IPL vs BBL®: Look and Feel Your Best With BBL

Are skin imperfections caused by aging, vascular issues, or too much sun exposure keeping you from looking and feeling your best? Laser and light-based therapies are extremely popular because they offer a safe, nonsurgical approach to skin rejuvenation—and they produce great results! If you’ve been weighing your skin treatment options, including IPL vs BBL, you’re probably wondering which is a better fit for your skin. Let’s learn more …

What’s Different About BBL?

Broadband light (BBL) is an advanced form of intense pulsed light therapy (IPL). As its name implies, it uses pulses of broadspectrum light energy to correct skin imperfections such as sun spots, hyperpigmentation, rosacea, and redness. Unlike laser skin resurfacing therapies that address surface skin, BBL reduces skin discoloration and hyperpigmentation at the dermal layer, leaving the superficial layer of skin untouched.

During the treatment, the targeted skin cells absorb BBL’s light energy, destroying pigmented cells and vascular lesions like broken capillaries. This process also triggers your body’s wound-healing response: As damaged skin breaks down, collagen is produced to help the skin gradually repair itself.

What To Expect During BBL?

You can expect your BBL treatment to be very tolerable, as most BBL devices have more effective cooling systems than IPL. Your procedure can take from just a few minutes up to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the area being treated. A numbing cream may be applied to the targeted skin area, but keep in mind that most patients only experience a warming sensation as the BBL hand-held device is manipulated over the skin. A soothing moisturizer and sunscreen are applied following treatment to help protect and heal the skin.

Am I a Good Candidate for BBL?

BBL is one of the most versatile skin resurfacing treatments available to patients. We can address the face and other areas of the body quickly and conveniently with minimal downtime. Note that BBL works best on lighter skin tones, as hyperpigmentation may occur on darker skin. BBL effectively targets:

• Uneven skin tone
• Sun spots and sun damage
• Age spots
• Acne scars
• Freckles
• Rosacea
• Wrinkles and fine lines
• Large pores

BBL Recovery and Results

Because BBL is a nonsurgical procedure that requires very minimal downtime or aftercare, you can plan to resume your normal routine immediately following treatment. Here’s a bit more about what to expect after BBL therapy:

• Your skin may appear sunburned for a few hours.
• You can apply makeup following the procedure, but steer clear of harsh skincare products.
• You may experience initial crusting or flaking—resist the urge to pick or peel at dry, healing skin.
• You should avoid direct sun exposure for a few weeks to allow sensitive skin to heal fully.
• Skin tone will gradually appear more even within 1 to 2 weeks.
• You should notice visible improvement after one treatment, but many patients benefit from 3 to 4 treatments spaced about 1 month apart.
• Results can last up to a year if you protect your skin from sun exposure and follow a good skincare routine.

Are you ready to explore BBL or one of our other customized light or laser skin treatments? Contact our practice to request a BBL consultation or call us at (281) 853-5308 to schedule an appointment.