Instruction Material for Intense Pulsed Light IPL950-UV Beauty Treatment System

Quick Setup Guide, Treatment Overview & Techniques

In the interest of providing superior equipment, Bio Avance Beauty Industries reserves the right to modify or amend equipment specifications without notice or obligation.

This IPL Machine is Approved For: Permanent Hair Reduction, Spider - Varicose Vein Reduction, Skin Toning, Body Sculpting, Photo Rejuvenation, Hyper Pigment - Age Spot Reduction, Tattoo Reduction, Wrinkle Reduction, Scar - Stretch Mark Reduction, Rosacea, Sun Damage, Blemish (mole, wart, skin tag) Reduction, Nail Fungus Treatment and More.

 Bio Avance Beauty Industries Ltd.

IPL Startup Procedure

Put on your IPL eyewear before powering up your system.  Wear the eye protection throughout the entire procedure.

Before connecting your IPL instrument to the main system, be sure the key switch is off (Counter and indicator LEDs will be off). Failure to adhere to the start-up procedure may cause damage to your IPL emitter.

Before connecting your IPL instrument to the main system, be sure the key switch is off (counter and indicator LEDs will be off). Failure to adhere to the start-up procedure may cause damage to your IPL emitter.

Place the IPL head in a secure position POINTED AWAY from you and the client.

Turn the key lockout switch clockwise to system status IPL ‘Enabled’. At this time your digital pulse counter readout will show the number of pulses since the last reset. A bright LED on the instrument will begin flashing. The flashing blue warning LED means your IPL is now live and extreme care must be exercised while handling to avoid accidental eye-exposure.

Activate the HF ‘Enabled’. The red and yellow warning indicators will confirm this operation.

Set power level for treatment. It is recommended to start out on setting 2 then work your way up to 3 if client discomfort is minimal. The use of a lidocaine pre-treatment spray or an IPL coupling gel reduces discomfort substantially.

WARNING: This IPL instrument emits photon intensity equivalent to an arc welder and many times the intensity of the sun. It must be handled with great care. Do not allow person into the treatment room who are not wearing ANSI certified IPL protective eyewear. In addition, this instrument emits high intensity shortwave radiation which also poses risk to the human eye. Never treat on or near the eyes. The eyelid provides no protection. IPL and shortwave radiation will pass easily through and may seriously damage the retina and/or lens resulting in permanent loss of quality of vision and/or blindness.

It is recommended to use the IPL in high pulse mode (setting 3) for most applications. This will allow the technician to deliver single pulses each time the trigger switch is pressed. If the switch is held down, the IPL driver will deliver a steady series of pulses at approximately 7 per second. This is the ideal rate for most treatments.

Light Unit Counter:  Your IPL950 comes with a convenient pulse counter to track total photon emissions in light units (for conversion to joules, see chart to the right of the graphic). To reset to zero press the RST button on the unit counter.

If you choose to deliver more than 7 pulses per second (above 300J/cm2 total energy) there is a risk of burning the epidermis of the client. It is better to deliver less energy per treatment but more treatments overall as the risk of over treatment is reduced.

Technical Specifications

  Input:  110-240V AC, 30A  Output:  95,000mW (pulsed)  Spectrum:  410-1200nm  UV Radiation:  None  Safety Considerations:  Eye Protection

It is recommended to use the IPL in high pulse mode (setting 3) at all times.  This will allow the technician to deliver single pulses each time the trigger switch is pressed.  If the switch is held down, the IPL driver will deliver a steady series of pulses at approximately 7 per second.  This is the ideal rate for most treatments.

IPL Emitter Port Maintenance

Intense Pulsed Light treatments should be performed on shaved (or waxed) skin.  In photo epilation, the follicle being targeted is about 0.25-0.5cm (1/8 to 1/4 in) below the skin (the follicle and papilla).  To best reach the desired tissue under the skin it is best to remove the hair from the surface of the skin.

If using carbon or photoreactive dyes, remove any excess which may come in contact with the optics using ethyl alcohol. 

For light maintenance use acetone or alcohol on a cotton tip applicator.  For more aggressive cleaning use a sharp blade (scalpel or razor blade) to scrape any carbonized material from the tip.

IPL Control Locations/Feature Descriptions

C.  Pulse Control:  This allows the operator to set the number of IPL/RF pulses per second.

D.   IPL  Jack:  An eight-prong coaxial power jack for the IPL hand piece.

E.  IPL Instrument:  An 95,000mW high intensity pulsed light and high powered RF emitter instrument with thumb switch and counter reset button.

