Photo Facial ^TM Treatment

INTRODUCTION

What is Photo Facial ^TM

Photo Facial ^TM is a new and unique aesthetic procedure with a series of exposure to intense pulsed light. The energy is delivered using a beyond-laser light source called the Epilight ^Tm. PhotoFacialTM is indicated in the treatment of benign erythema, flushing, and cumulative effects of the sun, aging, and lifestyle choices. Any body part can be treated: hands, arms, legs, neck and chest. Unlike lasers that can only treat the face.

Dr. Lynne B. Pirie has been trained and certified by Dr. Patrick H. Bitter, Sr. of Los Gatos, California who developed Photo Facial ^TM in 1996 and introduced it in 1998. Photo Facial ^Tm is safe and effective for the treatment of rosacea (adult acne), telangiectasia (small spider veins), and lentigines (sun spots or liver spots). The outcome includes, but not limited to:

·        Enhanced consistency in skin texture and coloring

·        Dramatic reduction of erythema (redness)

·        Diminishment of fine wrinkles

·        Fading of hyperpigmentation (blotchy skin)

·        Decrease in pore size

Photo Facial ^TM treatments are non-invasive and are performed with or without the use of topical anesthetic. They are performed at two to three week intervals for a total of five procedures. Patients are subjected to comprehensive health education on Photo Facial ^Tm that includes:

·        Description of the procedure

·        Informed consent

·        Pre- and post-operative care

·        Risks and benefits

Patients report a high level of satisfaction with the procedure and outcome, and are specifically pleased with the absence of "downtime" in their personal daily schedule.

ADVANTAGES

Photo Facial ^TM  treatments offer many advantages over other rejuvenation modalities.

1. Photo Facial ^TM treatments are the only effective treatment for facial, neck and chest erythema and flushing. Laser skin resurfacing, chemical peels and microdermabrasion are not effective and actually aggravate the symptoms. The flashlamp pulse dye laser can improve erythema and telangiectasia; however, treatment results are variable, limited to lesional skin, and produce substantial purpura (dark redness/purplishness), and has not been reported to improve flushing.

2. Visible improvement is see in the skin with little or no patient "downtime".

3. Treatments are safe with very little risk of scarring or adverse effects.

4. Treatments are quick and easy on the patients. Generally no anesthesia is required.  The entire face can be treated in 20-30 minutes.

5. Treatments result in a very high degree of patient satisfaction.

6. Dr. Lynne B. Pirie performs treatments.

7. Treatments offer an alternative to patients seeking improvement in their skin, but not desiring the downtime, discomfom or risks of laser skin resurfacing or for patients who are not candidates for resurfacing.

8. Increased patient safety. Because the energy delivered in  Photo Facial ^TM  treatments is a band of wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum there is minimal risk of ocular injury as opposed to laser light treatments.

9.  Photo Facial ^TM treatments can be safely used on non-facial skin. This permits effective treatment of neck and chest erythema and photoaging of the neck, chest, forearms, shoulders and legs. Lasers cannot be used on these areas without significant risk for permanent scarring.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Photo Facial ^TM  treatments are contraindicated in patients who have a history of abnormal response to sunlight (e.g. polymorphous Light eruption, solar urticaria) or are currently taking medications known to be photo-sensitive. We do not treat patients while on Accutane or pregnant women. We can begin treatments on patients, three months after Accutane. We have treated patients with lupus and scieroderma without adverse

sequelae. The presence of a suspicious pigmented lesion or possible skin cancer is a relative contraindication to Photo Facial ^TM treatments because of the risk of hypo or hyperpigmentation. Finally, patients with unrealistic expectations are poor candidates for Photo Facial ^TM  treatments.

·        History of abnormal response to sunlight, e.g.:

·        -polymorphous light eruption

·        -solar urticaria

·        Undiagnosed skin lesion

·        Pregnancy

·        Skin type V: African-American or very dark Eastern Indian skin

·        Recently tanned skin or tanning in process

·        Concomitant ACCUTANE

·        Concomitant photosensitive medication, e.g.:

a. anti-neoplastic agents:

-            dacarbazine (DTIC-Dome)                       -methotrexate (e.g.: Folex)

              -fluouracil (e.g., Fluoroplex)                      -vinblastine (e.g.: Velban)

              -flutamide (Eulexin)

b. antidepressants:

              -amytriptyline (e.g.: Elavil)                         -maprotiline (e.g.: Ludiomit)

              -amoxapine (e.g.: Asedin)                          -nortryptyline (e.g.: Aventyl)

              -clon-iipamine (e.g.: Anafranil)                   -phenelzine (Vivactil)

              -desipraniine (e.g.: Norpramin)                  -trazodone (e.g.: Desyrel)

              -doxapin (e.g.: Adapine)                             -timipramine (Surrnontil)

               -imipramine (e.g.: Tofranil)

c. antihistamines:

              -cyproheptanine (e.g.: Periactin)

              -diphenhydramine (e.g.: Benadryl)

d. antihypertensives:

              -captopril (Capoten)                                 -minoxidil (e.g.: Loniten)

               -diltiazem (e.g.: Cardizem)                        -nifedipine (e.g.: Procardia)

               -methyldopa (e.g.: Aldomet)

e. antimicrobials:

              -ciprofloxacin (Cipro)

              -clofazimine (Lamprene)