Focus on Skin Revitalization With Picosure Focus Lens

Picosure Focus Lens has been a wonderful attribute to our practice since 2013 for skin revitalization.

Why?

The laser procedure employs a diffractive lens that redistributes light into high powered microbeams to target not only pigment (melanin), but also collagen!  So you get two for one with one treatment.  Typically, no numbing is needed for the laser.  You feel miniscule little “flicks” to the skin, but very tolerable.  A patient will typically stay pinkish to red for anywhere from 6 hours to 24 hours.  Make-up can be worn after the treatment because the top layer of skin is intact.  This also means, no beeding and no bruising post treatment.

The face will feel warm, like a sunburn, for 30-45 minutes post and that is it.

To numb or not to numb?

We have oscillated with this.  The purest way to do the treatment is without numbing.  It truly does not hurt but instead a sensation of tiny little pinpoint heat sensation is felt.  The feeling is no where near an IPL where numbing is recommended.  The other aspect is that the numbing material can get into the pores and despite cleansing the skin vigorously, a residual amount can be retained which can effect the ultimate efficacy of the treatment.

Where can the laser be used?

We use the laser on the face for skin revitalization and on the dorsum of the hands to help with pigmentation and collagen production.  While it can be used anywhere, the laser tip is small, so the larger the area, the greater the time and cost secondary to more pulses being placed.

What other conditions are treated with Picosure Focus Lens?

We utilize it for melasma patients in the fall and winter.  I always let melasma patients know that melasma is very difficult to treat and often, no treatment, except for topicals, is recommended.  With that being said, Picosure Focus Lens is the best treatment I have seen for melasma, again, with the knowledge that not all melasma can be improved.  All patients must be on Vitamin C/E/ Ferulic Acid (I highly recommend Skinceuticals because it is formulated with a pH that actually penetrates the stratum corneum) and a retinoic acid (tretinoin) and some type of skin bleaching agent and always, always tinted sunscreen.  After a month of priming the skin, then we use the laser and 3-6 treatments are recommended to help diminish the pigmentation.

We also use it to clean up hemosiderin staining after sclerotherapy.  Often times, patients will have their leg veins treated only to be left with a brown pigmentation.  The Picosure Focus Lens has been wonderful in treating this condition and 1-2 treatments will give great visual outcomes.