![Official] Smart Skin Clinic｜Aesthetic Dermatology Group (Jimbocho, Yokohama)](https://smartskin-clinic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Smart-skin-clinic-ロゴ500-×-100-px.png)
Photofacial M22 (IPL)｜Smart Skin Clinic (Jimbocho, Tokyo)
*The above price applies to your first session only.
*Cannot be combined with other promotions.
"My spots have gradually become more noticeable..."
"I've been bothered by freckles since childhood..."
"My skin has lost its firmness lately..."
"I'm bothered by redness on my face..."
Do any of these concerns sound familiar?
At Smart Skin Clinic (aesthetic dermatology) in Tokyo, we consider and provide the most appropriate treatment for concerns like these.
Our clinic has introduced the "Photofacial Stellar M22," which can address spots, improve skin firmness, treat facial redness, and more. If any of this resonates with you, please feel free to come in for a consultation.
Group Chief Director, Smart Skin Clinic Group
Ishii Kota
Career
Graduated from Juntendo University School of Medicine
Worked at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital and affiliated facilities
Worked at a major aesthetic clinic in Tokyo
Affiliations / Qualifications
Board-certified specialist, Japan Surgical Society
Board-certified specialist, Japanese Society of Anti-Aging Medicine
Do any of these concerns sound familiar?
Photofacial is recommended for people who:
 Dullness | When metabolism slows due to poor lymphatic flow or coldness, or when the skin's texture is uneven, the skin tone becomes uneven, leading to symptoms such as dullness and noticeable unevenness in color. The IPL (light) of Photofacial M22 helps guide the skin toward a clear, even-toned, bright complexion free of dullness. |
 Spots (age-related pigmentation) | Age-related pigment spots are the light-to-dark-brown marks caused by UV exposure that appear on the face, backs of the hands, arms, and elsewhere. This is the most common type of spot. Because Photofacial M22 acts on excess melanin pigment, it may help fade the appearance of spots. |
 Freckles | Freckles are small, round, brownish spots of a few millimeters or less that appear mainly under the eyes and around the cheeks and nose. They can be addressed with the IPL (light) of a photofacial. |
 Firmness & Wrinkles | When the light (IPL) of Photofacial M22 reaches the dermis, it activates fibroblasts and promotes the production of collagen and other components, helping guide the skin toward firmness and elasticity with less noticeable fine lines and shallow wrinkles. |
 Facial redness | Facial redness is a condition in which blood vessels dilate and the skin's surface appears reddish. The IPL (light) of Photofacial M22 reacts with the red pigment in hemoglobin and constricts the dilated excess capillaries visible at the skin's surface, which may help make facial redness and surface redness less noticeable. |
How Photofacial Works
A photofacial is a device that emits a special light called IPL (Intense Pulsed Light).
Because IPL is a form of "light," this is sometimes called "light therapy."
Medically, this treatment is also known as non-invasive rejuvenation therapy.
The light acts on three main targets to deliver the results you're looking for.
(1) Acting on melanin pigment
By breaking down melanin pigment, the cause of spots, it gradually fades their appearance.
Melanin pigment builds up beneath the skin in layers, much like a mille-feuille. Rather than eliminating all melanin pigment at once, a photofacial gradually reduces it over time.
(2) Acting on small blood vessels
By acting on the tiny blood vessels beneath the skin, it helps address redness and rosacea. (Redness and rosacea are influenced by these tiny blood vessels; medically, this is called telangiectasia.)
(3) Acting on the dermis (deep beneath the skin)
There is a deep layer beneath the skin called the dermis, which is home to collagen and elastin (you've surely heard of them). By acting on this collagen and elastin and encouraging the production of even more, the treatment aims to bring about firmness and elasticity.
Do you have a general sense of how it works?
Let me reframe the explanation from a slightly different angle.
First, the light emitted by the photofacial is absorbed by melanin and oxidized hemoglobin deep within the skin. When this light is absorbed, heat is generated. This heat breaks down melanin and oxidized hemoglobin. The heat also acts on the surrounding tissue, specifically collagen, causing minor damage.
In tissue such as collagen, the "wound-healing mechanism" is triggered, producing new collagen. This is what brings about "skin firmness." (③)
It also breaks down melanin, which helps improve the appearance of spots. (①)
By breaking down oxidized hemoglobin, it damages capillaries and may also help improve facial redness. (②)
Benefits and drawbacks of a photofacial
| Benefits | Drawbacks |
|---|---|
| Delivers multiple effects at once Little to no downtime A relatively affordable treatment Also has a preventive effect against spots | Some people feel a stinging sensation, like being snapped with a rubber band Areas of darker spots may form a scab after the treatment Rather than delivering dramatic results in a single session, clear results tend to be felt through repeated treatments |
About the treatment
| Treatment Time | 20 to 40 minutes |
| Recommended Number & Frequency of Treatments | A total of 3 to 10 sessions, once every 2 weeks to 1 month |
| Downtime | Almost none |
| Treatment on the day of counseling | Available |
| Makeup | Possible right after the treatment |
| Shower | Possible from the same day |
Features of Smart Skin Clinic's treatment
(1) We use the "Stellar M22," a device approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
(2) A physician always examines you beforehand
(3) "Smart": efficient from booking to going home
(4) "Accessible": offered at reassuring prices
Price
Photo Single (1 pass)
| First-visit price | 9,500 yen |
| Once | 15,000 yen |
| 3 times | 42,800 yen (about 14,266 yen per session) |
| 5 sessions | 67,500 yen (13,500 yen per session) |
| 10 sessions | 119,800 yen (11,980 yen per session) |
Photo Double (2 passes)
| First-visit price | 15,000 yen |
| Once | 22,500 yen |
| 3 times | 64,125 yen (about 21,375 yen per session) |
| 5 sessions | 101,250 yen (20,250 yen per session) |
| 10 sessions | 189,800 yen (18,980yenper session) |
Photo Triple (3 passes)
| First-visit price | 17,000 yen |
| Once | 26,500 yen |
| 3 times | 75,525 yen (about 25,175 yen per session) |
| 5 sessions | 119,250 yen (23,850 yen per session) |
| 10 sessions | 219,800 yen (21,980yenper session) |
Treatment Flow
You can easily book from your smartphone.
