Ipl Laser For Hair

Ipl Laser For Hair

The technology exists to transform you from a hairless, balding mouse into a regal lion, and we’re here to tell you about it. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons frequently employ ipl laser treatments for hair loss. When it comes to treating baldness, though, laser hair restoration is widely regarded as the gold standard. The only way to figure out if it’s true or not is to read the rest of the article.

Intense pulses of light are used to destroy hair follicles in the Ipl laser for hair, although you might believe that’s the case with any laser. Just barely! The process is as follows: To monitor individual hair follicles, we employ a method we developed in-house. After locating the hair follicles, we use a series of laser shots to destroy them. That is to say, we are not actually removing any of your hair, but rather preventing any new growth from occurring.

Only laser hair removal can permanently get rid of hair on big areas including the back, stomach, and underarms. The laser used in ipl hair removal is the same one used to blind and kill sharks. The hair follicle bulb’s capacity to grow is disabled and eventually destroyed by the powerful light pulses. Ipl Laser Hair Removal is effective on all skin types, it leaves no visible scars, and it can be done everywhere on the body, including the face, neck, and scalp, unlike other techniques. Read on to learn more on is ipl hair removal safe and ipl hair removal side effects.

Ipl Laser For Hair

For a long time, IPL hair removal was only known by a select few; it was merely a rumor spread among the salon set. What was once a whisper is now a scream. Now that IPL devices like the Philips Lumea Prestige can be used at home, there is much excitement about this long-lasting hair-free alternative. There are already millions of women using it. But what exactly is IPL?

If we weren’t confident that IPL was the wave of the future for hair removal, we never would have developed the Philips Lumea Prestige. The answers to your pressing issues have arrived in this now-future era. Intense Pulsed Light: How Does It Operate? When and how does IPL work, and how does it feel? Why do people prefer IPL over other hair removal methods? Allow me to take a peek.

What is IPL hair removal?

Intense Pulsed Light is the technique behind this treatment. The hair root is gently zapped with light pulses from an IPL home equipment. As a result, the hair enters a dormant phase, during which the existing hair falls out and the body stops producing new hair there.

The softness is long-lasting as well. The first four treatments with the Philips Lumea Prestige, the culmination of 14 years of study, can reduce hair growth by up to 80%*, giving you a full eight weeks to enjoy hair-free skin. Smart curved attachments extend the device’s reach so that you can treat sensitive areas like your face, underarms, and bikini line without risking injury. Thus, IPL can effectively replace other hair removal methods including shaving, waxing, and epilators.

Individual results, as assessed by the length of time it takes to treat the legs, vary (*).

How does IPL work? 

So that answers ‘what is IPL?’ – now for the details. IPL works thanks to a pigment in hair called melanin: much like a dark sheet on a hot day, the melanin helps the hair absorb the light from the flashes, stimulating it to go into its resting phase. This leaves you with smooth, hair-free skin.

So, how do you do IPL hair removal at home? Using the Philips Lumea Prestige is easy:

1.  Shave, epilate or wax the area to remove the hair. If you choose to epilate or wax, make sure you do it the day before you do your treatment. 
2. Select the right light intensity for your skin tone.
3. Turn the Lumea on, and wait for the ‘ready to flash’ light to come on.
4. Press the ‘flash’ button.
5. Move on to the next spot!

It takes less than 8.5 minutes** to do your lower legs with the Philips Lumea Prestige. Once the hair stops growing back, you can leave out the shaving step and just use the Lumea to keep your skin beautifully smooth.

To see positive results from the get-go, use the Lumea Prestige once every two weeks for the first four treatments. After that, you should only need to do minor touch ups every 4-8 weeks

Does IPL hair removal work well?
What results can I expect?

If you’re using the Philips Lumea Prestige, you’ll start seeing results pretty quickly – and after the first four treatments, long-lasting smoothness should be yours.