F.   Eyewear:  This is an essential part of the treatment process.  Direct or reflective IPL radiation can seriously injure the eye.  Both the technician and the patient must use the protective eyewear while the IPL is enabled or activated.  Eyewear is intended for accidental exposure only.  Never stare directly into an IPL emission.

G.   Carbon Dye:  This is an atomized form of molecular carbon which easily penetrates deeply into the follicle shaft.  The dye adds pigment which gives a receptor for the photon/heat exchange reaction. 

H.   HF (High Frequency):  This switch enables or disables the secondary function HF energy mode to amplify the thermolysis effects of the IPL treatment.

J.    Dermal-Plast:  A special 3.5% lidocaine gel formula to reduce patient discomfort.

K.  Post Treatment Gel:  Anti-androgen formula that reduces the rate of hair re-growth and speeds healing of the skin following IPL treatments.

IPL Spider Vein Removal/Rosacea The Treatment Procedure

Intense Pulsed Light Systems are very effective for the treatment of capillaries which have become enlarged (known as spider veins) or have multiplied excessively (known as Rosacea). 

Both conditions are usually inherited genetically and are activated or aggravated by sun exposure. 

The number of treatments required will vary based upon a variety of factors but a substantial degree of improvement is usually noted after 3-5 applications.

Apply the IPL cooling and coupling gel to the IPL emitter prior to pressing the tip to the client’s skin.  Hold the emitter to the desired area then press the trigger switch down for one second (delivering 7 emissions for a total of 220 joules).  Move the IPL tip and repeat on each afflicted area of 1 cm square in a systematic grid structure.  Applying more than 220 joules per cm2 may burn the skin.  

Apply ‘Laser Capillary Treatment Gel’ following the treatment (see back page of this instruction booklet for ordering information).  This formula contains activated phylloquinone, which supports healthy regeneration of new capillaries (reducing the recurrence of future Rosacea) by strengthening the capillary walls. 

Treatment Around or Near the Eyes

Great care must be exercised when working near the eyes.  The IPL emission is powerful enough to actually penetrate the eyelid and permanently damage the eye.  Having the patient close their eyes is not satisfactory protection.  The use of a dark-colored damp wash cloth which is folded over four times will deflect the harmful radiation; however, only IPL protective eyewear is recommended. 

Treatment Around or Near Mucus Membranes

IPL radiation will severely damage the tissues inside the nose and ear canal.  Treatment should be avoided in these areas altogether.

Post-Treatment Care

The skin surrounding the treatment area may experience short-term erythmia (reddening) which will subside within 12 hours.  Should the treatment area show signs of excess scabbing you may wish to reduce the overall treatment time or intensity.  Instruct the patient to refrain from applying cosmetics or sunbathing for at least 24 hours.  Follow up treatments should be scheduled 7-10 days later.

Treatment Efficacy

Figure 1 shows severe late stage Rosacea of a 70 year old female.  Figure 2 shows the substantial improvement achieved with 16 treatments over 18 months.  Figures 3 and 4 show the results of laser treatment of mild spider veins on the nose of a 50 year old male achieved with 6 over 3 months.

Intense Pulsed Light Progressively Permanent Hair Removal

The IPL can be considered an excellent replacement for laser hair removal as the results and overall procedure are similar in many ways.  It can be noted that IPL treatments are more efficient due to the substantial increase in overall energy being used (which equates to less overall treatment time). 

Like laser, IPL will injure the cells which are responsible for hair growth by way of thermolysis (heat in the follicle tissue).  This trauma is just below the threshold of injuring other cells (notably skin) around the follicle.  IPL works best on clients who have light skin combined with dark hair growth.  Should a hair follicle survive the IPL treatment, it will grow back slower and thinner.  After a series of treatments the continual ‘site specific’ localized trauma to the follicle tissue will eventually destroy all hair growth.  Once destroyed, the follicle cannot produce another hair.

Discomfort and Client Reaction

Remarkably, the sensation felt with an IPL treatment is no more intense than that of a laser (although much more total energy is being delivered to the tissue).  The first few pulses from the IPL generally are not felt by the client.  Pulses 5-6 (if the technician chooses to deliver that many) begins to feel like a snap of a rubber band (as the tissue absorbs and retains the energy).  Seven or more pulses in less than one second may be uncomfortable for some clients.  The use of a topical desensitizing spray or pre-treatment cold pack will alleviate most sensation.

