IPL photofacial
- Performed by:
- A licensed professional, with the training and supervision each jurisdiction requires for light-based devices.
- Recovery:
- Brief redness is commonly described, and treated spots may darken before they flake away. The practitioner sets the recovery plan and the date normal skincare resumes.
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An IPL photofacial is a light-based treatment that uses filtered, broad-spectrum flashes of intense pulsed light to target pigment and visible redness. The light is taken up by melanin in pigmented spots and by hemoglobin in visible vessels, where it turns into heat. A laser emits one wavelength; IPL emits many, and it leaves the skin surface in place.
IPL, or intense pulsed light, is a light-based treatment that uses filtered, broad-spectrum flashes to target pigment and visible redness. It is a broad-spectrum light source, distinct from a laser, and it leaves the skin surface in place. Recovery is usually short, and the practitioner sets what is expected for your skin.
The protocol is the treating professional's clinical decision.
What is IPL?
An IPL device emits pulses of broad-spectrum light through filters that remove the wavelengths not wanted for a given treatment. The light is taken up by melanin in pigmented spots and by hemoglobin in visible vessels, where it turns into heat.
A laser emits one wavelength; IPL emits many. Practitioners use IPL, often called a photofacial, for the look of sun spots and uneven tone, and for visible redness and sensitive-looking skin. It is one of the professional treatments explained in this section.
Who performs IPL?
A licensed professional performs it, with the training and supervision each jurisdiction requires for light-based devices.
What does the skin go through after IPL?
Heat builds in the targeted pigment or vessel while the surrounding surface is cooled. Published reviews describe treated spots darkening and then flaking away over the following days, and visible vessels fading over a series of sessions.
Redness and a feeling of warmth, like a mild sunburn, are commonly described after a session. Recognized risks include burns, blistering and changes in pigment. The risk rises on tanned skin and on darker skin tones, which is why skin type and recent sun exposure shape the plan.
Medications and products that raise sensitivity to light matter here. Tell the practitioner about any prescription taken by mouth or applied to the skin, and about retinoids and exfoliating acids used at home.
Eye protection is worn throughout. IPL usually runs as a course of sessions rather than once. For heat treatments aimed at firmness rather than tone, see radiofrequency.
What does recovery after IPL involve?
The practitioner who performed the session describes the expected course, and that description is the reference. Typical aftercare means cool water, no heat, no scrubbing of darkened spots and strict sun avoidance until the practitioner lifts each restriction.
Blisters, crusting, pain that increases or any change the practitioner did not describe is a reason to call them the same day. If you can choose the timing, a course in the darker months makes strict sun avoidance easier to keep.
What should you ask your practitioner?
- Is IPL the right device for my concern, or would a laser or a peel suit it better?
- How does my skin tone change the risk, and how do you test for it?
- I had sun, a sunbed or self-tan recently. Does that change the date?
- Are any of my medications or home products a reason to wait?
- What will the treated spots look like this week, and what would be outside that?
- How many sessions do you expect, and how far apart?
- When can I restart my normal skincare and my actives?
Caring for skin once it is intact
Once skin is intact, keep it gentle and leave the darkened spots to flake on their own:
- Cleanse gently. Comfort Cleansing Milk with cool to lukewarm water.
- Hydrate. Hydrating NanoSerum as the daily serum.
- Moisturize. AquaCell Moisturizer.
- Protect. Daily broad-spectrum sun protection from any brand. Vegalab does not sell an SPF product.
Exfoliating acids wait for the practitioner's date. Why sun and acids interact: acids and sun sensitivity.
Related professional protocols
- Uneven tone support: a treatment-room protocol for the look of uneven tone, with photography and sun rules.
- Dullness and radiance: for skin that looks flat or gray, between light-based sessions.
- Sensitive-skin barrier: for skin that flushes and stings readily.
- At-home maintenance after a professional treatment: the written week after the appointment.
Another route to the look of even tone: chemical peels.
Key takeaways
- IPL emits pulses of broad-spectrum light through filters, while a laser emits a single wavelength.
- Practitioners use it for the look of sun spots, uneven tone and visible redness.
- Treated spots may darken and then flake away, and visible vessels fade over a series of sessions.
- Recognized risks include burns, blistering and pigment change, and the risk rises on tanned skin and darker skin tones.
- Eye protection is worn throughout, and IPL usually runs as a course of sessions.
References
The studies below describe the procedure.
- Babilas P, Schreml S, Szeimies RM, Landthaler M. Intense pulsed light (IPL): a review. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2010;42(2):93-104.
Frequently asked questions
Is IPL a laser?
No. A laser emits a single wavelength, while IPL emits a broad spectrum of light that is filtered for each treatment. Both use light taken up by targets in the skin, and both are performed by trained professionals.
Why do spots look darker after IPL?
Treated pigment often darkens in the days after a session and then flakes away. The practitioner will describe what to expect for your skin. Leave the darkened spots alone and do not scrub them.
Can I have IPL with a tan?
Recent sun exposure and a tan raise the risk of burns and pigment change, so the practitioner may postpone the session. Tell the practitioner about any recent sun, sunbed or self-tan use.
When can I use my usual skincare after IPL?
When the practitioner clears normal skincare, which is often soon after a session. Keep the routine gentle for the first days and use daily sun protection.
What is an IPL photofacial used for?
Practitioners use IPL, often called a photofacial, for the look of sun spots and uneven tone, and for visible redness and sensitive-looking skin. The light targets melanin in pigmented spots and hemoglobin in visible vessels.
How many IPL sessions are needed?
IPL usually runs as a course of sessions rather than once, and visible vessels fade over a series of sessions. Ask the practitioner how many sessions they expect and how far apart.
Do medications affect IPL?
Medications and products that raise sensitivity to light matter. Tell the practitioner about any prescription taken by mouth or applied to the skin, and about retinoids and exfoliating acids used at home.
When is the best time of year for IPL?
Strict sun avoidance is part of IPL aftercare. If you can choose the timing, a course in the darker months makes that easier to keep.