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A wide-range of popular aesthetic indications can be easily and effectively treated with the BBL (Broadband Light) system from Sciton Inc. (Palo Alto, Calif.). This includes photorejuvenation, hair removal, acne, melasma, vascular redness and skin tightening.
“BBL offers the best safety, efficacy and efficiency of any intense pulsed light (IPL) device currently on the market,” said Sharon McQuillan, M.D., founder of The Ageless Aesthetic Institute in Columbus, Ohio. “BBL is also the only IPL device that provides pre-, parallel- and post-cooling through a sapphire crystal and allows you to precisely adjust the tissue temperature by one degree increments. Many other IPL systems do not provide cooling, and those that do have either an on or off setting. But for patient safety, it is of absolute importance to accurately adjust the cooling for the skin type, amount of ultraviolet damage and size of the vessel being treated.” Photofacials are Dr. McQuillan’s most popular procedure performed with the BBL system. “A typical photofacial is able to
address vascular lesions, pigmented lesions and aging skin,” she said. Patients normally schedule three to five sessions, spaced two weeks apart. After the series, patients “can expect photorejuvenation that is significant,”
said Dr. McQuillan, who practices aesthetic and anti-aging medicine in
Sarasota, Fla. “Treatment typically  reduces the number of pigmented lesions and vascular lesions, as well as providing enhanced health to the skin.” Hair removal and skin tightening are also in-demand BBL procedures for Dr. McQuillan. “Patients can expect significant hair reduction with excellent results,” she said, after about six to eight sessions at six to eight week intervals. For skin tightening, “patients may be satisfied with only one session. But you should wait at least four weeks until a second session.” Lori Haddad, D.O., a dermasurgeon in private practice in Birmingham, Mich., considers BBL “the Rolls Royce of pulsed light systems for superior results in less time.” Dr. Haddad treats acne with BBL, for which patients come in every two weeks for about six sessions. “We use a combination of blue light, yellow light and red light,” Dr. Haddad conveyed. “After three treatments, we notice about a 70% improvement in acne, and by six treatments there is a 90% or greater improvement.” Melasma patients are also treated every two weeks. “BBL has been the biggest breakthrough for us in treating melasma,” said Dr. Haddad, a professor of dermatology residency at Michigan State University in Lansing, Mich. “Just with BBL alone, we can achieve 50% improvement in one session. Other pulsed light systems don’t even touch melasma.” Most patients require three to six treatments of BBL, every two weeks. “With three sessions, though, there is 95% clearance of melasma in the vast majority of patients.” Concerning vascular redness, port-wine stains are treated every two weeks. “In three treatments, some patients with complete disfigurement on their face are 60% better,” Dr. Haddad observed. “And for regular flushing and vascular damage from rosacea and sun damage, most patients attain 95% or greater clearing in three sessions (two weeks apart).” For all indications treated with BBL, patient discomfort is minimal, according to Dr. Haddad. “In my practice, it is split about 50/50 between no topical anesthetic and a topical anesthetic,” she said. Furthermore, hidden consumable costs are a major consideration when purchasing an aesthetic device. “BBL does not have consumable costs at all,” Dr. McQuillan stated. “As long as the device is under warranty, it is guaranteed for unlimited pulses.”