There has been an air of excitement at Bio 2 Clinic in Leamington Spa for quite some time as they awaited delivery of the new Palomar Starlux 500 System.  This system can be used as a laser or a pulsed light system and Bio 2 Clinic is the first clinic in the country to take delivery of this revolutionary new system.  With a greater range of treatments and less downtime clients are already appreciating the benefits it has to offer.

The Palomar Starlux had arrived so, caught up in the excitement, I went along, rather apprehensively, to have a Pulsed Light Photofacial to treat my sun damaged skin and rosacea.  Straight away I was put at ease by Julie Drennan Arnold, medical aesthetician and director of Bio 2 Clinic.  Julie is an expert in her field and has split her time over the past 15 years working in California and the UK.  As well as the clinic in Leamington, she also spends time working in Harley Street.  Julie explained to me in simple terms the process of the photofacial and ensured I was happy to begin.

The Palomar System uses pulses of concentrated light to clear sun damage; wide areas of pigmentation on the face, chest and arms; sunspots; individual pigmented lesions, also known as age spots; rosacea, general inflammation of the cheeks and face and spider veins, individual vessels, which can be red, blue or purple in colour.

In the past, harsh treatments resulted in red, raw skin with a long recovery period.  The Photofacial provides the most skin-safe, comfortable and effective treatment available, without any downtime.  Photofacials are quick, and you can return to work or other activities – looking and feeling fine.

The Palomar System uses specialised hand pieces which filter light from different parts of the spectrum.  Each band of the spectrum has a wavelength that is ideal for different treatments.  The hand pieces emit pulses of light into the skin.  The light is absorbed by the pigment in sunspots and the blood in vessels, and converted to heat.  The heat dissolves the cells that create the pigment and shrink the vessels.

Pulsed light systems and lasers are very similar, but Palomar Pulsed Light Systems use a much larger treatment window than most lasers.  This spreads light over a wider area of skin and allows faster coverage of the skin and quicker treatment as a result.  Any area can be treated except directly around the eyes.

Dr Mervyn Patterson, founding member of the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors was at Bio 2 during my visit and Julie consulted with him on the most appropriate settings to use for my skin.  Various settings can be used depending on the skin type, the result required and the client’s lifestyle.  I already felt reassured by Julie but another opinion made me happier still.

I was given some eye stickers to protect my eyes from the pulsed light.  The stickers had been independently tested to ensure that no light could get through and cause damage.

A Lux lotion was then applied to my face to help the system glide across my skin. Julie used the hand piece on the back of my hand before she started the treatment to make sure I knew what to expect.  She moved the hand piece over my face as it pulsed.  Each pulse sent a beam of light through my skin.  A flashing light, an audible tone and a mild sensation on the skin (like being flicked with an elastic band) made me aware what was happening.  It was a strange feeling but not painful.

Julie explained what I could expect after the treatment including a mild sunburn-like sensation, possibly accompanied by some minor swelling which could last from two to 24 hours.  This could be soothed with cold gel or ice packs.   The sunspots would darken after treatment and be naturally shed from the skin within one to two weeks.  My skin tone would be more normal with less pronounced redness within a week after treatment.  Vessels may disappear after treatment or they may appear darker and then fully or partially fade within 10 -14 days.

I was a little concerned as I was going out that night and again at the weekend.  Julie assured me that I would be perfectly fine and after applying an uva/uvb sun block SPF 30 she applied medical make-up which is often used to cover bruises or darkened skin.  After the treatment sun bathing or exposure to the sun must be avoided.

I needn’t have worried.  I felt the tingling sensation like sunburn following the treatment and while my skin did darken it made me look extremely healthy.  Fortunately I did not suffer from any swelling. After a couple of days my skin felt slightly tighter and the sun spots began to shed.  Use of a good moisturiser or recovery cream was recommended by Julie and this helped the tightness.  My rosacea was toned down and a blood vessel on the end of my nose had faded after only one treatment.  Several treatments are usually necessary to achieve complete clearance of sunspots, rosacea and vessels.

After a few days I realised that I was applying less make-up than previously and my skin was visibly clearer and fresher.  It also felt very smooth to touch.

I returned the following week for a skin check and Julie was happy with the results.   A second treatment followed a month later.  This time Julie increased the settings and anticipated even better results.  I could feel the sensation of the pulse slightly more the second time but as each pulse only lasted a split second, it was only minor discomfort.  Julie handed me a cold gel roller to run over my skin after each area had been treated, to help with the cooling process.

As expected the result was even better. My skin glowed and I had a clear complexion.  All this with no downtime.  Now that is something to be excited about!

The cost of a Photofacial is between £295 to £450, depending on the area treated.

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