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Heralded as the ‘lunchtime facelift’, this is your go-to treatment for skin rejuvenation, tightening, melasma, wrinkles, tattoo removal and benign pigmented lesions. Known as the ‘5D Facial’ it targets both superficial and deep layers of the skin to treat a wide range of concerns in one treatment. The virtually pain-free treatment improves redness, vascular lesions and pigmentation by up to 80%.
Q-switch lasers use a ‘Q-switched’ technique to emit rapid pulses of concentrated photons (light energy) – so fast that each pulse is about a billionth of a second.
The laser’s energy beam is powerful enough to penetrate deep into the skin to reach the root of the pigment, yet gentle enough to treat the delicate and temperamental skin of the face.
The energy emitted by the Q-Switch laser targets the melanin in the superficial layer of your skin. When the pigmented lesion absorbs the light energy from the Q-Switch laser, this process destroys the target without harming the surrounding skin.
The targeted pigment is shattered by the pulsed energy, and this broken up pigment is then processed by the body’s lymphatic system and eventually passed naturally by the body like any other toxin.
The benefit of Q-Switch laser is that the energy only remains in the skin for a few billionths of a second, so surrounding tissues are not damaged. Only the targeted pigment is treated and broken, while the surrounding tissue remains unaffected.
With such a short pulse, this type of laser can remove excess melanin (hyperpigmentation) and tattoos without causing adverse effects.
As a very welcome side effect, Q-Switch laser also stimulates collagen production and renewal, so skin often improves in texture and tone.
When you come for your Q-Switch laser treatment, your treating Skin & Laser Therapist will chat to you about your skincare routine and ask which products or ingredients you use.
This is important in order to devise an effective at-home portion of your treatment plan, as skin maintenance is a crucial component of a successful treatment overall.
Next, your Skin & Laser Therapist will cleanse and prep the skin with an anti-bacterial solution.
Once the laser treatment begins, all you will need to do is relax while your clinician moves the Q-Switch headpiece over your skin in methodical portions. You will hear the laser making its snapping sound, and you will feel a light snapping sensation on your skin. The treatment is not painful and is easy and comfortable to endure.
Once the laser treatment has finished, your Skin & Laser Therapist will apply a protective and hydrating product to your skin, followed by a high-factor SPF physical sunscreen.
For a few hours following your treatment, your treated skin may feel a little tender or delicate and you might notice some redness – like very mild sunburn.
However, some patients do not experience these effects at all, and their skin looks and feels just as it did before their appointment.
As with any laser treatment, gaining great results is a game of patience and commitment, with the outcome making it a worthwhile journey.
With repeated sessions of Q-Switch, significant fading of hyperpigmentation can be achieved.
Results vary from person to person and will depend on severity, size and the specific condition, but the outcome is a reduction in excess pigment, meaning that blemishes, freckling, discolouration and other concerns are noticeably faded – sometimes to the point of disappearing altogether.
When spot-treating blemishes such as sun spots, the results are even more straightforward to accomplish. For some patients, only 1–2 sessions of Q-Switch laser are necessary to target and destroy the lesion, achieving complete removal.
Following laser treatment, the treated blemish will often darken further before flaking off like a scab, leaving behind little or no trace of the offending spot.
Other skin concerns, such as melasma or general freckling, can require more time and patience, but can still yield excellent results with proper adherence to a treatment program of multiple sessions, spaced at the correct intervals.
