What is it and how does it work?
Candela Nordlys is a versatile, customizable and advanced intense pulsed light (IPL) platform used to treat a range of skin problems and conditions. High-intensity therapeutic wavelengths of light are used to target specific skin components including melanin (pigment skin changes) and hemoglobin (veins, capillaries or red skin) along with collagen layer changes (fine lines, wrinkles and acne scars).
Intense Pulsed Light utilizes a spectrum of light instead of a laser’s single wavelength. This can make Nordlys IPL often a better option for treating skin conditions which include both vascular or red and pigment changes and photorejuvenation rather than needing to use multiple different lasers. With age and photodamage a treatment that includes both ‘vascular’ and ‘pigment’ targeting can be considered.
Nordlys incorporates narrowband Selective Waveband Technology which removes unnecessary or non-beneficial wavelengths of light (this avoids excessive skin heating) to help us utilize treatments to better target the desired skin changes being treated. The Nordlys IPL has an expert mode that provides enormous flexibility greater than many other IPL devices such as a greater range of pulse durations. This can allow the use of multiple different passes in the same treatment aimed at addressing a variety of skin changes seen with skin ageing and sun damage including pigmented lesions, redness, telangiectasia or broken vessels, poor skin texture, fine lines, wrinkles and/or acne scars.
Nordlys Selective Waveband Technology Dual Filtered Intense Pulsed Light (SWT IPL) makes this IPL exceptional for skin rejuvenation particularly when combined with other technologies on the Nordlys platform.
Indications:
- Sun Damage and Skin Rejuvenation (uneven tone, fine lines, skin texture irregularities)
- Aging Skin
- Pigment Lesions including Age Spots and Freckles
- Skin Redness and Telangiectasia (spider veins, broken capillaries, other vascular irregularities)
- Rosacea and Flushing
- Poikiloderma of Civatte
- Port Wine Stains
- (Hair Removal)
What is involved? What is the downtime?
The skin area to be treated is cleansed and any make up or creams carefully removed.
You may be offered an anaesthetic cream (we use special ones that will not interfere with your response to treatment).
Your eyes will be shielded and protected. You will still see the flash of light that travels through the skin, this is not dangerous.
A thin amount of clear gel is applied to the skin that allows light to transmit more effectively and safely into the skin.
A rectangular crystal will be placed on the skin and through this a short burst of light will be delivered to the targeted area. Multiple pulses will be required to treat each skin area.
During treatment you will feel heat and/or a snapping rubber band like feeling. This is generally well tolerated but can be uncomfortable.
Cooling is often provided post treatment along with a cooling gel or mask.
You will be provided specific after care instructions tailored to your treatment.
Downtime
This varies with the condition being treated and the settings utilized.
Redness and swelling and mild discomfort are usual.
Pigment spots will darken and will come to the surface and lift off over the following week.
With stronger settings transient bruising can occur.
You should contact the clinic if blistering or crusting occur.
This can vary from minimal down time (hours or days), through to 5-7 days after stronger treatments such as for severe rosacea and vascular birthmarks.
How many treatments will I require?
Three treatments a month or more apart will often be recommended for photorejuvenation or when treating redness and rosacea.
The number of treatments varies between individual patients and the severity of their skin changes.
An annual maintenance treatment may be recommended.
What are the risks?
Nordlys IPL treatment is generally safe and effective. There are however risks and complications that can occur. Good sun protection before and after your treatment improves safety. Risks are also greater in darker skin types (other lasers are available which may be suitable and safer for treating people with a darker skin type)
Temporary redness, swelling and discomfort in treated areas like a mild sunburn is normal.
Pigmentation changes can occur but are typically temporary and resolve over time. (Patterning of the skin can occur but settles with subsequent treatments, sun protection and time)
Blistering can occur with higher settings particularly when used to treat more severe skin problems. Contact the clinic if this occurs.
Burns and scarring are rare with proper assessment, preparation and technique. Follow after care instructions carefully and contact the clinics if you have any concerns.
Infection is similarly uncommon however cold sore virus activation (herpes) can be triggered by laser or light treatments.
Eye injury is only a risk when appropriate eye protection is not utilized.
When do I see benefits and does everyone benefit?
Although benefits begin in the week after treatment, full benefits may take 3 months and benefits vary. Response to treatment can vary between individuals and not all photoaging skin changes respond.
What other treatments does this work in combination with?
Nordlys IPL is often combined with Nd:YAG laser for better treating a range of vascular or red skin lesions (along with our pulsed dye laser V Beam Prima also by Candela).
One of our favourite combination treatments is Nordlys IPL and Frax Pro. By combining both light and laser treatments in the same session can lead to greater benefits or targeting of skin problems without significantly increasing downtime.
Light & Bright involves combining the Nordlys IPL with Frax Pro (1550 and 1940). This is useful to target problem skin areas be that actinic keratoses, pigment skin lesions or areas of lines, wrinkles and acne scarring.
Although Nordlys IPL is good for treating many pigment lesions, sometimes we will also use our CURAS or PicoWay laser to treat resistant pigment spots.
Schedule an appointment with our experienced team of cosmetic dermatology nurses, dermal assistant and/or dermatologists to see if this treatment is right for you, your skin condition, and your needs.
Nd:YAG 1064nm
The Nordlys Nd:YAG 1064nm broadens the range of vascular (red or blood vessels associated) skin problems treated and can enhance IPL treatments. This provides a deeply penetrating laser to address deeper vessels and the feeding vessels of many vascular or blood vessel related lesions. The flexibility in pulse duration also helps with larger size skin vessels including blue veins and venous lakes.
Indications:
- Facial (and leg) capillaries, telangiectasia, venous stars and blood vessels
- Blue veins and venous lakes
- Cherry angiomas
- Spider haemangiomas
- Port wine stains (raised purple and red nodules)
Downtime:
The built-in integrated soft cool system both assists in making treatments more comfortable and reduces heating of the skin’s surface layer to reduce downtime.
Redness and swelling lasting a few days is usual.
Bruising can occur and will take longer to settle and clear particularly on the lower legs.
Also see Frax Pro / Fraxel laser
