Everything You Need to Know About IPL Treatment

IPL stands for “intense pulsed light.” An IPL treatment is a type of therapy that can improve the look and feel of your skin without surgery — it is sometimes called a “photofacial”, and is typically used to treat wrinkles, sun spots, unwanted hair, age spots, broken blood vessels, and many other conditions and issues.

If you are considering an IPL treatment, it’s important to learn more about it. 

What is IPL?

What is IPL treatment? It is a process that uses light to target an unwanted pigment in your skin. IPL works by releasing many different wavelengths of light deep into the second layer of your skin (the dermis). That means the treatment can work on the lower layer of your skin without damaging the top layer.

The light is absorbed by the pigment in your skin and converted into heat, destroying the pigment or follicle that is growing unwanted hair. Your body then removes the damaged tissue naturally. The result is more even-looking skin.

IPL also stimulates collagen growth in your skin. Collagen is what keeps skin soft and elastic. As we age our bodies naturally produce less collagen, which can result in dull or sagging skin. By stimulating your body to produce more, skin becomes softer and suppler while also looking and feeling younger.

IPL treatments reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, improve the skin’s texture, and leave your skin looking more even and youthful.

What to Expect

We recommend avoiding sunbathing, chemical peels, waxing, and other treatments in the affected area before you go in for an IPL session. By avoiding these processes for at least two weeks before your treatment, your skin will be better able to accept the treatment and effectively heal.

When you receive IPL treatment, the first step is to clean your skin to prepare it for the process. Most IPL sessions last about 25-30 minutes, but it could take over an hour to successfully treat a larger area.

Our team will talk to you about what you would like to achieve with this process and give you all the information you need to know before we begin, including how long you can expect the process to take.

Many people feel only a warm tingling sensation during the session. Some people might feel a stinging that can be a minor discomfort. You shouldn’t experience significant pain during the session.

Post IPL Treatment + Recovery

One significant benefit to IPL treatments is that there is no downtime following a session. The area may look pink or red following treatment but this should go away in a few hours. In general, you may experience a reaction similar to a minor sunburn.

It’s a good idea to avoid makeup in the treated area until any redness or swelling is gone. We will let you know what is recommended for care following your session.

While you will see a difference with IPL before and after 1 treatment, most people receive several treatments for effective results, spaced apart by about 4 weeks. Generally, we suggest that most people do between three and six sessions but that will depend on your specific situation.

For more information on the IPL process and how it can help improve the look and feel of your skin, call the Elite Laser Esthetics team in Hialeah, FL at (305) 560-4144 or complete our online contact form .

We will be more than happy to sit down with you, discuss your situation and your goals, and recommend a process that will help you achieve what you’re looking for. We want you to look and feel your best and to love the skin you’re in.