Treatment of thread veins with intense pulsed light

Intense pulsed light (IPL) devices were first introduced into medical practice in 1997 and have since attained a wide cosmetic application in dermatology (Raulin et al, 1997). Since its introduction, IPL has been used to treat vascular lesions, pigmented lesions and excess or unwanted hair. IPL can be defined as a non-laser incoherent light emitted from a high output flashlamp at a concentrated point, which triggers energy absorption in the affected areas (Goldberg, 2012). It has reached a level of safety and effectiveness that has seen its adoption by a broad range of commercial cosmetic platforms across the globe. Today, it is a popular and reasonably affordable treatment that is often offered in lieu of laser treatments for its affordability and, in the case of newer IPL technologies, its equal or increased effectiveness in the treatment of certain cosmetic dermatological conditions.