Pre-Treatment Preparation

First spray the area with a lidocaine or benzocaine topical numbing compound.  Now coat the IPL emitter tip with the cooling and coupling gel included with your kit.  The patient will be able to withstand as many as 8-10 pulses per 2.5 cm2 without much sensation.  It is generally not necessary to deliver more than 7 pulses for effective hair removal treatment (maximum pulse freq. setting 3).

IPL Hair Removal Variation 1

This procedure is the most popular among professionals as it requires only shaving prior to the application.  It will be necessary to remove all hair above the skin with a razor.  Any hair which protrudes above the skin may cause pits in your optics which will reduce the overall efficiency of the device.

Turn your IPL driver to maximum pulse frequency (setting 3) with HF assist enabled.  Place the IPL emitter port against the skin in the area where the unwanted hair growth is occurring.  Press the trigger switch down for 1 second delivering eight total emissions equating to 220 jcm2 of energy density) then move to the next treatment area and repeat.  The treatment will effectively damage or destroy most or all anagen follicles in an area of 2.5 cm2 which have dark pigment.

IPL Hair Removal Variation 2:  Deep Tissue Trauma With Follicle Extraction with Carbon Dye

Before applying treatment, remove all hair from the area by tweezing or waxing.  IPL hair removal is most effective when applied to an empty follicle shaft.  Human hair simply does not normally have enough pigment to allow for sufficient heat exchange to cauterize, desiccate and necrotize the cells which produce hair.  To compensate for this lack of ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’ photon targets, it will be necessary to place a high-density carbon dye inside the follicle prior to treatment. 

Using a cotton-tipped applicator, completely cover the treatment area with the special dye included in your kit.  Massage the dye into the follicle pore with a firm downward circular motion.  Repeat 2-3 times to saturate the follicle pore.  Use an ethyl alcohol based wipe (isopropyl alcohol will not dissolve the dye) clean the excess from the surface of the skin.  At this point you will have all desired follicles visibly highlighted with a dark spot.  Perform the standard IPL treatment as outlined in ‘IPL Hair Removal Variation 1’ as normal.  Don not over treat.  Applying 7 or more pulses to the same area may result in a burn (leading to blistering). 

Treatment Efficacy

Permanent hair removal is a gradual process which takes 90 days or more for complete destruction of the follicle tissues.  Each hair must go through its entire growth cycle for it to be effectively treated.  Generally, it is only during the early anagen phase that it is vulnerable to destruction.  The following chart will give you an accurate example of what the reduction in growth activity should look like from 30, 60 , and 90 days of treatments.

 Important Considerations for Safe IPL Hair Removal Treatment

Treatment Around or Near the Eyes:  Great care must be exercised when working near the eyes.  The IPL emission is powerful enough to actually penetrate the eyelid and permanently damage the eye.  Having the patient close their eyes is not satisfactory protection.  The use of a dark-colored damp wash cloth which is folded over four times will deflect the harmful radiation; however, only IPL protective eyewear is recommended. 

Treatment Around or Near Mucus Membranes:  IPL radiation will severely damage the tissues inside the nose and ear canal.  Treatment should be avoided in these areas altogether.

Treatment Around or Near the Genitals:  IPL hair removal is safe for application to the pubic regions including the reproductive organs of both sexes.  Care must be taken into consideration in these areas due to the increased level of neural sensitivity. 

Treatment Around or Near the Areola (nipple):  IPL hair removal is safe and effective on hair growth which occurs from the areola of both sexes. 

Post-Treatment:  The skin surrounding the treatment area may experience short-term erythmia (reddening) which will subside within 12-24 hours.  Should the treatment area show signs of excess scabbing you may wish to reduce the overall treatment time or intensity.  The application of a post-treatment cooling and healing gel (such as Aloe) is encouraged to speed healing and reduce sensitivity.  Instruct the patient to refrain from applying cosmetics or sunbathing for at least 24 hours.

Over Treatment:  Each IPL pulse sends a photon ‘bundle’ deep into the skin where it damages the hair follicle tissues.  This IPL radiation also will have mild effects on capillaries and skin tissue.  If too many IPL pulses are administered the capillary network will begin to break down.  This will create a bruise which will take several days to subside. 

