What is IPL?

IPL is an acronym that means, Intense Pulsed Light. Also known as a “photo-facial” treatment, IPL delivers broadband light through the skin in order to achieve skin rejuvenation. Is your skin photo-aged or sun-damaged? IPL can help with both skin types and restore a young-looking skin. Furthermore, IPL can help lessen redness in the face, decrease pigmented spots on the face, and reduce facial pore size. Also, IPL can even improve fine lines and skin texture.

How does IPL work?

IPL produces high-intensity pulses made from broadband light. But do not worry. IPL remains non-ablative, which means that the procedure does not harm skin surfaces or further damage skin. Instead, intense light gets administered to the skin’s deeper parts, leaving the outer layer or superficial areas of your skin untouched.

What are the advantages of IPL?

IPL helps remove red facial veins, as well as flushing. Furthermore, IPL can improve acne rosacea, treat irregular pigmentation, dark sun spots, and reduce fine facial lines.

Who is an ideal candidate for IPL?

If you suffer from rosacea, sun-damaged skin, pigmented facial scars or have larger than average pores, you may benefit from IPL.

Who is NOT a good candidate for IPL?

People with darker complexions or tanned skin are typically not ideal candidates for IPL treatment. Furthermore, patients who received spray tans or recently tanned their skin are not ideal candidates for IPL. Men who desire to have facial treatments should know that their beard or mustache area might get patchy hair loss after a session is complete. Therefore, it is best to avoid treating areas where regular facial hair grows.

When do patients have treatments?

How many treatments? Patients undergo a series of three or four IPL treatments.

When are treatments administered? IPL treatments are administered every three-to-four weeks.

How long does each session take? Each treatment session is about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the patient’s treated areas.

How is the treatment performed?

During treatment, a cool gel is applied to the treated area. Next, a beam of light like a rubber band snap is emitted from the hand-piece. Typically, anesthetic is not required because most patients tolerate IPL well. After the session is complete, patients may see some redness and feel like they got a sunburn. But there is NOT a period of downtime because individuals may return to work the next day.

How fast do patients see results?

After one or two treatment sessions are completed, a patient’s skin will contain a more even tone and a smoother look and feel to the touch. Furthermore, sunspots will begin fading and pores become more discreet on the face. However, fine lines and wrinkles soften and lessen over time. Improvements like these continue to become apparent with each treatment completed.

Side Effects

Post-treatment pinkness and little discomfort like a sunburn feeling lasting a few hours is common. Furthermore, areas treated may experience hyper-pigmentation or darkening of the skin. Please, avoid sun exposure and wear sunscreen every day to protect your skin. Because every patient is unique, we typically begin sessions at a conservative level, meaning, we do not progressively increase a patient’s treatment levels. We want to minimize any uncomfortable and unwanted side-effects while developing a personalized treatment protocol for every individual patient.