full Face & Neck 
$289
Full Face & Neck with Diamond Micro 
$433
FAQ - IPL Acne Removal
What can I expect from an IPL Acne Removal treatment?
Immediately after the treatment, lots of oxygen will be leaving your outer layer of skin, which is a result of porphyrin cells dying (they bond to oxygen molecules). This will leave your skin feeling a little dry and tight. It's perfectly normal. Applying a light moisturiser will relieve the sensation.
In the week that follows, most clients notice that many if not all of their acne sites reduce in size or disappear, especially if diet, exercise, and water intake are managed well. A follow up session is good at around 2 weeks to tidy up any new acne sites before they flare up.
Will IPL Acne Removal help get rid of old acne scars?
No, or at least, not much. Acne scars are due to an uneven collagen bed, resultant from past acne outbreaks. They are best treated as collagen correction, with an initial Diamond Microdermabrasion treatment, then alternating sessions of RF Skin Tightening and IPL Photo Rejuvenation.
Should I get Diamond Microdermabrasion before my acne treatment?
If you have a very bad outbreak with weeping pustules, yes, you should have Diamond Microdermabrasion first. The reason for this is that it's best to remove any live bacteria from the skin's surface before the IPL Acne treatment. The Micro will also pull out most of the pus that would have otherwise leaked during treatment. Your face will then be rinsed with isopropyl alcohol to kill any lingering bacteria on the skin, and then we can do the IPL Acne treatment.
If on the other hand, the integrity of your skin is intact i.e. it is not weeping, even if your pores are full of visible pus, then no, don't have Diamond Micro beforehand. We are better off keeping the bacteria contained for the IPL Acne treatment, rather than risk spreading the pus to uninfected skin.
Can I combine IPL Acne Removal with any other skin treatments?
Yes. IPL Photo Rejuvenation and RF Skin Tightening are fine to perform during the same session. Some clients also elect to have an Intraceuticals Serum Infusion afterward to load up the skin with nutrients and anti-oxidants to minimise the impact of future acne outbreaks.
Why do you differentiate between IPL Acne Removal and IPL Photo Rejuvenation?
I do make a solid distinction throughout this site about the two types of IPL - in fact, three if you want to add in IPL Hair Removal, and we should. It's a pet peeve principally because there is so much misinformation on the web.
The most common myth is that blue is the best coloured light for combatting acne virus. It isn't the best at all. Sure, cyan-blue light does have anti-microbial properties and will have some effect, but nowhere near as much as yellow light.
My IPL units are capable of producing yellow, green, cyan, blue, and NIR (near infra red) light. I can use whatever settings and lamps I choose, and I promise you, yellow is the best for acne. The reason that the blue light myth is so common is because most machines can't generate light in the yellow part of the spectrum.
I also suspect that the myth gained traction courtesy of the cheap do-at-home IPL and LED craze in an effort to sell low powered machines that do practically nothing. But, that's just my two cents worth. Believe who you will.
In summary, while all three types of treatment use IPL technology, and indeed use the same machine, that is where the similarities end. Pigment, capillaries, and collagen IPL treatments use very similar bandwidths of cyan-blue wavelengths from around 560 to 585 nM. For that reason, they are commonly clustered together under the umbrella term 'photo rejuvenation'.
Acne requires a completely different and very specific wavelength of yellow light at 420 to 440 nM, just as IPL Hair Removal uses a distinct part of the spectrum at 640 to 775 nM in the blue to NIR wavelengths.
They are all the same core technology but far different applications. That's why I keep them distinct. A standard IPL Photo Rejuve session will have some degree of impact on acne, but it won't be much.
I've done a course of Roaccutane. Will that affect my IPL Acne treatment?
Yes. Roaccutane causes your skin to become very photo-sensitive which makes it a contraindication for light-based treatment. You can commence IPL Acne Removal three months after finishing your course of Roaccutane.
What other medications are contraindications to treatment?
There are several strong antibiotics, anti-depressants, and malaria medications that make your skin overly sensitive to light. If any of your meds contain minomycin, minocycline, doxycycline, tetracycline, or St John's Wort, you may have to wait until you have finished your course of meds to avoid possible injury.
Should I take pain killers before my IPL Acne treatment?
Definitely do not take any form of pain suppressant before any IPL treatment. Firstly, the treatments don't hurt so there is no need for pain killers. Secondly, the therapist needs to know if the treatment feels too warm etc and will rely in part on your feedback to prevent skin damage.
If I suspect that a client is on paid meds or has been drinking alcohol, I will stop the treatment.
