The treatment process is safe for the majority of individuals, except women who are pregnant or who are on blood thinners.
If you are suffering from a skin resurfacing disorder, are susceptible to keloid scarring, have severe scarring, have a sunburn, have active acne, or are taking Accutane (drug), then IPL is not right for you.
As with any medical treatment, IPL does carry some risks with it. Complications of the procedure may include having skin discoloration, scarring, bleeding, swelling, infections, pain, and crusting of the skin.
Those who have white or light brown skin are going to have a more effective treatment than those with a darker skin tone as IPL uses wavelengths to target color within the skin layers.
For instance, with varicose veins, the red-pigment (hemoglobin) is targeted, whereas, with age spots or skin discoloration is treated by pulsing light at the melanin in the skin’s surface.
For hair removal, the light pulse will be targeted towards the hair follicle, which is more effective for dark-haired individuals.
Side effects may include some pain during treatment, redness in the skin afterwards, the sensation of having a mild sunburn, skin patches (these fade), hair loss, bruising, and rarely blistering.
