Laser and IPL systems are full of physics terms and expressions. Many of these are daunting to non-physicists, and we tend to forget that only some are nerds!!

So, here’s a breakdown of some of those terms.

Wavelength – The Colour Of Light

The wavelength of light is its colour. So, a 700nm wavelength is red light, while 532nm is green. Physicists prefer to use wavelengths as they are much more precise than colour. Many wavelengths are invisible to the human eye. Anything above 700nm is usually hidden, but we can feel these wavelengths as heat!

Energy – ‘Stuff’

Energy is a strange thing to describe! There are many forms of energy, including heat, sound (vibration), light, kinetic (movement), gravitational, potential, and electrical….

For physicists, energy is the ‘stuff’ which makes things change or happen. So, we know that heat energy will raise the temperature of something while gravity keeps us all grounded! We use light energy to generate heat energy in tissues to induce a change.

to induce a change.

We measure energy in ‘Joules’ (or millijoules or megajoules). 

Fluence – “Concentration Of Energy” = Temperature Rise In Skin

The fluence is simply the ‘concentration of energy in a spot. Therefore, the subsequent temperature rise in the tissues directly depends on the fluence.

So, if we fire a certain amount of energy into a prominent spot, the concentration is relatively low. This will induce a reasonably low-temperature rise.

Whereas, if we fired precisely the same amount of energy into a smaller spot, the concentration would be higher, and the resultant temperature rise would also be higher.

Consequently, fluence is critical when considering any laser/IPL treatment. It directly affects the outcome and must be chosen very carefully.

The fluence is found by dividing the energy (in Joules) by the spot size area (usually in cm2) and is measured in ‘Joules per square centimetre’ (J/cm2).

Absorption

It might be absorbed when the light energy interacts with something in the skin (collagen, melanin, blood, etc.). This means that the light energy is ‘kept’ by that object – the light photon is converted into heat (usually), raising the object’s temperature.

This is the whole purpose of laser/IPL treatments. We are trying to ‘force’ something in the skin to ‘absorb’ the energy we have thrown at it. Absorption of light energy is the goal!

To do this efficiently, we need to ‘match’ the wavelength of the light we’re using to the absorption of the target(s).

Choosing the correct wavelength to match the target’s absorption peak is crucial in all these treatments. Otherwise, you are wasting your time…

Pulsewidth (pulse duration, pulse length) – “Cooking Time.”

The pulse width (or pulse duration or pulse length – are all the same!) is how long the light energy pulse is ON. It can be thought of as the ‘cooking time’ in all photothermal treatments. 

This parameter is as vital as the fluence! For example, if you put an egg into a pot of boiling water (which is at 100°C) and then remove it after 10 seconds, is it adequately cooked? Of course not!

Why? Well, it’s just because the egg was cooked long enough. This is obvious!

Yet, it is precisely the same with photothermal treatments in tissues. If the tissues are not kept at the required temperature long enough, then they will not cook!!

Repetition rate – The ‘Hertz.’

This is simple. The repetition rate (rep rate) is just how quickly the shots or pulses come out of the laser/IPL. So, if one picture is fired each second, the rep rate is 1 Hertz. Likewise, if five shots are fired per second, it’s 5 Hertz (or 5 Hz).

Spot Size – Is More Important Than You Might Think.

The spot size determines the area of the beam on the skin surface. Very simple.

But the spot size is much more important than that! Coupled with the energy delivered, it determines the fluence, or ‘concentration’, of the skin; this determines the resultant temperature rise in the skin.

The spot size increases as the light energy penetrate deeper into the skin. Consequently, the fluence drops! And this is purely due to the scattering effects – nothing to do with the absorption of the light by anything in the skin (that’s a different issue – see above).

This means in terms of laser/IPL treatments, larger spot sizes are always better when treating deep targets in the skin.

This helps to demystify some of the expressions we use in lasers and IPLs.

Your Face & Your Cycle: How our menstrual cycle plays a massive role in our skin and bodies and how to make the most of each phase. 

Just as our mood, our sex drive and our energy levels change at different stages of our menstrual cycle, so does our skin. Of course, we all know that our hormones can make our skin go haywire at that time of the month (period spots, anyone?). 

But many of us don’t know that there is a better time, according to our cycle, to get our much loved injectable treatments (think filler and BTX treatments) so that the needles hurt a lot less and the process is much less painful! 

