BBL
What Is It?
BBL is an advanced form of intense pulsed light (IPL) technology. Strictly speaking, it isn’t a laser. We send light energy into the skin over a wide area, and the filter we fit decides which target that energy goes to.
A laser works at a single wavelength. With BBL we can change the filter and target dark pigmentation or redness separately, which is why it helps with both pigmentation and visible vessels. Where colour is scattered across the skin, we can cover a wide area in one session. Removing a single lesion is a job for other methods.
More detail: Pigmentation Treatment — typing the pigmentation, Fractional Laser — the resurfacing route
How Is It Done?
First I look at your skin type and the kind of pigmentation. Is it from the sun, is it vascular, is it hormonal? We make that distinction here, because the three don’t respond the same way. Before treatment you wear goggles to protect your eyes, and gel is applied to the area. The light pulses move on as the area is covered; the procedure takes about 30 minutes on average. We usually plan 3-4 sessions.
Who Is It For?
It suits people with superficial sun-related pigmentation, redness or visible capillaries, and an uneven skin tone. It also comes up in rosacea; there our aim is to support the appearance, and dermatology follow-up carries on alongside it.
In darker skin types and on tanned skin the settings and timing are different, and that decision is mine. If a mole looks suspicious, I ask for a dermatology assessment before any light is applied. Pregnancy, medication that causes light sensitivity, active infection in the area and recent sunburn change the plan.
Results & Duration
In the first days dark spots may get a little darker and then shed from the surface; this is the course we expect. The difference becomes clearer as the sessions add up. The effect is reported to last around 12 months. If you stop protecting your skin from the sun the spots come back, so the result depends on that habit.
What Is Not Promised
BBL doesn’t remove pigmentation permanently; new spots form as long as you are exposed to the sun. With rosacea it supports the appearance and doesn’t cure the condition itself. It doesn’t correct deep lines or acne scars. Moles and suspicious lesions are outside what this method treats, and we look at them separately. I make no promise about how much lightening there will be or how long the effect will last.
Key Benefits
- Reduced blemish appearance
- Collagen support
- Skin tone balance
“With BBL, the session I do is only part of the work. What really decides the result is your sun protection. If we don’t talk about this at the start, a few months later we are looking at the same picture again.”
— Dr. Sinan Akyürek
Frequently Asked Questions
How does it differ from a laser?
It works differently. A laser works at a single wavelength. With BBL we can change the filter to target dark pigmentation or redness separately, and cover a wide area.
Will my pigmentation clear completely?
No. We aim to make it less visible; new spots form as long as you are exposed to the sun. Protecting your skin is part of the plan.
What happens after the session?
The spots may darken for a few days. Then they shed from the surface, which is the course we expect. Don’t pick the crusts.
How many sessions are needed?
Usually 3-4 sessions. We set the number by the type of pigmentation and your skin type.