• Enjoy 92% hair reduction after just three treatments*.
• After the first four treatments, you have up to 8 weeks of freedom from hair removal***.
• Hair that does regrow is thinner and softer.

We have some very satisfied customers! Read our reviews on the product page here.

*When following the treatment schedule, measured on legs, after 3rd treatment, individual results may vary.

***When following treatment schedule, measured on legs, individual results vary.

Does IPL work on all types of body hair?

You can use the Philips Lumea Prestige to remove hair on your legs, underarms, bikini line and face. It comes with different curved attachments for different body areas, so it’s easy to reach and treat each one the right way. The five graded light settings and SmartSkin sensor mean that you can always make sure that your skin is getting the gentle treatment it needs.

Here’s a quick lowdown on each of the different Lumea Prestige attachments for IPL hair removal at home:

Body attachment: A generously curved design follows the natural contours of your body, letting you effectively treat large areas like the legs, arms and stomach. Broader 4.1 cm² window size lets you treat these areas quickly, so you can get on with your day.

• Time: 8.5 minutes to treat lower legs*.
• Hair reduction satisfaction rate: 83% for legs***.

Bikini area attachment: A more delicately-curved design and a transparent filter allow for the effective treatment of hard-to-reach areas. 3 cm² window size for a tighter range of focus.

• Time: 2 minutes to treat bikini area *.
• Hair reduction satisfaction rate: 78% for bikini area ***.

Underarm attachment: No hair is left behind when you’re using this specially-curved attachment. Again, the 3 cm² window size helps treat stronger and thicker hair accurately.

• Time: 2.5 minutes to treat underarms *.
• Hair reduction satisfaction rate: 86% for underarms ***.

Face attachment: Flat design with slightly narrower nib and an extra integrated filter. 2 cm² window size gives you safe and very precise treatment on the chin, upper lip and sideburns.

• Time: 1.5 minute to treat face areas *.
• Hair reduction satisfaction rate: 84% for face***.

*When used corded, time indication for highest energy setting.

*** Study conducted in Netherlands and Austria with 46 women, after 3 treatments on armpits, bikini, legs, after 2 treatments on face.

Who can try IPL hair removal at home?

One question we hear a lot is ‘does IPL work on my skin/hair tone?’. IPL hair removal is very effective on a wide range of hair colours and skin tones, with a few exceptions:

As you can see from the chart, IPL devices like the Philips Lumea Prestige work well on dark blonde, brown, and black hair, and most skin shades apart from very dark tones.

What is IPL like? Does IPL hurt?

To put it another way: no, it won’t hurt. Almost 2,000 women participated in clinical trials of the Philips Lumea Prestige to ensure that it would be comfortable to wear. Users generally felt a mild warming with each flash, but nothing more. Almost 1.5 million women around the world have tried IPL because who would refuse painless, permanent hair removal?

The trick is to adjust the Lumea’s brightness to just the perfect level. You have your pick from five different options, and there’s a helpful guide to assist you select the one that works best with your hair and complexion.

According to the rules of usage will help you avoid any aches and pains. Trim the hair there before you use Lumea, and try not to overexpose the same region with the light. Of course, you shouldn’t use IPL (or any other hair removal therapy) if you have any open sores, rashes, tattoos, infections, or burns on your skin.

Is Ipl Hair Removal Safe

The question of whether or not IPL hair removal is safe is one that may cross your thoughts. Don’t fret, though. While IPL is safe for at-home use, some people may have modest adverse effects like redness or a change in pigmentation.

A strong laser or intense pulsed light (IPL) is used in laser hair removal, a cosmetic technique.
This type of light can affect hair growth because it warms and kills hair follicles in the skin.

Facial, chest, leg, arm, underarm, and bikini line treatments are the most common.

Excessive hair growth in women may benefit from this (hirsutism).

What to think about before you have laser hair removal

Laser hair removal may have side effects, it has limitations, and it can be expensive.

