Lumenis IPL

Lumenis IPL, also known as a photofacial, is an intense pulsed light therapy that treats a variety of skin concerns.

Whether you are looking to turn back the clock, reverse sun damage, or simply look more refreshed and vibrant, Lumenis IPL might be the right treatment for you.

Coast Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center is a full-service skin care clinic overseen by board-certified cosmetic, medical, and surgical dermatologist Glenn Goldberg, DO.

Our expert team offers a wide range of medical and cosmetic services, including laser and light treatments for skin rejuvenation. We will customize your treatment plan to ensure you enjoy the most beautiful, natural results possible. 

What is intense pulsed light? 

Intense pulsed light delivers multiple wavelengths of light in short, intense pulses to work beneath the outer dermal layer to rejuvenate the skin and treat specific issues.

While a laser uses a single wavelength, the multiple wavelengths from the IPL device allow us to address multiple concerns in a single treatment.

Light targets the lower dermal tissue without disrupting the outer layer of skin to produce noticeable results with minimal discomfort and downtime involved.

What does IPL treat?  

At Coast Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center, we use the Lumenis IPL to treat a wide range of skin concerns and conditions, including: 

• Brown spots 
• Sun damage
• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Other skin discoloration
• Visible vessels 
• Acne scarring 
• Rosacea
• Unwanted hair 

A 2013 Stanford study found that light treatments like IPL can even turn back the clock on the skin at a cellular level. Researchers discovered that regular light treatments can change the gene expression linked to the aging process to result in younger skin over time. 

Who is a candidate for IPL treatments? 

While IPL treatments are good for most skin types, our skin care clinic might offer an alternative treatment to patients with darker skin tones. RF microneedling is often a better option for these patients. If you are undergoing your procedure for hair removal, this treatment tends to work best on patients with lighter skin and darker hair colors. 

IPL treatments are not recommended for patients who: 

• Have a recent tan
• Are pregnant
• Have severe acne or other skin conditions 
• Are taking Accutane

Our board-certified dermatologists will assess you individually and discuss your concerns and goals in detail to determine whether Lumenis IPL is the best treatment choice for you. 

What to expect from your Lumenis IPL treatment

When you come in for your Lumenis IPL treatment, we will cleanse the skin and apply topical numbing to ensure you are comfortable during your procedure.

Once the treatment area is numb, we apply a cooling gel to the treatment area and adjust the Lumenis IPL settings to produce the best results for you.

You will wear protective goggles throughout the procedure to keep your eyes safe from the light.

We move the handpiece over the area, which delivers the wavelengths of light into the lower dermal tissue. Some patients describe the sensation of the light as a rubber band snapping against the skin, but find it very tolerable.

Most IPL treatments take about 30 minutes to complete. 

Recovery after your IPL treatment

Most patients return to regular activities immediately following their IPL treatment, since the device doesn’t damage the outer skin layer. You may experience some mild redness or swelling in the treatment area but these side effects don’t typically last very long.

Many patients look like they have a mild sunburn. We recommend OTC pain medications or cool packs to relieve any discomfort. 

It is critical that you protect your skin from the sun after your treatment to prevent potential complications like scarring or hyperpigmentation. We will give you full aftercare instructions before you leave our office. 

IPL results 

You might not see positive results immediately following your IPL treatment. If the procedure was to remove brown spots, you may see those spots darken before they flake off within about 1-2 weeks.

Other improvements will also become evident in the weeks after your appointment. While you may see positive results after a single treatment, many patients need a series of treatment sessions to achieve an optimal outcome.

We typically schedule procedures about 4-6 weeks apart and will be able to discuss your full treatment plan at your initial consultation so you know what to expect.

Contact our skin care clinic to see if IPL is right for you

If you would like to learn more information about our Lumenis IPL treatment or other cosmetic dermatology procedures at Coast Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center, contact us today.

Under the guidance of Glenn Goldberg, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, we can answer your questions about Lumenis IPL and evaluate if you are a candidate for Lumenis IPL treatment.