What is it?
IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light. A tried and true treatment, it combines light, heat and can also include radiofrequency depending on the device, to target a multitude of skin concerns. IPL works to move stagnated blood through broken capillaries to help reduce appearance of redness in the skin – commonly seen on the sheets and around the nostrils. To comprehensively target sun-induced pigment across the face, neck and décolleté, light and heat are drawn to melanin inconsistencies in the skin, raising it to the surface to be desquamate during the healing process. Aside from its corrective nature, IPL is a great option for rejuvenating the complexion by stimulating collagen and elastin production to plump and pad fine lines while re-densifying the overall complexion.
Why we recommend it?
IPL is a proven and effective treatment for addressing concerns like redness, rosacea and broken capillaries that can be difficult to target correctively with home care products alone. It’s a really reliable modality for rejuvenating a sun damaged complexion, both by breaking apart and removing pigment inconsistencies and by stimulating the renewal of collagen and elastin in the skin. For the right skin tones, a regular course of IPL can lift and tone the complexion while improving skin radiance, clarity and luminosity. Though there is some social downtime, with the sensation of a mild sunburn for one to two days post treatment, the results are long lasting.
Expected Downtime
Skin redness, dehydration, tightness. In some cases, you may also experience some slight swelling. It’s normal to feel the sensation of a mild sunburn, where the skin feels hot, itchy and dryer than usual. You may also see some of your pigmentation spots (freckles) darken temporarily. This is the ideal response to the treatment and the pigment will naturally shed off the skins surface within 7-14 days depending on the rate of your cell turnover.
Post treatment, any pigment will continue to darken for up to 24 hours. Mild redness may remain but mineral makeup can be applied to the treated area 24 hours post treatment to soften its appearance. As always, be diligent with your sun care and be mindful of your sun exposure and do not use actives like retinol, AHAs or BHAs for 72 hours post treatment.
Recommended Treatments
Depending on your skin type and unique set of concerns, 3-6 treatments roughly 4-6 weeks apart is recommended.