Safety

Laser hair removal is safe, but it can occasionally cause side effects, such as pain and discomfort, and red skin that may last for some time.

It may also not be suitable for everyone, including pregnant women and people with certain skin types.

There’s no evidence to suggest that laser hair removal causes skin cancer.

It’s important to make sure the person doing your laser hair removal is experienced and suitably qualified.

Check they’re on a register to show they meet set standards in training, skill and insurance.

Avoid practitioners who have only completed a short training course.

It’s not permanent

You’ll need regular sessions to keep hair from regrowing.

How often sessions are needed varies for each person. For example, you may need a session to remove facial hair every 4 weeks, and for body hair every 6 to 8 weeks.

There’s no guarantee laser hair removal will get rid of all the hair.

It does not work well on dark skin

Laser hair removal works better on people with pale skin and dark hair.

It’s not as effective on tanned skin or hair that’s been bleached by the sun. If you’ve got a tan you’ll need to let it fade before having treatment.

Cost

The cost of laser hair removal depends on the area of the body being treated and the number of treatments needed.

For example, for single treatments it may cost around:

• £85 for the upper lip
• £110 for under the arms
• £130 for the bikini line
• £270 for the arms

What laser hair removal involves

You’ll need to shave the area of skin the day before your appointment.

On the day, you’ll wear specially designed goggles to protect your eyes.

The practitioner usually applies a cool gel or cooling air spray to the area of skin.

They then press a handheld device to your skin and trigger the laser. This may feel like an elastic band snapping at your skin.

Each session may take between 15 minutes to over an hour.

The number of sessions needed depends on the area to be lasered and the system used.

Afterwards

The affected area may be red with a raised rash for a few hours to a few days.

Regularly holding an ice pack to the skin may help (try a pack of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel).

Your skin will be more sensitive to the sun after laser hair removal. It’s best to avoid exposing the treated area of skin to sunlight until after the treatment course has finished.

Regardless of the weather, use sunscreen (minimum SPF30) for at least 4 weeks on exposed areas that have been treated.

Rarely, laser hair removal can result in:

• pain, discomfort or tenderness
• red skin that may last for some time
• crusting, blistering, bruising or swelling of your skin
• lightening or darkening of your skin
• scarring
• burns from the laser’s heat
• bacterial infections.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is one of the top light-based therapy treatments that currently exist, and every day more people around the world find out about its benefits as they use it to remove their acne, broken capillaries, stretch marks, and much more. Yet, the procedure has not been fully rosy for everybody and it is not difficult to find reports of various people being unhappy about their treatment.

While IPL remains highly recommended, there are some side effects most people are unaware of before they begin the treatment. This leads to people coming out of the procedure with much worse skin than they had before they started, which nobody wants. To make sure that you don’t fall into the same traps as countless others, we will be discussing the potential impact of IPL on your skin, including whether it can give you burns, affect your skin texture, and much more.

Can IPL Ruin Your Skin?

While you may have read about countless dangers of IPL, the chances of your skin being damaged by IPL are very few. This mostly lies in the technology behind the procedure. IPL is non-invasive and non-ablative, which means that the light beams can target the lower layers of your skin without affecting the top layers. This makes the procedure highly safe, while also resulting in little downtime.

Essentially, if you take the right steps before getting your IPL, then you should only expect to come out on the other side of the treatment looking fresh and revitalized. Unfortunately, many people read about the potential benefits of IPL and jump into the procedure without doing much research, which is where things can start to go wrong.

While IPL is a fantastic procedure with marvellous benefits, it is not for everybody. There are certain skin tones that we suggest do not use an IPL treatment at any time, because it can easily lead to hyperpigmentation or discoloration. Additionally, IPL may not be the best solution for all issues, and you should speak to a skin therapist or licensed provider before you undergo the treatment.

Does IPL Change Skin Texture?

