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I knew
it was wrong, but in my early twenties I was a tanning salon regular.
For a whole year my skin’s sunbed golden glow outweighed trifling
thoughts about potential cancer risks. Denial ended when I developed a
brownish age spot under my left eye, particularly when that turned out
to be perennial too.
Since then this discoloured patch has niggled at me, but thanks to a relatively
new beauty breakthrough, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) photorejuvenation,
the legacy of my guilty tanning past has practically been erased.
IPL is just one of the treatments offered by the Coltishall Cosmetic Clinic,
which promises anti-ageing results with minimal “downtime”
and it doesn’t disappoint. After just two non-invasive IPL sessions
all the tiny pigmentations in my complexion – including the offending
age spot – either vanish or are miraculously lightened.
At the consultation, Dr Sanjay Gheyi, who has triple board certifications
in general surgery, family medicine and anti-ageing medicine, takes me
through a comprehensive medical questionnaire and performs a test patch.
He tells me he moved into cosmetic medicine simply because he “likes
making people happy” and a thick book of testimonials in the waiting
room suggests his clients certainly are.
Dr Gheyi assesses every clients skin concerns on an individual basis and
addresses them with the most appropriate treatment, whether it’s
using one of four different IPL’s, lasers, diamond microdermabrasion,
oxygen facials or a CO2 laser.
At both subsequent treatments he applies a cooling gel to my skin and
protective shields to my eyes before using IPL against the offending areas.
The treatment uses very bright bursts of light, the wavelengths of which
can be manipulated to treat a host of skin imperfections like pigment,
rosacea, flushing, hair removal, melasma and ageing skin. But with around
75% of the population aged between 35 and 65 experiencing some kind of
pigment problem, IPL is becoming one of the most popular, effective and
gentle ways of tackling it.
Each 20 minute treatment feels like small elastic bands pinging against
my skin, accompanied by brilliant flares of light; it’s not an unpleasant
sensation, just unusual. Dr Gheyi stops at regular intervals to ask if
I’m experiencing any discomfort, but I don’t – only
a slight warming feeling on my skin. Best of all, I experience no unattractive
redness afterwards, and after initially darkening, the age spot begins
fading within days leaving me with a lovely brighter’ more even
complexion. To remove the pigment spot entirely Dr Gheyi recommends a
total of three to five sessions. I’m so pleased I vow never to damage
it with wanton sun exposure again. |
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