By: Rhoda Narins, MD

At my practice, I perform many “nonsurgical face lifts” – facial rejuvenation procedures that create many of the same effects as face lift surgery in Westchester and New York City. These nonsurgical approaches use laser therapies and injectable fillers such as Restylane®, JUVÉDERM® Injectable Gel, EVOLENCE®, Radiesse® or Sculptra® to create a more youthful look with very little downtime.

Lasers in particular are of great interest to my patients. With so many laser options available, they always have plenty of questions about which one is “better” or “best.” Here’s a comparison of lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL), another popular facial rejuvenation treatment.

Laser:

• Advantages – Both IPL and laser skin rejuvenation stimulate healthier skin by destroying unhealthy and damaged cells, but lasers tend to correct more intense problems and penetrate deeper. They do tend to require a bit more time for your skin to “bounce back,” but they usually tighten and smooth tissues more thoroughly.
• My Typical Laser Patient – Generally older (30s-60s), wanting to correct loose skin, fine lines, and often facial folds. The milder and more finely adjustable laser systems I use today can work nicely for a wide range of patients.

IPL:

• Advantages – IPL uses brief, intense pulses of light, so it’s milder than most lasers while still somewhat effective for fine lines and subtler signs of aging that “add up” to an older appearance. It’s also gentler for patients with darker skin and avoids some of the pitfalls and discomfort of older laser systems. It is best for evening out skin tone and getting rid of red and brown discoloration. This procedure has no downtime.
• My typical IPL patient – Generally younger (20s to mid-60s, usually), and more concerned about pigmentation problems than about noticeable facial folds and wrinkles. IPL results can be impressive when fine lines and, especially, pigmentation problems are the main issue.

My Perspective:

If I had to pick “between” them, I’d say the best option isn’t either – it’s both. Every “nonsurgical face lift” patient is different, but in most cases they will have some pigmentation problems that need IPL, along with deeper texture problems that will need laser skin rejuvenation in Westchester or New York City. IPL and laser therapies tend to overlap nicely because they cover slightly different problems, but each tends to enhance the tightening and smoothing effects of the other, so the results just tend to be better. We also have Thermage® radiofrequency for skin tightening, which creates a smoother and more youthful appearance over a series of treatments without any downtime.