Week 1:  Start Of Menstrual Cycle

Your menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period. For the first week, skin tends to be drier as levels of the female sex hormones, Progesterone and Oestrogen, are low. 

This is an excellent time to use gentle products on the skin, and creamier, thicker moisturisers, as this will help plump and rehydrate dry skin. During this week, avoiding scheduling your unique injectable treatments is best. 

At this time, your brain is a lot more susceptible to pain and hypersensitivity. This time of the month also disrupts the blood clotting cascade, meaning you’re more likely to bruise and bleed after treatments. 

Now all of this doesn’t mean that you cannot get your injectables treatments at this time, just be prepared to bruise a little more, and the ‘tox needle will sting more, and we don’t want that. 

Week 2: End Of Menstrual Cycle

As your period ends, your body starts producing more Oestrogen again. This plumps the skin and promotes collagen production, making the skin look brighter and healthier. In addition, you are usually less sensitive to pain during the week, so this is an excellent time to schedule any dermal filler or BTX treatments!  

My favourite aesthetic treatment is Aqualyx® fat dissolving injections; this week is an excellent time to schedule this. In addition, I book my maintenance treatments during week 2 of my cycle, so I know I’ll bruise a lot less. 

Week 3:  Hormones Rise

As your hormones rise again, you’ll likely experience a higher sex drive, an increased appetite and feel generally excellent! However, this hormone rise can also cause the skin to go awry and become more oily- leading to breakouts. So now is a perfect time to introduce more exfoliating products, like salicylic acid, into your skincare routine to remove excess oil and clean out those pores. 

Week 4: Hormones Prepare Another Cycle

Your hormones are preparing to start the cycle again this week. Follicle Stimulating Hormone is released, which signals the ovaries to prepare to release an egg. At this time, our skin glows, our hair shines, and we feel at our most confident. 

Even your pain threshold is higher. So this is another good time to book those injectable appointments.  

Additionally, having a chemical peel could help prepare your skin for the fluctuations in hormones you are about to experience and protect against a breakout.

Aesthetic and Beauty treatments are taboo for the older generation, even now in our modern society. Therefore, it is common for individuals who have had a non-surgical or surgical treatment, i.e. Botox or dermal filler, to feel like they need to hide it from their friends, family, or even their partner.

Even when you are pleased with the result, you may feel unable to share your experience or emotion because you’re afraid to be judged or labelled. On the other hand, having work done on your face or body shows that you love yourself and are actively trying to improve and create a better version of yourself. After all, we are always told to be happy and try to be a better version of ourselves.

Self-Care Is Essential

Be assured, by loving ourselves, I do not mean to be selfish; it simply means to make some time for yourself and self-care. Improving our face and body in a way that we can appreciate can positively impact our confidence, mood, relationship

s and as well as our career.

If your goal is to have a better life mentally, emotionally, and financially then that is all about self-improvement and not about following social media trends or celebrities.

Aesthetic treatments enable the practitioner to correct non-symmetrical facial features, giving the client enough confidence not to hide their face or body and put themselves out there, being outspoken and standing out without reservation.

, giving the client enough confidence not to hide their face or body and put themselves out there, being outspoken and standing out without reservation.

, giving the client enough confidence not to hide their face or body and put themselves out there, being outspoken and standing out without reservation.

Aesthetic and cosmetic treatments allow people to modify themselves to make them happy for who they are or have become. For instance, an aesthetic practitioner, Julie Horne, was bullied in her school because of her thin lips.

When she reached the age of concern, she had her lips done, and that simple step encouraged her to study in this field and build a successful business. According to her videos, she improves many girls’ lives and self-confidence by enhancing their lips, which Julie is famous for.

Personal Identity & Physical Appearance

Physical appearance is one of the most important aspects of personal identity. In our modern society, we are heavily influenced by TV, magazines and, in recent years, more by social media such as Instagram and Tiktok. Social media increases the desire to change/enhance our appearance with the help of surgical or non-surgical treatments, but this is not losing our identity; it is gaining a new one.

Let’s face it, these influencers are out there, and we are exposed to them. So instead of judging each other, it is better to be open-minded and support each other’s decisions.

Let’s decide to be proud of what we like to look like and be open to telling people if you have a Botox injection, Cheek filler, or simply having skin rejuvenation treatment to improve your saggy skin. Say out loud that you have done that because you think you are worth it.

Of course, I support everything in moderation and not being addicted or obsessed with it because quickly that can happen and always choose the right clinic to have your producer done.

to have your producer done.