If you have any texture-related skin issues, then IPL is one of the top options to help solve this. During your treatments, the heat from the technology will help to destroy older or dead cells in the target area, which will then help to stimulate the growth of newer and healthier cells.

Naturally, these newer cells will be much firmer and richer in proteins such as elastin or collagen. So, after your IPL treatment, your skin will feel much firmer and supple. Additionally, any imperfections or issues in that problem area will be reduced or turn completely invisible. This will help to improve the level of your appearance, giving you a more youthful and vibrant look.

Will IPL Burn Marks Go Away?

While burns are extremely rare when you undergo an IPL treatment, they may still happen, and you should remain wary of this. In any case, if you do receive a burn from an IPL, don’t fret, it will generally go away over time and you should not expect any lasting effects.

However, you should still speak to your provider if you do notice any burn. This can be extremely helpful, especially if you still have more sessions in your treatment plan. Once your skin therapist is aware of the burn, they will give you the best tips on how to manage it, while also ensuring that the settings on the device are more suitable for your skin during the next session.

Can IPL Cause Hyperpigmentation?

Hyperpigmentation is one of the possible side effects of IPL and other light-based therapy treatments. However, this may depend on the type of procedure that you desire to use the IPL for. To ensure that this does not affect you, we suggest that you speak to your skin therapist about the dangers of hyperpigmentation on your skin before you begin your treatment.

Another factor that can lead to hyperpigmentation is your skin tone. As hyperpigmentation is caused by an excess production of melanin, those with dark tones are naturally at a higher risk. This is why we always recommend that you stay away from IPL if you have darker skin, as the chances of hyperpigmentation are extremely high.

If you have a medium skin tone and are unsure about the potential effects that the therapy may have, then you should speak to your provider about this. They will examine your skin and decide if the treatment is going to be safe for you.

What Are The Dangers Of IPL?

We have already discussed many of the risks associated with IPL, such as burning, hyperpigmentation, scarring, etc. Unfortunately, while many of these side effects can be avoided, many clients and providers do not take the necessary precautions before an IPL treatment, leading to several health risks and damage to the skin.

To ensure that you are not affected, you should make sure that you do the following before an IPL treatment:

       1. Follow the Instructions of Your Provider :

Before you begin your IPL procedure, your skin therapist will likely give you a set of instructions to follow. This can range from not shaving your hair immediately before a hair removal treatment to staying away from the sun for a given period. If you receive any of these instructions, you must follow them.

You should remember, any guidance that your skin therapist provides is for your care and will aid in stopping any side effects. So, if you are unable to follow them, we suggest that you speak to your provider about the possibility of rescheduling. Following these guidelines will also ensure that you see the maximum benefits of any treatment.

       2. Enquire About The Training of Your Service Provider:

The therapist administering your IPL should not only be proficient with the equipment, but should also have some idea of what effects the therapy will have on your skin. Having this kind of information at hand can be crucial in preventing unwanted impacts. Unfortunately, because IPL can be so thrilling, most people jump at the first hands offering them the treatment without first ensuring that they are qualified to do it.

You and your provider should have a lengthy discussion about your expectations and concerns for IPL treatments before you begin your sessions. You should also inquire as to how much training or experience they have treating your particular ailment. Hence, if you want to utilize IPL for Rosacea but your therapist doesn’t have much experience with it, you should look elsewhere.

You should also inquire about any possible health hazards associated with utilizing IPL to treat your condition. This will ensure that you are prepared for any potential adverse effects. The ability to analyze your alternatives depends on knowing the health hazards involved. You may wish to look into other options if the thought of being burned causes you extreme distress.

        3. Speak to Your Provider About Your Current Medication:

IPL is likely not the first solution that you have sought out for your skin issue and you may already be on some form of medication. If this is the case, then we suggest that you speak to your provider about this before the treatment, especially if they make your skin more sensitive to light.

