PRImE PEoPLE | ShImon EckhouSE |
EckhouSE SyneRon
Shimon
Since its invention 20 years ago, Intense Pulsed Light has become the mainstay for a range of cosmetic treatments. Rosalind Hill speaks to inventor and entrepreneur Shimon Eckhouse, Chairman of Syneron.
impressive. however, for Shimon Eckhouse, founder and Chairman of Syneron, it's a reality: this year has marked the 10th anniversary of Syneron, and the 20th anniversary of his original invention of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). 'I came up with the idea for IPL after
R 64 ❚
reading an article in a popular physics journal about the use of lasers to treat port wine stains,' says Dr Eckhouse, who had originally trained as a physicist. 'I thought to myself that by using the
basic features of the laser, I could do more with a light source — you can illuminate large areas easily, choose the spectrum of
EaChIng a 10th oR 20th
anniversary in any area of life is a significant feat, but to reach two milestones in the same year is certainly
light you want, control the pulse width, and decide on the exposure time to optimise it for the specific treatment you are doing.' So, in a nutshell, this is how the idea for
one of the most widely used technologies in aesthetic medicine was developed.
First steps
Dr Eckhouse wrote the patent for IPL in 1991, which included a broad range of applications, but essentially the main treatment he had in mind was for vascular lesions. By heating up the blood vessels to a high enough temperature, they can be damaged and the body will eventually dispose of the dead cells. Very quickly, however, he started to test the IPL technology for use in hair
removal — an application which is now quite popular. 'In retrospect,' explains Dr Eckhouse, 'the November/December 2011 |
prime-journal.com
biggest applications of IPL were either hair removal or vascular lesions, and it is now commonly used for facial rejuvenation — it takes care of blemishes, redness, and even some melasmas.'
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84