Intro to IPL Theory .pdf

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)TRAINING 3- 4 DAYS Practical Safe Practices Rejuvenation Vascular Pigment Acne History IPL stand for Intense Pulsed Light. • First practical laser system was demonstrated in 1960, since then laser and IPL has developed rapidly. • Albert Einstein came up with the theory...

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)TRAINING 3- 4 DAYS Practical Safe Practices Rejuvenation Vascular Pigment Acne History IPL stand for Intense Pulsed Light. • First practical laser system was demonstrated in 1960, since then laser and IPL has developed rapidly. • Albert Einstein came up with the theory of light interaction and matter. • Dr Theodore Maiman built the first practical laser, this laser took 3 hours to warm up and only a few treatments could be done per day. • IPL technology has come a long way now represents a technological breakthrough for the treatment of various benign skin conditions including unwanted hair, facial blemishes, signs of sun-related aging, broken vessels and Acne. The Interaction between light and skin Light Absorption by Chromophores The skin has three primary targets that absorb light: melanin, blood, and water. • These targets are called chromophores. Light energy absorbed by chromophores is converted to heat energy. Skin therapy using IPL consists primarily of creating sufficient heat in the red or brown sundamaged structures of the skin to reduce their appearance or to eliminate them completely. • This result is achieved by light absorption in the melanin of the mottled pigmentation and the oxyhaemoglobin in fine blood vessels. What is light? An IPL machine produces light. But what is light?. •Light is a type of energy from a wide range of energies which are called the Electromagnetic spectrum. •Electromagnetic radiation can be described as a stream of photons, which are mass less particles, each travelling in a wave like pattern and moving at the speed of light. •Each photon contains a certain amount of energy, and all types of electromagnetic radiation consists of these photons. Electromagnetic EMR Electromagnetic radiation • Electromagnetic energy is measured by its wavelength. • Wavelength is the distance from a point on one cycle to same point on next cycle. • Wavelength is a measure of distance, but it depends on the size of the waves as to what the form of measurement is. Light is measured in nanometers nm but smaller waves like gamma and x-rays are measured in picometers, large waves like radio are measured in meters. Wavelength • Wavelength – • Tells us whereabouts in the EM spectrum the energy sits • Determines the colour of the IPL beam. • Is related to the amount of energy the photons carry. • Determines how a beam will interact with tissue. • Determines the depth of penetration into the skin. Filters Filters Most IPL machines come with fixed filters in their handles for treatments such as hair removal and photorejuvenation. You get each of the following filters as standard on your machine: • 420-1200nm - ACNE and (possibly) vascular • 510-1200nm - Photorejuvenation, pigmentation, vascular • 560-1200nm - Photorejuvenation, pigmentation, vascular • 610-1200nm - Hair reduction and deeper pigmentation • 640-1200nm - Hair reduction • 690-1200nm - Hair reduction (darker skin types) • 755-1200nm - Hair reduction (dark skin types) We know that not every person is the same - that is why there are a range of filters that allows you to treat your customers more effectively based on your knowledge of their needs. Hand piece How IPL works Based on the principle of selective photothermolysis, the IPL system emits pulses of filtered light that are attracted to melanin, a pigment found in hair. The light is absorbed by the melanin and transformed into heat, selectively destroying the germinating cells that feed the hair follicles for growth. By eliminating these cells, the hair then dies and begins to fall out, inhibiting future growth. • Similarly, for photorejuvenation, the transmitted light applies heat to the skin, promoting the creation of collagen and elastin fibers to replenish the cells that comprise the skin layers; this process produces a filling effect by thickening and realigning the skin from the inside out. • For pigmentation and blood vessels, Intense Pulsed Light uses light to absorb melanin (the dark pigment in your skin) and haemoglobin (the red colour in your blood vessels). This light converts to heat, which damages the target cells without disrupting the skins surface. How IPL works The light of an IPL system is generated within the treatment head. It contains a flashlamp, filters, reflectors, quartz block and