Such medication can easily lead to adverse effects, such as burning or scarring. However, if your skin therapist is aware of the medication, they can examine it and determine if it is safe to continue using during IPL. On the other hand, if you would like to continue the medication while on IPL, they can also adjust the intensity of the light to accommodate for its effects, which should help reduce the possibility of any health risks.

How Long Does It Take For Dark Spots To Fade After IPL?

One of the most frequently asked concerns we get is, “how quickly will my dark spots vanish after IPL?” This is because IPL is also widely used for the treatment of dark spots. Successful treatment of dark spots, fortunately, can be accomplished in a short amount of time.

Dark spots typically start to lighten within two weeks following the initial treatment session, though results may vary based on factors like the depth of the pigment. After the first full treatment, your skin should look much more consistent, and you should notice significant improvements.

But, a single session of therapy won’t eliminate your dark spots forever. So, we advise discussing the potential of an additional treatment with your practitioner if you wish to see further improvement. Keep in mind that IPL is a long-term investment, and the only way to get consistent results is to commit to your treatment plan.

Ipl Hair Removal Side Effects

• pain, discomfort or tenderness.
• red skin that may last for some time.
• crusting, blistering, bruising or swelling of your skin.
• lightening or darkening of your skin.
• scarring.
• burns from the laser’s heat.
• bacterial infections.

Tired of your daily shaving or monthly waxing routine? It is time to consider the alternative method – IPL for hair removal. IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light, which works by focusing flashes of light on your hair follicle. It is known for its long-term and visible hair reduction, which can also save you from multiple salon trips and the pain of waxing.

If you wonder whether IPL at home is safe and if its effective, here’s a guide that talks about it all. So, wait no more and read on!

How Does IPL Work?

Although IPL is a progressive treatment offering full body hair removal, you can use IPL for hair removal of separate areas, such as your arms, legs, or bikini area, depending on your individual needs. IPL works by aiming the dark pigment – melanin around your hair follicle. It then targets the follicle thereby making the hair fall out and restricting its ability to regrow.

Since melanin is very dense at the base of the root, it provides an absolute target for the strong light pulses emitted by the IPL hair removal device. While performing IPL at home, you’ll hold a flashgun-like device that delivers a spectrum of light to the skin. The melanin absorbs this light and produces heat energy, which then reaches the hair root, has the right effect, and disables the key areas within the follicle. Your hair then falls out, and the repeated process reduces the growth of hair in the following weeks.

Is IPL safe to use?

Generally, a thought that might strike your mind is whether is IPL hair removal safe? Well, worry not. IPL is safe to use at home; however, there are a few common and mild IPL side effects like redness or pigment change. You can soothe these IPL hair removal side effects by applying a cool antiseptic gel, making them fade away in no time.

When done correctly using the right IPL device, it can be easy to achieve silky smooth, hair-free skin. To help you understand better, here are some safety tips that you must follow:

• IPL has been suitable for those with light skin and darker hair, so it’s best to choose a device that is technologically advanced with a skin tone sensor to minimise these restrictions. This way, the device will sense the UV range of your skin tone and adapt to the flash intensity accordingly without absorbing the melanin in your skin. Make sure the device is dermatologically accredited as skin safe.
• Speak to your dermatologist before you opt for IPL if you have any skin conditions like psoriasis, chronic skin disorder or if your skin is photosensitive.
• It is best to avoid IPL during pregnancy.
• Never use IPL to remove hair from moles.
• Avoid waxing, tweezing, epilating, or threading to remove hair in between the IPL treatments. But you can shave to keep the growth in control.
• Prepare your skin well before the IPL treatment by shaving the area of treatment and then patting it dry.
• If your device comes with different modes, make sure to use each mode for appropriate areas for efficacy.
• After each session, wipe the device clean and maintain hygiene to avoid skin problems.
• Keep your skin hydrated by moisturising it every morning and night.

Can I use IPL for private parts?

