Frequently Asked Questions

Am I a good candidate for IPL treatments?

Contraindications for undergoing IPL therapy generally include conditions or circumstances where the risk of adverse effects outweighs the benefits of the treatment. Some of the main contraindications include:
1. Photosensitivity: individuals who are taking medications that cause photosensitivity or have conditions that make them sensitive to light should avoid IPL.
2. Skin cancer: Patients with skin cancer or with a history of skin cancer in the treatment area are usually advised against IPL therapy.
3. Skin conditions: Certain skin conditions, such as keloidal scars, can be worsened by IPL treatment.
4. Pregnancy: There is not enough research to support the safety of IPL during pregnancy, so it is generally not recommended.
5. Active infections or inflammation: IPL on skin areas with active infections or conditions like herpes simplex can exacerbate the situation.
6. Tanned or darker skin: Individuals with a recent tan or with darker skin types may experience unwanted pigment changes following treatment. This is due to the IPL targeting melanin, which is more prevalent in darker skin or recently tanned skin.

It is always important that thorough medical history and consent are obtained, and a patch test performed to judge how the skin might react, before proceeding with a full IPL treatment session. Our trained staff will consult with you and determine whether IPL therapy is a safe and effective treatment for you.

What are the things I should avoid before IPL?

Avoid Direct Exposure to Sunlight
Since IPL treatment uses high-energy light waves, you must take extra care not to expose your skin to UV radiation before and after your appointment. We recommend avoiding direct sun exposure as soon as you decide to embark on a course of treatment. If you must step out in the sun, wear a broadspectrum physical sunscreen with at least SPF 30+ which protects against both UVA/UVB rays, containing zinc oxide/titanium dioxide and preferably a tinted version if you are prone to pigmentation.

Stop Exfoliating a Week Before Your Treatment
IPL treatment uses high-energy light waves to target certain colours in the skin (red - blood vessels and brown - freckles, sunspots). For the treatment to remain gentle, don’t expose your skin to any abrasive therapies beforehand such as daily exfoliation. This potential change to your typical skin care routine ensures your skin does not get unnecessarily irritated, flushed, or blistered after you have received your treatment. In turn, it also helps in maintaining the benefit of minimal to no downtime after the procedure.

Do Not Use Any Tanning Products on Your Skin
As attractive as these self-tanning treatments might look, their overall composition can interfere with your IPL treatment. Keeping this in mind, make sure to stay away from self-tanning products at least a month before your IPL treatment to ensure optimal targeting of your skin imperfections (the laser is picking out the brown in the skin which can be altered by the use of tanning products). It goes a long way toward delivering the desired benefits of IPL treatment to you.

Avoid nightly retinoids 2 days to a week prior to treatment
Topical Retinoids work by increasing cell turnover/exfoliating the skin therefore to avoid sensitivity from the laser they should be stopped in advance of your treatment to prevent dryness/irritation and increased redness post treatment

On the day of your appointment, you’ll go through a quick, gentle, thorough facial cleanse to prepare
you for treatment and have SPF applied post treatment.