BBL and BBL Hero

Broad Band Light – BBL and BBL^® Hero

BBL^® Hero – The Most Advanced Intense Pulsed Light to Treat Skin Pigmentation on the Face and Body in Chicago and Winnetka

Patients who come in for regular treatment of the face with BBL find that it removes red and brown spots on the skin that result from sun exposure and the aging process. It also changes the behavior of the skin’s own natural regeneration process, so that it functions more like youthful skin. The result for our patients is a transformation from blotchy, dull skin to the glowing even-colored skin of youth.

Many patients are eager to see the same transformation of the skin in the rest of the body. As we take better care of our bodies, with good habits of nutrition and exercise, it is natural to show the world the beautiful physiques that we have obtained.

Unfortunately, dull sun-damaged skin may spoil the effect. Why not use BBL to restore the beauty of the skin, just as we have done with the face?

In fact, our team at the Whole Beauty^® Institute has used BBL to rejuvenate the skin of the hands and chest for many of our patients. As these treatments are extended to larger surface areas of the body, it becomes challenging. First, the treatment can be very time consuming. Second, it is technically difficult to obtain a uniform treatment. The amazing technology behind BBL^® Hero eliminates these problems.

How Does BBL Work?

BBL stands for broad band light. A very bright flash of light is delivered to the skin. Filters control how deep the energy in the light will go. Also, the system selects wavelengths of light that will heat up areas of brown (uneven pigment) and red (damaged vessels or rosacea) but not harm the rest of the skin. The red and brown targets are essentially broken into pieces that the body clears away by its natural process of repair. This results in skin that has a beautiful uniform color rather than blotches. But there is more to BBL than just removing brown and red spots. Scientific studies have shown that BBL enhances the process of skin turnover, by which the skin refreshes itself every 30 days, so that the molecular machinery behind it functions like youthful skin. The result is that the skin can recapture its youthful resilience.

How Does BBL^® Hero Work?

The geniuses at Sciton, the company that developed BBL, took several years to engineer the advances that make BBL^® Hero possible. The speed at which the pulses of light could be delivered was increased dramatically. The power necessary to drive these rapid pulses was increased. The cooling system was enhanced for comfort. The hand piece of the device was designed to allow for a gliding motion. These advances make it possible to treat large areas of the body in a short amount of time with greater comfort for the patient.

What’s It Like to be Treated with BBL^® Hero?

Our patients who are familiar with BBL will find some differences when they experience their first BBL^® Hero treatment. With BBL the Whole Beauty^® clinician places a rectangular frame on the skin, delivers a flash of light, and moves the rectangle over to the next area with a 10% overlap. Eventually the entire face has been covered with these rectangular patches of light.

With BBL^® Hero the clinician glides the rectangular frame across the skin so that a rapid series of flashes is delivered. It is as if the clinician is painting with light in a gliding motion. This makes it possible to treat a large area quickly and evenly.

If there is any hair on the area that will be treated with BBL^® Hero, it should be removed before treatment. The clinician applies a gel to the skin, then places the handpiece on the area to be treated and glides it across while delivering flashes of light. You will be aware of the pulses of light, but discomfort is minimized due to a highly effective cooling system. You may also be given a wand that you can use to direct a breeze of cool air to the area of treatment. The clinician may do several passes with the light according to the goals of the treatment. Patients are uniformly amazed at how quick and comfortable the treatment is. In the above video, Dr. Cook talks with a BBL^® Hero patient about his treatment experience.

What Do I Need to Do After Treatment with BBL^® Hero?

You should always protect the area from the sun with a titanium or zinc oxide sun block. Avoid the sun if possible for the first few days after treatment. If vessels have been treated, avoid heavy exercise for 24 to 48 hours. Areas of brown pigment will darken and flake off in 1 to 2 weeks. Areas of rosacea may look red immediately after treatment, then diminish over the first few weeks. Distinct vessels that were treated may look purple, then gradually fade. Overall, the results of your treatment will be visible in 2 to 4 weeks.

How Many Treatments Will I Need with BBL^® Hero?

Your clinician will advise you as to how many treatments will be needed. If you are being treated with BBL^® Hero for the first time and you have significant damage, you will probably require 2 or 3 treatments separated by 1 month for best results. After that we advise maintenance treatment every 3 to 6 months. With all forms of BBL patients who do regular maintenance treatments and who protect their skin from the sun will see a remarkable “turning back of the clock” in the appearance of the skin.

Is BBL^® Hero Good for Prejuvenation?

Rather than waiting for the signs of aging to show on your skin, an increasing number of people are taking active steps to prevent or at least delay these signs of aging. This is sometimes referred to as prejuvenation. The most important aspect of this process is the habit of protecting your skin from the sun with a high-quality mineral-based sunblock.

Medical grade products also play a role. BBL and BBL^® Hero are emerging as an important element of the prejuvenation strategy. Remember that BBL helps to keep the skin working like young skin. Dr. Cook and his team can help design a prejuvenation strategy that is right for you.

The Whole Beauty^® Institute Advantage with BBL^® Hero

Dr. John Q. Cook has extensive experience with all forms of light and laser skin rejuvenation technologies. He has worked with several generations of IPL machines and has approached the rejuvenation process with deep interest. Our entire team is skilled in advanced techniques of BBL AND BBL^® Hero.