Skin Rejuvenation Treatment with AFT 570 Pulsed Light

For many years Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) has been used with great success to treat skin problems, birthmarks, pigmentation and blemishes. It was realised through this work that Intense Pulsed Light also had the potential to reduce facial lines and wrinkles. Worldwide trials have revealed the Harmony ‘Advanced Fluorescent Technology’ (AFT) 570 Pulsed Light is an extremely safe and effective method of wrinkle reduction and skin rejuvenation in both men and women. More importantly it can do this without burning or cutting the skin and without the major side effects and pain associated with other treatments.

Why do lines and wrinkles increase and deepen as we grow older?
Much of this has to do with the amount of collagen we produce. Collagen is produced naturally by cells known as fibroblasts and is very important in maintaining the elasticity of skin. Unfortunately as we age the skin’s ability to replace damaged collagen fibres diminishes. Gaps and irregularities appear in the skin’s collagen mesh. This eventually leads to the appearance of lines and wrinkles which deepen and widen with time.

Why do some people have more wrinkles than others?
Obviously the main factor is the ageing process but the break up of supportive collagen is accelerated by exposure to sunlight, use of sun beds, environmental pollution and smoking.

There has been a lot of interest in the Harmony AFT 570. What is it and how does it work?
As we age, our skin reflects the wear- and-tear of daily life. In response, we often seek aesthetic procedures to restore a fresh and youthful appearance. The AFT Pulsed Light is applied in a series of gentle pulses over the treatment area. Without damaging the skin, the light penetrates the sub-surface skin layers and is absorbed by the blood vessels or by pigmentation. The heat impairs the vessel or lesion, and the body begins its natural healing process. The result is that over time, lines and wrinkles reduce in depth, and in the case of fine lines, may disappear altogether. Overall skin tone is improved.

Does the treatment hurt?
While pain tolerance is an individual matter, most people tolerate AFT treatment well.

Are there any side effects?
Side effects are rare. Immediately after treatment, the skin may appear flushed, brown pigmented spots may appear darker and capillaries may be more visible. To help guarantee best results, limit your exposure to the sun for several weeks before and after treatment and apply a high factor sun screen daily. At the time of print no other side effects have been noted although of course this cannot be guaranteed. In addition, there is no healing down time; the Harmony AFT 570 is a genuine lunch hour treatment with no recovery period afterwards.

How quickly will I see any results?
Following a course of treatment and delivering gentle, subtle improvement, AFT570 gives your skin a younger appearance. Your skin will appear naturally even- toned and healthy, without the artificial look of some other cosmetic treatments. Harmony AFT570 clients say that people start telling them how well they look, without being able to lay a finger on precisely why. Indeed certain celebrity clients have Harmony AFT treatments precisely because there is no obvious change immediately after treatment.

How many treatments are required to achieve a result?
Treatment generally involves a series of 5-6 sessions. While some patients see significant improvement in two or three sessions, others may opt for further treatments.

A few treatments will usually achieve a noticeable effect, especially around the eyes, although the result will vary from person to person. In general the younger the skin, the better the blood supply and the better the result. Skin age is not the same as actual age: genetic inheritance and external factors, such as smoking and UV sun damage cause skin to age at different rates for different people. A small number of clients do feel that they have had no response after their first treatment. A second treatment usually after 2-3 weeks may well improve the result considerably, although of course nothing can be guaranteed.

In the many cases where several treatments achieve a result, this can be improved by keeping the collagen building. Subsequent treatments may be recommended depending on the area being treated. Young skin may need less frequent top ups.

How will I know which interval is best for me?
Before any treatment a full medical assessment will be carried out, the information gathered here will be used to work out a treatment regime to suit your individual needs.

Can the Harmony AFT 570 be used for anything other than lines and wrinkles?
Yes – Currently we are using the Harmony AFT 570 successfully to treat brown pigmentation, age spots (sun induced freckles) and redness due to broken capillaries .In addition to these signs of photo damage and early ageing, AFT rejuvenation improves dull complexions, un-even pigmentation and large pores, as well as red flushing skin and Rosacea. Studies are currently being made into the effects of the Harmony AFT on burn recovery and psoriasis.

What do I have to do after treatment?
You will receive an aftercare advice sheet (mainly common sense). You are able basically, to carry on exactly as you normally would.

I have heard about skin resurfacing, is AFT Pulsed Light a resurfacing laser?
Most definitely not: resurfacing lasers, especially CO2 and Erbium lasers work at very high powers and are used to burn away a chosen depth of skin. Recovery can take weeks or months and very specific aftercare (including nursing care initially) is required. There is a risk of complications ranging from viral and bacterial infections to long-term pigmentation problems. The Harmony AFT570 is a non-invasive procedure, using low powers. It has the benefit of being effective without the significant side effects of resurfacing lasers.

Are the results as good as resurfacing?
Clinical trial results show that following a full course of recommended treatment results are comparable to Erbium laser resurfacing – but with none of the complications. Treatment costs less than a quarter of the price of resurfacing procedures and there is no limit to the number of AFT Pulsed Light treatments possible.

It all sounds too good to be true – does it really work?
We have been using the Harmony AFT Pulsed Light since January 2007 and can say, from the results we have achieved that it does just what it claims to do. It is not a miracle cure for wrinkles, there is no such thing and expectations have to be in line with what is reasonable. We have many satisfied clients who attend for follow up treatments but we have had a small number of clients who did not think that the Harmony AFT Pulsed Light has done as much as they wanted it to do. This is a good satisfaction rate (you can never please everyone) which is a good indication that the Harmony AFT does work.