IPL, Anyone??
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free skin care · Mon Mar 15, 2004 10:08 pm

Has anyone tried this? Is it effective?? I heard it is suppose to lighten brown spots and increase collagen production.

Cheers
Jenny

Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:58 pm

Jenny,

Is IPL a laser treatment? I vaguely recall reading about IPL for hair removal (which I'm still considering).

Mabsy

free skin care · Tue Mar 16, 2004 5:33 pm

I thought it was "intense pulse light". I think it is a laser treatment in which a low intensity laser beam is swept across the face.

free skin care · Thu May 25, 2006 1:29 pm

It's both. IPL is short for intense pulsed light, which is used in skin care rejuvenation and also in hair removal. I know it works (somewhat erractically at first) to remove hair, but never used for skin rejuv, mostly bec. when I go to the derm to ask for it, she looks at me like I don't need it yet, though I feel that it would help my skin to look younger. I want to try it, hopefully someone out there who has had it done can tell what kind of results they have had?? in the meantime, you can always look it up online to see before and after photos.. Surprised

free skin care · Thu May 25, 2006 8:06 pm

Does anyone know from experience what it's like on Asian skin?

free skin care · Fri May 26, 2006 1:23 am

I've been considering this for ages - supposedly having the whole face done will help both brown spots and red veins, so sounds almost too good to be true Laughing

. If you're in the States, there are loads of clinics / spas who offer it, and I'd say go for it. Not so many here in the UK, and the ones who do haven't had it for very long so I'm pretty cautious about it. I did have a spot treatment with an IPL many years ago in the States for some pigmentation, and was left with a couple of big oblong burns so it's worth taking time to research the place you go to!

free skin care · Fri May 26, 2006 3:49 am

Hi, I had it done a couple months ago for broken capillaries and had great results. My understanding is the machine has different settings and mine was performed on high which gave me a really good treatment. I had mine done at a derms office and only had the one treatment at a cost of 450.00.

HTH

free skin care · Fri May 26, 2006 12:55 pm

It's really only good for redness and hair removal. If they tell you it's for brown spots and other stuff...they are wrong.

free skin care · Fri May 26, 2006 4:47 pm

Many physician's offices told me the IPL works for lightening hyperpigmentation. I had it done twice, but did not see any improvement. They say you have to get at least 5 treatment to see results, but it is so expensive ($500 each treatment). I gave up after two treatment. I would rather spend the money on skin care products.

free skin care · Fri May 26, 2006 9:48 pm

donnababe wrote:

It's really only good for redness and hair removal. If they tell you it's for brown spots and other stuff...they are wrong.

Actually, I'm having IPL done at the moment and I have a few brown spots that have completely disappeared... Actually, it's the spider veins for me that are so stubborn.... The brown spots get really dark for about a week and then go away... I guess it is different for everyone!

free skin care · Mon May 29, 2006 3:05 am

I agree about it really only being good for redness. I have heard so many people being told that it will cure wrinkles, age spots and increase collagen. I think that most of this is said to get your business.

I had a series of 6 IPL treatments (called Photofacial) for facial redness. The doctor that performed it here said that in his opinion it was ONLY for facial redness, broken capillaries etc. He was by far the most honest person in this business that I've ever met. He said that maybe some people will have a reduction of some age spots but he put the number around 20%. Redness reduction however was around 80%.

In my experience the redness reduction was about 80% as he said. I saw NO reduction in age spots or wrinkles. For that I have been doing 16% TCA peels at home that I bought from Platinum Skincare.

Please don't buy into the hype of age spot and wrinkle reduction with IPL. They cost a lot and I promise at home TCA will give you better results for a fraction of the price.

free skin care · Mon May 29, 2006 10:23 am

I would definitely go through with them. I'm probably the youngest of the group here to get it done...I was 18 going on 19 when I got my first photo facial (apparently the spa people claim photo facials are different than IPL...but i think they have the same purpose)..I had to get several for good results. I did not find out until later then machine they used was not all that up to date and they replaced it right before my treatments were up (i got 2 or 3 with the new machine). My skin probably would be perfectly flawless if i would have invested more money in a different place that had a better machine, so i suggest doing your homework and finding a place that has a new machine! Also, there are SOOOO many different kinds of IPL machines out there now...some are good for reddness, some for brown spots, some for wrinkles...they have ones for everything. But the more you go into things to fight wrinkles or brown spots, the more expensive it can get. I believe i payed about 250.00 per treatment and i do not regret it still. Just make sure you make several consultations with people around your area...even ask for a sample test (they can put gel on an area and zap you..hehe) to see if it is something you wouldn't mind having done.

Sun Jun 04, 2006 8:04 am

i am 38 years old (mediterranean descent-light to medium complexion) and used the ipl on several really stubborn brown spots on my cheeks and forehead....i had used hydroquinone on them with limited success, and i had also had some strong acid peels administered in a derm's office also with limited results (for the brown spots that is--they smoothed out my skin quite nicely however)

...anyways i shopped around and found someone who would just charge me for treating the spots with the ipl and not my whole face (much cheaper--about 75 dollars per session) and after several sessions (about 5 or so) they were about 90 percent removed!! i went back a few months later for a few more sessions and now i am spot free.

At first, she went with a really low power to make sure my skin could handle it, and with each session she increased the power level so that each time i had better results. After each session, the treated areas would turn speckled black, and then in two to three days the parts that had turned black would just flake away! I really cant suggest it enough if you have had problems with hyperpigmentation or melasma...just make sure you do your homework and ask around for someone with great qualifications and experience.

she also informed me that the minute i went to sunbathe that the areas would come back again, so she armed me with an spf 58 (by cotz-which i love) and also suggested that i use obagi (blender cream?) i can't remember exactly which one, but for sure it was obagi and it did not smell good, but it worked to make sure the spots did not return!

I read the other posts as well and all I can say is I think it might work differently on diff. people--for sure it worked for me, but not at all for redness, (though she was not treating me for that and i was told that it was a different setting) and my fine lines are still there...hope this helps!

free skin care · Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:16 am

Just to clarify a couple of misconceptions. There ARE a wide variety of "light treatments" and "photo treatments" out there. BUT, IPL - intense pulsed light - is very specific. It can be used in areas or over the whole face, but that, and of course the intensity setting that the technician or doctor uses, really constitute the only variation.

IPL and photo facials are absolutely NOT the same thing.

free skin care · Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:08 pm

anyways i shopped around and found someone who would just charge me for treating the spots with the ipl and not my whole face (much cheaper--about 75 dollars per session)

I should go back to see the IPL aesthetician if they can spot treat me to reduce the price. $75 is much more reasonable and affordable.

free skin care · Sat Jun 10, 2006 4:24 am

I am going to have IPL down, will tell you after that...

free skin care · Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:39 pm

[quote="LizaA"]Does anyone know from experience what it's like on Asian skin?[/quote]

Hi, Im Asian and i have had 4 IPLs so far. Asian skin get pigmentation problems very easily and it is important that you get a very expereinced surgeon to perform the treatment for you. I've had 4 so far, and each time the surgoen makes the intensity of the IPL stronger. My skin feels much smoother and firmer. It feels and look more plumped but not so much help with redness. Brown spots have also diminished. But with Aisan skin, the key is to take thing slow. We can only tolerate an intensity of light say 600 maximum at a time. Whereas Caucasian can tolerate intensity as high as 900 a time.

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