Let’s face it. Living in a tropical climate like ours wrecks havoc on our skin. With the weather alternating between hot and hotter, skin will undoubtedly start to look a little lackluster. Pores start to enlarge as sebum, sweat, grime and dirt all fight for a space within their small ‘enclaves’. Combined with aging, a healthy, glowing complexion may seem all but impossible to achieve.
But recently, there has been a flurry of excitement in the aesthetics scene with the introduction of a brand new light therapy that borders between an IPL and a laser. When we sent our tester down for a ‘test-drive’, not only did she return with glowing skin, she became a true convert. Now with the rest of the office queuing up for the same treatment at full price, here are 4 reasons why you should also jump on the BBL bandwagon if you have not already done so yourself.
Read More: How to Make Your Hair Grow Faster, Longer & Stronger
1. BBL doesn’t make skin younger, it programs it to be younger
1. BBL doesn’t make skin younger, it programs it to be younger
BBL stands for BroadBand Light therapy, and it is a promising a new generation of light therapy that straddles IPL and laser. It’s main claim to fame is that it uses the power of broadband light energy to stimulate skin cells into regenerating new collagen. The depth of tissue that is usually treated is where fibroblast cells live. These collagen-producing cells react to controlled heating by stimulating more collagen. BBL is different.
Two large studies have been performed by researchers at Stanford University study providing valuable insights with evidence that BBL promotes youthful skin on a molecular level. In one study, scientists discovered that the genes that are responsible for aging skin cells actually changed the way they expressed after three BBL treatments performed over a three-month period. After these treatments, the cell-controlling genes behaved like the genes in youthful skin cells.
Seeing the short-term effects of broadband light treatments, researchers wanted to observe the cumulative impact of routine procedures, if there were any. What they discovered was that, with 2 to 4 treatments each year, the expression of skin-supporting genes maintained more youthful behavior. This significantly slowed or halted the cosmetic aging of the treatment area.
Researchers found clinical evidence that patients who have had BBL enjoyed younger looking skin over the long-term, even after 10+ years. And the results are not limited to your face. BBL is also effective on the neck, chest, arms, and hands, to name but a few, for head to toe skin that glows.
Read More: The Best Treatments for Melasma
2. It clears pigmentation up like a dream
A godsend in sunny climes, BBL excels in reversing damage caused by the sun, such as brown and age spots. Unwanted redness and unwanted melanin can also be eliminated through the treatment, as the photothermal energy cuts down thin vessels just beneath the dermis.
Read More: 5 Retinol Myths Debunked
3. It does double duty stopping pimples in its tracks
BBL treatments comes in two modes— BBL Forever Young and BBL Forever Clear. The latter uses three different wavelengths of light to clear acne, close pores, reduce inflammation and lighten acne marks. Sounds too good to be true? Except it isn’t. That’s why many patients who are reluctant to go the arduous route of oral medications turn to BBL Forever Clear to keep their skin clear and spot-free. One added advantage is that BBL is safe even on pregnant skins so expecting ladies suffering from hormonal breakouts can find respite from problem skin issues even while pregnant.
Read More: 5 Mistakes That Are Aging Your Eyes
4. It visibly tightens skin
BBL Forever Young not only uses wavelengths in the visible spectrum to deliver a host of benefits such as skin lightening, skin glow and pore miniaturization. It also uses the infra-red spectrum to deliver a skin tightening therapy dubbed “skin tyte”. This photothermal treatment tightens skin and visibly lifts tired skins, with benefits being cummulative over repeated sessions! Of course the best thing about BBL is that its myriad of benefits is delivered with no downtime, and takes only 30 minutes for a full face treatment.
Read More: Beam Me Up: How Some Non-Laser Fixes Can Transform Your Skin