The cost depends on the type of condition you're having treated and the size of the treatment area. On average, IPL costs $700 to $1,200. You might have to pay more for anesthesia, tests, follow-up visits, or medicines.
After IPL therapy, you may experience: Slight bruising, which will take 1 – 2 weeks to dissipate. Age spots and freckles looking darker for the first 3 – 7 days, which is normal. Skin becoming crusty or flaky, which may last 7 – 10 day.
IPL treatment heats up the surrounding tissue and melanin, with a higher risk of burns on darker skin types and due to the heat produced, can actually stimulate and increase the appearance of the darkened pigmentation and is therefore not recommended.
How long does it take for IPL Photofacial treatments to work? You will see some improvement about a week out of each treatment. The maximum results will be visible 3-5 months out if you do a series of treatments about 1 month apart each.
What are the common side effects of IPL? The most common (and expected) side effect is a darkening of the more superficial brown spots of the areas being treating. This darkening of superficial brown spots will flake off after about 7-14 days.
IPL therapy is one of the many non-invasive treatments designed to affect the tissue under the skin. This initiates the body's repair response, which in turn is what allows it to drastically improve the amount of collagen that your body produces.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is one such cutting-edge therapy that aims to treat wrinkles. As a non-invasive technique, it can successfully minimize wrinkles while replenishing the beauty of your skin.
Risks and Side Effects of IPL TreatmentIPL is safe when done by a trained technician. But the treatment could cause hormonal brown spots to flare up. You could have other unwanted side effects.
To get more dramatic and permanent results, one of the most effective treatments for removing brown spots on the skin is Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Photofacial Treatment. IPL treatment removes dark spots from the skin with minimal to no side effects.
Treatment
- Medications. Applying prescription bleaching creams (hydroquinone) alone or with retinoids (tretinoin) and a mild steroid might gradually fade the spots over several months.
- Laser and intense pulsed light.
- Freezing (cryotherapy).
- Dermabrasion.
- Microdermabrasion.
- Chemical peel.
Photofacial/IPL RecoveryThe skin will probably swell and redden, which will last a day or two, on average. Along the areas that have sun damage, brown spots may initially appear darker, similar to coffee ground are on the skin. This can last for up to two weeks before starting to fade.
Photofacials are safe for all skin types and complexions. The IPL process, or intense pulsed light therapy, works to zap fine lines and wrinkles, and minimize hyperpigmentation, acne, large pores, and vascular lesions like broken capillaries to improve a patient's appearance.
For patients to get the best IPL results, it is generally recommended that patients receive, on average, 4 – 6 treatments scheduled four weeks apart. Why do most patients need more than one IPL session? Every IPL treatment builds upon the previous one, allowing the skin to react gradually.
If you suffer from rosacea or any other type of skin condition that diffuses redness into the skin, IPL photofacial therapy is a great treatment solution for reducing the appearance of redness and helping create an even and natural complexion.
Side effects of IPL are minor and include: Pain during treatment (reduced by contact cooling and if necessary, topical anaesthetic) Skin turning pink and a little sore immediately after the procedure. A sensation of a mild sunburn (redness, peeling, swelling) that may last a few days after treatment.
The results are usually visible within 2 to 4 weeks after the treatment, because it takes that long for the organism to remove the capillaries and veins. Usually smaller capillaries disappear immediately, which is not always the case.
Laser technology is simply much more effective, and achieves substantially better results than IPL with most clients achieving optimal results of permanent hair removal of 80% or greater after four to eight treatments. However, IPL machines do have an important place in the treatment of skin.
Avoid direct sun exposure for four to six weeks prior to treatment. Do not apply self-tanners or spray tans for four weeks prior to treatment. Please arrive with no makeup, including eyeliner, mascara, or lipstick.
In 18 (66%) of 27 patients IPL also demonstrated whitening effects on normal skin. Fourteen patients (52%) showed whitening effects both on pigmentary and normal areas. These results indicated that IPL therapy may have a whitening effect both on pigmentary and normal areas of the face.
If you are primarily concerned about dark spots and hyperpigmentation, IPL may provide the best option. Unlike IPL, microneedling has the ability to deeply penetrate the dermis and repair skin from the inside out. This improves overall skin tone and texture and achieves a more youthful and refreshed appearance.
Do not use any retinoids, tretinoins, alpha or beta hydroxy products, vitamin C products, scrub, exfoliate, or have chemical peels performed on the areas treated area for one week. We recommend Epionce Medical Barrier Cream moisturizer.
The light passes through the epidermis and penetrates deeper into the dermis where the pulsed light energy stimulates cells called fibroblasts to produce fresh collagen. Over several treatments, this new collagen smooths and softens the appearance of wrinkles, pores and textural irregularities.
How Can IPL Help? Intense light pulses have the effect of rejuvenating the skin and are able to penetrate deep into the skin, killing bacteria and stimulating collagen production. The result is improved skin tone, reduced oil production, and an eventual reduction in the size of size pores.