Check-in is "smart" and simple: just hold up your QR code at the reception desk.
During the consultation, we go beyond the photofacial itself to assess your current skin condition, listen to your concerns, and suggest the most appropriate treatment. Please feel free to discuss anything on your mind. Rest assured, there is no pushy counseling.
A cooling gel is applied to protect the skin. We then configure the settings to suit your skin and deliver the IPL.
We provide detailed guidance on caring for the treated area and precautions for daily life. From the standpoint of prevention and maintenance, we may also suggest appropriate home care, such as supplements, oral medications, and skincare cosmetics that can help address your concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does the treatment hurt?
Dr. IshiiThis treatment is generally not very painful. That said, some people may feel a sensation "like being snapped with a rubber band."
A photofacial is a low-pain treatment to begin with, but the "Stellar M22" used at our clinic is the latest model, offering even less discomfort than previous devices. As a result, we believe even those who are sensitive to pain can undergo the treatment with peace of mind.
We will never force you to continue the treatment while you are in significant pain, so please feel free to talk to us.- How many sessions are effective?
- Dr. Ishii
We recommend about 5 sessions at intervals of roughly 3 to 4 weeks.
Results vary from person to person, but the effects of a photofacial tend to become easier to feel with repeated sessions. We recommend undergoing at least 3 sessions. - Is there any downtime?
- Dr. Ishii
A photofacial has almost no downtime. You can even apply makeup immediately after the treatment.
In rare cases, redness or a mild sensation of heat may occur after treatment, but this usually subsides within a few hours.
The areas that respond to melanin pigment may form a thin scab, but rest assured it will peel off naturally in about a week, revealing fresh new skin. - Is a single treatment effective?
- Dr. Ishii
Yes, it is.
As explained in the "how it works" section, it reliably acts inside the skin, where the effects aren't visible to the eye.
That said, in terms of visible results, we recommend about 5 treatments. - What is the difference between the "M22" and the "Stellar M22"?
- Dr. Ishii
A new 515nm filter has been approved, allowing us to address thin surface spots that previously could not be removed. In addition, the larger light guide has reduced the time per session by about 5 minutes.
- Can I have a photofacial if I have melasma?
- Dr. Ishii
It isn't necessarily off-limits.
However, in cases of melasma, we believe other treatments should take priority, and that pursuing those would be more beneficial for you. Specifically, we first recommend approaches such as oral medication. - Can I receive this at an esthetic salon?
- Dr. Ishii
A photofacial is a medical procedure known as non-invasive rejuvenation therapy. For this reason, esthetic salons are not permitted to use photofacial equipment.
Some esthetic salons advertise similar devices under names like "photo XX," but the equipment a salon is allowed to use is entirely different from a photofacial, which is medical equipment. As a result, they do not deliver the same effects.
Legal Notices
・Our Photofacial M22 is purchased through a domestic distributor, based on the judgment of our physicians.
・The Photofacial M22 is a device approved in Japan; however, the Acne Expert Filter and Vascular Expert Filter used with it are unapproved and are not classified as pharmaceuticals, so they are personally imported from Lumenis based on the judgment of our physicians.
・Safety information from other countries: In other countries, there have been no reports of serious adverse effects associated with the treatment.
Smart Skin Clinic
Smart Skin Clinic
A clinic built on the concept of "making aesthetic medicine more accessible and smart."
By doing away with lavish interiors to cut fit-out costs, and by carefully selecting only the equipment we truly need rather than adopting devices indiscriminately, we also reduce equipment costs.
We aim to "make aesthetic medicine more accessible to as many people as possible."
Address: EX Kanda Nishiki-cho Building 8F, 3-16-1 Kanda Nishiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Specialties: Aesthetic Dermatology (aesthetic dermatology, medical hair removal, medical body contouring)
Address: EX Kanda Nishiki-cho Building 8F, 3-16-1 Kanda Nishiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Specialties: Aesthetic Dermatology (aesthetic dermatology, medical hair removal, medical body contouring)
About the physician supervision of this site
This site is operated under the supervision of a Smart Skin Clinic supervising physician.
This page was produced in accordance with the Medical Advertising Guidelines Medical Advertising Guidelines revised and enforced in June 2018, under which we produce and provide this information.
- Scope of supervision: treatment descriptions, risks and side effects, price display
- Last supervision date: June 26, 2025