water cooling system. • Energy from a power source is pumped into a flashlamp • Flashlamp is filled with xenon gas • This produces photons when stimulated • Xenon gas produces broad spectrum light • Spectrum ranges from 200-2000nm without filters • Filters are used to select wavelengths for specific treatments • Reflectors are used to guide the light to the quartz block • Light is delivered through a sapphire/quartz Wavelength • • • Frequency is how fast the wave vibrates or goes up and down. Wavelength is the distance between two peaks of the wave. Frequency and wavelength are inversely related meaning that a low frequency wave has a long wavelength and vise versa. Spot size • The spot size of the light source’s delivery device can also affect the depth of penetration of the energy. • In a highly scattering medium such as skin, light diffusion at the edges of the beam causes spreading of the energy as it penetrates into the tissue. As a consequence, a larger spot size delivers more energy at a given depth. • The IPL uses flash lamps to produce a large rectangular spot size of 12X12,12X35 and 15X50 , which ensures that the light energy penetrates deeper into the skin. • There is no need to overlap spots, and the large spot size ensures faster and more comfortable treatment. Spot size Difference between laser and Intense Pulsed Light FEATURE IPL LASER Colour Polychromatic-many wavelengths produce light made up of several colours which are bent to various degrees. Monochromatic- light is composed of photons all the same wavelength. Direction Divergent- a light bulb emits light in all directions at once. Low divergence- light is emitted and travels as a narrow beam with all beams parallel to each other. Coherence Incoherent- no relationship or order between wavelengths. Coherent- the waves are highly ordered in space and correlated in time. can be focused to a very small spot size. Power Low power density- power density is the power divided by the area of the beam. Focused beam- laser beam can be focused into a very small area which increases its intensity. High density. Light and tissue interaction When light falls on tissue it interacts in a number of ways. Selective Photothermolysis For selective destruction of the target without thermal injury to surrounding tissue, the following requirements are needed: • Light of a specific wavelength is selectively absorbed by the target chromophore § Sufficient fluence(energy) reaches the chromphore to cause the desired effect § Exposure (pulse width) is limited to less than the thermal relaxation time of the chromophore. § RESULT= selective destruction of the target without thermal injury to the surrounding tissue Wavelength • Light at different wavelengths penetrates the skin to different depths. If the area to be treated is deep or shallow you must use a different wavelength of light so that you can penetrate the skin to the correct depth. • The roots of underarm and pubic hair grow deeper than chest or facial hair. It therefore makes more sense to use a filter that will penetrate deeper into the skin for pubic hair than it does for facial hair for example. • Pigmentation is an example where you might like to try the 510 and 560 filter on the first treatment to see which has the best effect as judging how deep the pigmentation is can be difficult to gauge by eye alone. • The same is true for almost every treatment you will perform so having a choice of filters available to you can be invaluable in getting the absolute best results for your client. Contraindications • Skin cancers • Metal plates in treating area • Pregnancy • Keloid or hyper-tropic scarring • Sun exposure 6 weeks before treatment • Tattoos or permanent make up in treating area • Medication causing sun sensitivity • Skin trauma, lesions, sores or open wounds • Auto immune diseases such as lupus and Epilepsy • Contagious skin diseases: not always contraindicated but requires special preparation • Pace maker • Tan or Fake Tan on surrounding skin • Hypo-pigmentation i.e. vitiligo • Recent sunburn • Unrealistic expectations Safety • Treatment room • Consultation • Safety gear • IPL device • Treatment programs and settings • Documentation Eye Safety • The pigmented iris absorbs light in the same wavelength range of IPL • The fact that IPL is not a laser may give people a false sense of security regarding damage to the eye • Permanent eye damage to the pigmented intraocular structures has been noted in cases where the therapist treated within the periocular area • It is imperative for treating clinicians to be aware of these hazards and use appropriate eye protection to prevent ocular damage both for their clients and themselves