Broadband Light Before and After Photos

Broadband Light (also known as BBL) is a powerful intensed pulse light treatment designed to treat flat brown spots and facial capillaries in the skin. Using a variety of different wavelengths of light, appropriate targets in the skin are chosen and heat is delivered to those targets. For example, melanin is the pigment in brown spots that is targeted by the 515nm filter. A 560nm or 590nm filter can be used to target the blood flowing through small facial capillaries.

The treatment is performed in the office awake, and usually with topical anesthetic cream prior to the treatment. It is a very hot treatment that causes brown spots to darken initially, then slough off within about 2 weeks. Usually the treatment is performed twice about 3 weeks apart, but can be performed as a one time treatment. Because brown spots sometimes resurface over time, it is advisable to have the treatment performed annually or every two years as needed.

For facial capillaries, treatment can cause initial swelling for 3-4 days, but it is effective at sealing off the small facial blood vessels. For capillaries, a minimum of 2 treatments is recommended 3 weeks or more apart. Then annual treatment is recommended. A BBL treatment is performed exclusively by board certified plastic or facial plastic surgeons in our office and not delegated to nurse practitioners, physician assistants or nurses.

This treatment is commonly referred to as a photofacial. However, there is significant variability between devices used for IPL or BBL treatments and treatment is highly operator and machine dependent. We use the Sciton BBL to perform our treatments. This is a much stronger and more effective treatment than that offered at spas by aestheticians. Please review our photo gallery below to see examples of patients who have undergone this low down time, effective skin rejuvenating procedure.