Intense Pulse Light (IPL)
Overview | Patient Specific Questions
- Am I a good candidate for IPL therapy?
- What does IPL therapy involve?
- How do I plan my IPL therapy?
- How do I prepare for IPL therapy?
- What results can I expect after IPL therapy?
- Where will my IPL therapy be performed?
- What type of anesthesia will be used for my IPL therapy?
- What should I expect after IPL therapy?
- When will I be able to return to work following IPL therapy?
- Are there any side effects associated with IPL therapy?
- Are there any risks associated with IPL therapy?
Am I a good candidate for IPL therapy?
Individuals who are prone to keloid scarring, are dark-skinned, are darkly tanned, or are sensitive to burns may not be good candidates for IPL therapy because they are more likely to suffer from unwanted scarring and changes in skin pigmentation. The best candidates are of European descent and have highly elastic, non-oily skin. However, IPL therapy has been successfully performed on individuals with all kinds of skin types and you should not be discouraged to consult with a physician about IPL therapy based on your skin type. Individuals of all ages seeking to eliminate blemishes and many other types of skin problems, or would like to permanently remove unwanted hair will benefit from IPL treatment. Individuals using blood-thinning medication, those who are diabetic, pregnant or have special conditions such as blood clotting disorders, are not suitable candidates for IPL treatment.
What does IPL therapy involve?
Most patients do not require any anesthesia for IPL therapy; however, some individuals may request a topical anesthetic that is applied 20 minutes prior to treatment. A cold gel is also applied to the area being treated. Once the patient is prepped and wearing laser safety goggles, intense bursts of light are delivered to the skin surface non-invasively using a hand-held device. Patients may experience moderate to no pain, which has been described to feel like a rubber-band pinch. Patients can resume normal activity immediately after surgery.
Each treatment session lasts approximately 20 to 45 minutes and 4 to 6 sessions are usually required. The treatment sessions are usually performed every 3 to 4 weeks.
While IPL therapy does not require any pre-treatment tests because of its non-invasiveness, patients should discuss any special conditions with their physician. For example, the safety of IPL therapy has not been tested on patients under 18 years of age, or those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
How do I prepare for IPL therapy?
Patients undergoing IPL therapy should avoid taking aspirin and drinking alcohol one week prior to treatment in order to minimize bruising and bleeding at the treatment site and maintain normal blood circulation. Patients should also make sure that the area to be treated is not infected prior to treatment. It is recommended that patients protect their skin from UV exposure before and after IPL therapy. Patients should not be tanning (indoor or outdoor) for 4 weeks prior to and 4 weeks after treatment.
What results can I expect after IPL therapy?
If patients keep their skin well protected from the sun and receive a full series of treatments, the results of photo rejuvenation can last up to 1 year. After IPL treatments, patients usually notice an improvement in the color and tone of their skin, especially involving brown and red spots. IPL therapy for unwanted hair removal is considered a permanent solution. Most patients are extremely satisfied with the results of IPL therapy and are amazed at the short recovery time and absence of pain.
Where will my IPL therapy be performed?
IPL therapy is usually performed at a physician’s office-based facility. Therefore, it is extremely important for patients to make sure that a surgical accreditation body such as AAAASF accredits the office facility
What type of anesthesia will be used for my IPL therapy?
Since IPL therapy is expected to cause little or no pain, most patients do not receive any anesthesia. In some cases, patients may opt for a topical anesthetic cream that is applied 20 minutes prior to treatment.
What should I expect after IPL therapy?
Since IPL therapy is a non-invasive procedure, you can resume most normal activities immediately after surgery. However, patients should avoid touching and washing the treated area within 6 hours after IPL therapy. Patients may experience some redness and mild swelling after treatment that usually disappears within a few hours to a few days. Due to the increased sensitivity of your skin after treatment, patients should protect the treated area from UV exposure for 2 weeks. Patients should wear a high factor broad-spectrum sunscreen at all times. It is also recommended that patients avoid strenuous activities for the first 36 hours after IPL therapy.
When will I be able to return to work following IPL therapy?
Patients can return to work immediately after surgery. However, patients with jobs that entail sun exposure to the treated area may require longer work restrictions because patients should avoid UV exposure for the first 2 weeks after IPL therapy.
Are there any side effects associated with IPL therapy?
Side effects are events that may be experienced by patients as a result of your surgery and should not be considered adverse events. Our patients are counseled regarding these effects and if experienced they are tolerable and often temporary in duration.
- Swelling: Patients may experience mild swelling and some redness after IPL treatment that usually subsides within a few days.
- Blistering: Some patients may have blistering in the treated area after IPL therapy. These blisters will resolve but will require topical antibiotic therapy.
- Hyper/hypo-pigmentation: Hyper/hypo-pigmentation (darkened/lightened skin color) may occur for some patients and last between 3 to 12 months after IPL treatment. Permanent changes in skin pigmentation only happen in rare cases.
Are there any risks associated with IPL therapy?
Risks are unwanted events that may occur during or following surgery. These events are recognized as “complications” but their occurrence is minimized by appropriate patient selection, proper surgical decision making, effective surgical technique, and thorough preoperative and postoperative patient management.
Scarring: Severe blistering and slight bleeding may occur in some patients. Although rare, severe blistering and bleeding may lead to permanent scarring in some cases.