It’s important to note that some areas of the body may be more sensitive than others and require a gentler form of hair removal: such as the bikini line. You can use an IPL device that comes along with a mode to treat these gentle areas. That being said, never use your IPL device on extra-sensitive areas such as the genitals, nipples, or anus, as this could cause inflammation.

Can I use IPL for the face?

If your IPL device is also suitable for sensitive or smaller areas, you can use it on your face. However, if you bleach your facial hair or they are naturally lighter in shade, then IPL may not be effective for you on the face.

If you are using IPL for removing facial hair, it is recommended to do it from cheeks down. It’s not recommended to use IPL anywhere near the eyes or for eyebrows, as it can cause eye damage. Check your device’s manual and read the instructions carefully to understand the areas it is suitable for. Certain devices come along with separate settings for facial use.

Does IPL Hair Removal Hurt?

It’s a common assumption that IPL isn’t a pain-free method of hair removal, due to the fact that it uses beams of light to heat the hair follicle. But the truth is, IPL hair removal pain barely feels like a light flick or pinches during the flashes. It’s not even close to the pain you’d experience when waxing or threading.

Busting other myths about IPL hair removal

1) It won’t work on dark skin tones
When there is more melanin present in the skin, the IPL needs to adjust the intensity of light to avoid the beam from focusing on the skin, instead of the hair follicle. When IPL was new to the market, most devices were ineffective for darker skin tones, as there wasn’t a technology yet available that could adapt the IPL intensity to a person’s skin tone. Nowadays, there are IPL devices that can automatically adapt the light intensity to match your skin pigmentation, whether you have fair, olive, or dark skin – though it’s important to read the label carefully, to ensure you’re buying the best IPL for you.

2) IPL hair removal isn’t permanent
While IPL doesn’t get rid of every follicle of hair on your body at the same time, it can progressively deliver permanent hair reduction. As hair grows in stages, not all follicles will be ‘full’ of hair when you undergo an IPL treatment. Since only hair in its growing phase is susceptible to treatment with light, it is important to do multiple IPL treatments to achieve long-lasting, continuously smooth skin.

3) IPL devices are expensive and require maintenance
Using IPL at home means you can remove hair across most body areas and only spend on one treatment. While multiple trips to the salon can add up and become expensive, you can save money in the long run by performing IPL at home.

4) You cannot opt for IPL in the summer
It’s perfectly safe to opt for IPL during the summer months, though you should take extra care to wear sunscreen of at least 30 SPF to avoid sunburn.

Dos and don’ts for IPL Treatment – Before and After

Before your treatment

• Avoid tanning booths, sunbeds, spray tans and tanning creams.
• Ensure there are no open wounds, broken skin, or inflamed areas on the skin you’re planning to treat.
• Avoid intense exfoliation treatments, such as microdermabrasion, as this increases the risk of inflammation and side effects after your IPL hair removal.
• Shave the area you’re planning to treat 12 to 24 hours beforehand.

After your treatment

• Don’t wear tight-fitting clothes after treatment, as this can irritate your skin.
• Don’t use skin products that may irritate your skin, such as perfume, cleansers or exfoliators, for 24 – 48 hours after treatment.
• Avoid hot showers, steam rooms and saunas.
• Wear sunscreen with a high SPF to keep the skin protected.

Benefits of IPL

Not quite convinced yet? See below for some of the main benefits of using IPL, compared to other hair removal methods:

• You can undergo IPL hair removal from the comfort of your own home, applying these gentle flashes of light around your desired body areas (as mentioned in the product manual) after shaving.
• IPL results in your hair becoming thinner and less noticeable, as it naturally sheds and regrows at a much slower pace.
• With epilating or waxing, you’re advised not to shave for a few weeks before treatment, which can lead to stubbly body hair during that in-between period – not ideal if you want to hit the beach and try out that new swimsuit! You won’t have to worry about this with IPL, as you’re actually advised to shave before treatment. Shaving before your IPL hair removal treatment helps the light beam to focus on the hair root.
• When using IPL, you’ll need to shave less and less as your treatments go on. As the hair follicles will be empty, you’ll notice fewer ingrown hairs and less stubble ‘shadow’.
• IPL treatment helps to smooth out the texture of your skin, whereas waxing or threading can cause inflammation.