The general rule is to patch test the skin with 7 pulses then send the patient home.  Have them back in the office in 24 hours to observe the reaction.  If there is no burning or bruising, administer the full treatment.  It is not recommended to deliver more than 10 pulses to one stationary area at a time.  If more than 10 pulses are delivered the technician should make a small circular motion with the IPL head to avoid sending all the energy through the exact same entry points.

IPL 950-LS Instrument

The IPL 950-LS comes with a 300jcm2 maximum fluence per second adjustable pulse frequency (fixed pulse duration) instrument for superior operator control.  The addition of high frequency shortwave energy substantially amplifies the thermolysis deep in the tissue for greater intensity and improved results.  RF enhanced IPL treatments enable a greater range of treatments.

Trouble Shooting

Should you encounter technical problems with your IPL 950 system, refer to the following guide for potential problems and the appropriate solution.

—Unit is plugged into the wall, all accessories are correctly inserted into the unit but no IPL output is being registered.

++Check all connections.  Plug and unplug each one being sure all contacts are sound.

++Check all cords.  Due to continual bending and fatigue, wires may fray or break resulting is full loss of power.

—Unit hums or makes abnormal noises. 

++Unit needs servicing.  A clicking sound is normal.

—IPL output is weak.

++Emitter may be obstructed with debris (dried coupling gel, dirt etc.).  Clean thoroughly with a cotton tipped applicator and alcohol.  If the performance of the IPL does not improve after cleaning the head your unit needs servicing by a qualified agent.  Contact technical support for assistance.

—No output from the IPL is registered after all trouble-shooting suggestions listed above have been checked.

IPL Resurfacing and Photo-Rejuvenation

IPL resurfacing is performed using a beam of light energy which vaporizes the upper layers of damaged skin at specific and controlled levels of penetration.  The procedure offers many advantages which others do not have. 

Unlike Microdermabrasion, the IPL penetrates deeply into the dermis where promotion of collagen proteins can be stimulated.  Chemical peels can be very unpredictable and dangerous while an IPL can be dialed in to deliver precisely the right amount of radiation to produce safe and effective results.

All resurfacing treatments work essentially the same way.  First, the outer layers of damaged skin are stripped away.  Then, as new cells form during the healing process, a smoother, tighter, younger-looking skin surface appears.

For superficial or medium resurfacing, the IPL can be limited to the epidermis and papillary dermis.  For deeper resurfacing, the upper levels of the reticulas dermis can also be removed.  Varied penetration allows treatment of specific spots or wrinkles.

It's also important to consider the length of recovery when choosing among the skin-resurfacing alternatives.  In general, the more aggressive the resurfacing procedure is, the more prolonged the recovery is likely to be.  "Light" resurfacing procedures, such as superficial chemical peels or superficial IPL resurfacing, offer shorter recovery times. However, these lighter procedures may need to be repeated multiple times to achieve results comparable to those achieved with more aggressive techniques.

General Dermatology

Treatment of additional skin afflictions such as Rosacea, Fine Wrinkles, Sun Damaged Skin, Acne Scars, Age Spots, Large Pores, Acne Prone Skin.

As the IPL goes over the dermis, vascular spaces with hemoglobin in them absorb the light energy thereby heating the surrounding tissue and stimulating the fibroblasts to produce type 1 collagen and dermal proteins.  The treatment rearranges and/or replaces the solar elastosis in the upper dermis, resulting in NEW collagen formation.

What used to be loose, irregular collagen in the dermis is now tighter, refreshed and rejuvenated.

The benefits of each IPL treatment over all other skin rejuvenation procedures include:  Low downtime, non-surgical, little pain and discomfort, immediate results after 1 - 2 treatments, affordable, enhances your own collagen growth, produces more dermal proteins and treats most types of skin.

Treatment Procedure:  Resurfacing and Wrinkle Reduction

Deliver 5 pulses (approximately 220 joules) to each area of 2.5 cm square.  Be very systematic and thorough, but resist the temptation to over treat.  Applying more than 220 joules may burn the skin.  

Figure 1 shows normal sagging and wrinkling of the skin which can be expected as humans age.  Figure 2 shows excellent improvement on a 47 year old female after 6 treatments.

Always use an approved cooling and coupling gel with your IPL treatments.  This will substantially reduce patient discomfort and protect the dermis from excessive thermal retention or damage from heat.  It will also increase the ’translucency’ (rate of which the skin will allow IPL energy to pass through) factor which improves overall results. 

