Laser Treatment

1. What does IPL treat?

Intense pulsed light (IPL) is an effective laser treatment for brown and red pigmentation due to sun damage, age spots, rosacea, acne, acne scarring, and broken capillaries. IPL treatments can be done on fair to medium skin tones to help create an even complexion.

2. What is the downtime after an IPL?

After your IPL treatment you can experience mild to moderate redness which can last 24-72 hours. Generally most patients can return to their normal activities within a few hours after treatment, with the exception of excessive sweating and exercise. The pigment in the targeted treatment areas will turn darker in the 48 hours following treatment and will look like speckled coffee grounds that will gradually flake off. It's important to not exfoliate this area while pigmentation is flaking or peeling off as this is a normal healing response. It is important to avoid significant sun exposure and to wear sunscreen in the week following treatment.

3. How long is an IPL treatment?

An average IPL session takes 30 minutes, depending on your targeted treatment area(s). It is recommended to do a series of 3-4 sessions to see full results of an IPL treatment. Each session should be spaced 4-6 weeks apart.

4. What are the DO’s and DON'Ts with an IPL Treatment?

1. We can not perform an IPL treatment if there is freshly tanned skin on the body (spray tan, self tanner, tanning bed, or recent sun exposure). We also can not do IPL treatments on darker skin tones as we do not want to cause hypopigmentation (Fitzpatrick Skin Type V or VI).

2. You can cleanse and moisturize your skin like normal after your treatment.

3. It is recommended to avoid chemical peels, direct sun exposure, waxing, or retinol products for 2 weeks after your IPL. You may apply makeup the day after your treatment.

5. Are IPL treatments painful?

Patients can expect to feel a quick zap of energy (heat). The sensation feels like a light snap from a rubber band. IPL treatments cause very little discomfort and are usually tolerated very well. Your provider will check in with you and can always adjust to your comfort level.

1. How does laser hair removal work?

Laser hair removal involves the use of laser pulses. These pulses admit light and heat into the skin to target and destroy the hair follicle and root. When the root and follicle are targeted and destroyed, hair can no longer grow. For this process to work the hair must be targeted during an active growth phase of the cycle. However, the hair growth phase is different for everyone. Therefore, it takes multiple sessions to get every hair in the growth phase.

2. Does laser hair removal hurt?

For most people, laser hair removal is very tolerable. Most people say it feels like a snapping rubber band. The treatment is quick.

3. How long does laser hair removal last?

Some people see little to no hair after completing a series of treatments, while some may need touch ups every 6 to 12 months. Results vary depending on hormones, skin type, and hair type. Being consistent with treatment also affects how successful your results will be.

4. How many sessions will I need and how often?

The amount of sessions depends on your hormones, skin type, and coarseness of hair. Typically people with coarser hair, imbalanced hormones and PCOS will need more sessions. Depending on the area and speed of the hair growth, you should be coming in every 4-8 weeks to get the best results and can plan on at least 6 to 8 sessions. Your provider will help determine the best treatment plan for your individual needs.

5. How do you prepare for laser hair removal?

Please avoid waxing, plucking, threading, and tanning for 4 weeks before your first appointment. Please shower and/or shave before your appointment. The closer the shave the better the laser can target the root of the hair. Please avoid putting on any lotions/products on the treatment area the day of the treatment.

6. What is the after care?

It is very important to avoid heat directly after laser hair removal (saunas, hot tubs, hot showers, etc). Please make sure to exercise prior to your appointment that day to avoid irritation to the treated area(s). The treated hair follicles will not fall out immediately after your treatment; they will slowly shed over a few days/weeks; please do not exfoliate the skin of the area(s) treated for 1 week after your treatment. You may be red and/or swollen immediately after but that should subside quickly after treatment.

1. What is a Frax laser and how does it work?

Frax is a non-ablative (does not remove the entire outer layer of the epidermis) laser resurfacing treatment. It uses advanced resurfacing technology that vaporizes fractionated columns of the skin. Because the laser beam is fractionated, or broken up into micro columns, recovery is much faster creating minimal downtime. It also encourages collagen production as it works on the deeper layers of the skin.

2. What skin concerns does the Frax treat?

The Frax laser can treat a wide variety of skin concerns such as:

• Fine lines and wrinkles

• Acne Scars

• Sun damage

• Age spots

• Hyperpigmentation

• Texture

• Tightening of the skin

• Stretch marks

3. What is the after care?

The healing process can take 5-7 days depending how aggressive the treatment is. The skin may appear red or brown directly after treatment. Avoid any active ingredients in your skin care routine such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, retinol, Vitamin C, and benzoyl peroxide for 5-7 days. Do not use any abrasive exfoliants on the skin such as towels or scrubs during the healing process as it may compromise results. Avoid heat directly after treatment such as saunas, hot tubs, hot showers, or working out. Avoid wearing makeup for 24 hours or until the skin is no longer pink or flaking. Use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer while the skin is healing.

4. Is a Frax treatment painful?

Prescription strength topical numbing cream is applied to the skin prior to treatment to help make patients as comfortable as possible. The frax laser is described as a hot feeling on the skin but is tolerable with numbing cream.

5. How many Frax treatments will I need?

We recommend 3 Frax treatments spaced 4 weeks apart. The treatment typically takes an hour which includes time for numbing.

Botox can be used in multiple areas of the face and body. Pricing will depend on how many areas are being treated and how much Botox is needed. At Bloom we charge $12 per unit (a term of measurement) of Botox and Xeomin and $4 per unit of Dysport (ends up being equal in price per unit to Botox and Xeomin). The number of units you will need depends on how strong your muscles are as well as your individual anatomy, age, and goals. On average, one area (between the brows) costs between $180-$240. Some people require more units than others to achieve desired results. Our providers will do an assessment prior to treatment to make sure you are aware of how much each area would cost.

Typically, Botox starts to kick in about 3 days after your treatment with full results visible by day 14. Botox lasts roughly 3-4 months but varies from patient to patient. Some patients may require more units to get a longer duration of effect. Most patients start to see a gradual return of the wrinkle movement and that is a good sign of when you should come back in for your next treatment.

We ask patients to avoid rubbing or massaging the treated area(s) for 24 hours after their treatment. We also advise patients to avoid laying down or being inverted for 4 hours after the treatment to help prevent the Botox from spreading to an unwanted area. Please make sure to do your exercise workout before your appointment to help avoid unwanted effects. As with all injection procedures, there is a risk of redness and bruising at the injection site but typically the redness resolves within a few minutes. Most patients can proceed with their day immediately after a Botox treatment.

Each of these products are a brand of neurotoxin and work similarly yet have slight differences (just like Crest and Colgate are two brands of toothpaste and have the same goal yet are slightly different). You will want to avoid Dysport if you have an allergy to milk or lactose, whereas Botox and Xeomin would be acceptable alternatives. It may look like Dysport is the more affordable option at $4 per unit but it requires 3x as many units as Botox to get the same effect. All 3 brands end up being the same in price. Some patients find one brand works better for them than another. Your provider will help determine what brand is best for you.

It is required that you give Bloom 24 hours notice before canceling or moving an appointment. If you do not give 24 hours notice, there will be a $50 late cancelation fee. We keep a credit card on file for that reason.

New client paperwork can be downloaded from this link.