There are many skin care treatments available today that make claims of making skin look younger and smoother, but only a select few are considered the “Gold Standard” by medical professionals. From IPL (intensity pulsed light) Photo Facials to dermal fillers like Botox cosmetic, even those with FDA clearance for safety and effectiveness should be approached with caution. Several people I know, both women and men, have benefited greatly from these treatments, but I also know that some have experienced less-discussed bad responses that have made their conditions even worse. The latter is something I’ve been through, and I hope to use my story as a warning to anyone else who’s thinking of trying it. This is the first of several posts I plan to write detailing my experiences with IPL laser treatments.

Hyperpigmentation (brown spots), UV damage, broken capillaries, spider veins, and facial redness are just some of the skin issues that the IPL photo facial may remedy. IPLs are non-ablative and produce a broad-band, high-energy light flash from a portable device. It penetrates the dermis and delivers its effects there, leaving the epidermis alone. In most cases, the treatment only takes 20-30 minutes and there is little to no recovery time. Even with the cooling features of some IPLs, the treatment can be unpleasant at best and painful at worst. About $300 to $500 is often spent on treatment.

I had tried treatments in 2006 with good results so in 2010 just prior to closing my skin care spa I noticed a few new areas of hyperpigmentation showing up on my face. I realized that these areas were probably popping up due to a peel that I had recently had at the Dermatologists office. At the time they weren’t dire just annoying, especially because I took such good care of my skin … But within a month or so they were looking a bit darker so I decide to have a few IPL (intense -pulsed light) photo facials to see if it would help. I asked a few professionals I knew for referrals but ultimately I returned to the very reputable establishment that had previously treated me, if for no other reason than familiarity and because I liked the owner.

As the first zap of the laser ( much like the feeling of a rubber band) touched down on my skin over and over I remembered how intense the feeling was, but I was comforted by the provider that this would help encourage the collagen production in my skin and zap those dark patches.

Example of the average results from an IPL

When the procedure was through, all I could think about was how my face felt like it had been severely sunburned, but I was excited to see the results as my skin healed. I was given an ice pack to relieve the heat on my face and told that a series of three to five sessions would be necessary for the IPL to be effective. When I got home, I checked out my very hot skin. I was a little taken aback by how dramatically the black areas had “crisped up” (my nickname for the scab like patches that form after your spots have been zapped). Now I know that the initial treatment definitely burnt me, and that leaving the cooling packs on for too long is counterproductive.

In a matter of days, my skin had naturally shed the spots, and it looked fantastic. But, it felt like the laser sowed a new crop of pigmentation on my face within a week or two. At my second session, I brought this up in great detail, and I was informed, cheerfully but dismissively, that the laser was doing its job and I shouldn’t worry. The number of “crisped” spots appeared to increase after that… For the first time, I was seriously worried. Working in the skin care industry has given me a thorough understanding of the risks involved and how pigmentation can be worsened.

When I saw that my pigmentation had worsened only a week after treatment, I contacted to express my alarm and ask whether the laser’s thermal heat had contributed to the worsening of my condition. Or maybe I just can’t handle the heat like I used to. However, my worries were disregarded, and I received a response that said I was exaggerating. Keep in mind that I am not your typical customer because I have worked in the skin care industry for some time. Further treatments would be required, I was told once more.

After voicing my concerns about the laser’s thermal heat causing skin scarring, I was told that this was something “they had never even heard of.” I should have listened to the warning bells going off in my head at this point, the red lights flashing warnings of potential harm, but I didn’t want my face to look like this forever, so I decided to give it one more treatment. I ought to have recognized my error.