Call your patient back in for a follow up in 48 hours.  Additional treatments may be applied in 7-10 days depending on the level of dermal trauma the patient experience and their rate of healing.

Treatment Procedure:  Rosacea

Apply ‘IPL Spider Vein Treatment Gel’ (see back page of pamphlet for ordering information).  This formula contains activated phylloquinone, which supports healthy regeneration of new capillaries (reducing the recurrence of future Rosacea) by strengthening the capillary walls.

Deliver 5 pulses on high power (approximately 220 joules) to each area of 2.5 cm square.  Be very systematic and thorough but resist the temptation to over treat. 

Figure 1 shows severe late stage Rosacea of a 30 year old male.  Figure 2 shows the substantial improvement achieved with 20 treatments over 24 months.  Spider veins and enlarged capillaries require more treatments overall than most other laser procedures.

Treatment Procedure:  Age Spots

This condition is caused by melanin deposits in the skin which do not fade.  Normal melanin will darken (proliferate) with exposure to sun, but will also fade over 4-6 weeks when the exposure is stopped.  It is most common in the elderly but occurs in all ages.  IPL treatments are remarkably effective for this affliction. 

Apply ‘IPL Wrinkle Treatment Gel’ (see back page of pamphlet for ordering information). 

Deliver 4 pulses (approximately 200 joules) to each area of 2.5 cm square.  Fading of the age spots (also known as ’liver spots’) will be evident after 4-6 weeks. 

Figure 3 shows moderate age spot activity on a 46 year old female.  Note the improvement in figure 4 showing nearly complete regression of the skin disorder.  This patient underwent 3 treatments over 11 weeks.

Treatment Procedure:  Scars

This condition can be caused by any trauma to the skin from acne, sun burn, cuts, scrapes and surgical procedures.  To reduce the appearance of the scar, it will be necessary to rebuild the collagen proteins in the skin with IPL radiation.  This process is extensive (especially in cases where severe scarring exists).  It may take 5-10 treatments over 12 months to achieve desired results.

Apply ‘IPL Scar Reduction Treatment Gel’ (see back page of pamphlet for ordering information).   

Deliver 4 pulses (approximately 220 joules) to each area of 2.5 cm square.  Remember, applying more than 220 joules may burn the skin so this procedure must be done very carefully.   You must deliver the seven pulses in under one second for maximum thermal heat exchange in the tissue (simply hold the trigger switch down).

Figure 5 shows a 28 year old female with acne scarring which was left over from teenage puberty.  There are very deep pocks, which are the hardest to improve.  In figure 6, the appearance of the scars (including the pock) has improved 90%.

Treatment around the eyes must be done with adequate protection.  Exposure to IPL radiation (even through the eye lid) can permanently injure the eyes up to and including vision quality loss. 

Photos are for example purposes only and may not indicate results which will be achieved on every patient.  Medical IPL treatments for dermatology purposes are rated by improvement and not by cure.  Many skin conditions such as Rosacea may return and require future treatments to be controlled.  Advise your patient to expect improvement but caution them as to which degree of improvement they will be able to achieve.

IPL Tattoo Removal

To begin the process it will be necessary for you to scrub the skin over the tattoo with an abrasive applicator.  This is will remove the outer layers of the epidermis which will allow for greater penetration of the IPL radiation.

Using a depilatory wax or epilation paper, remove all hair from the tattoo area.  Hair growth will block some of the IPL radiation from entering the tattoo.  Follicles in the skin of the tattoo will also be permanently damaged by the radiation which may not be desirable to your patient.

Apply the pre treatment TCA enhanced cooling and coupling gel to the tattoo.  This is a very important step which should not be omitted.   Although the gel does contain the desensitizing compound lidocaine it will be quite common for the patient to feel some burning in the minutes and hours following the procedure.  If the patient requests extra relief, apply a cold pack as needed.

In picture number 4, you can see some of the redness, swelling and scabbing which may show up 1-3 days following treatment.  In picture number 5 and 6, you can see some fading of the tattoo, but also a mild form of hypo pigmentation (loss of the patient’s natural skin color).  This condition is temporary and will subside as the melanin regenerates with natural healing.

In picture number 7, you can see that the tattoo has faded to a point where it is not recognizable.  This type of tattoo should require about 6 treatments over 7 months.  It is always a good idea to take pictures of your patient’s treatment areas to show them the steady improvement.  This will help them to stay committed and motivated as the process requires a substantial investment of time.

IPL950 Emitter Tips & Replacement Parts