IPL photofacial: what to expect

If the Arizona sun has left a few souvenirs on your face (hi, sunspots!), let me introduce you to one of my favorite glow-getters: IPL.

What is IPL?

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light. Broad-spectrum light is delivered in quick, gentle pulses through a cooled handpiece that glides over your skin. The light is absorbed by brown pigment and the red in tiny surface blood vessels, while the skin around them is left alone.

What can it help with?

I offer four IPL treatments, each customized for a different concern:

• Lynette’s Glow-To™: my signature photofacial for brightness, collagen and that healthy, radiant glow
• Calm the Rosies™: redness, rosacea flushing and broken capillaries
• See Spot Run™: sunspots, freckles and uneven pigmentation
• The Breakout Breakup™: breakouts, razor bumps and ingrown hairs

Your appointment

A treatment takes about 30 minutes, easy to fit into a lunch break. Each pulse feels like a quick, warm snap, kind of like a rubber band flick, and it’s over fast.

The week after (this is the fun part)

You may look a little pink for a few hours, and that’s it for downtime. Over the next week or so, treated sunspots and freckles darken and flake away. Don’t panic, that’s a sign it’s working! Redness fades over the next week or two, leaving a clearer, brighter, more even complexion.

How many sessions will I need?

Most clients see the best results with a series of 3. That’s why I offer a package of 3 for $350 (you save $100 versus $149 per session).

The sun rules

Skip tanning, self-tanner and direct sun for about 2 weeks before and after your treatment, and wear SPF every day to protect your results.

Is IPL right for my skin tone?

IPL works best on light to medium skin tones. If it isn’t the right fit for you, I’ll recommend a safe alternative, like one of my RF treatments. That’s exactly what your consultation is for. Learn more on my IPL page.

Quick answers

Is there downtime after IPL?

No real downtime! You may look a little pink for a few hours. Treated spots darken and flake off over about a week, which is a sign it’s working.

Does IPL hurt?

Each pulse feels like a quick, warm snap, like a rubber band flick, and it’s over fast.

How much is IPL?

Every IPL treatment is $149, or $350 for a package of 3. New clients get $50 off their first visit.

Where is The Laser Lounge & Skin?

I’m at 1405 N Dobson Rd, Bldg 7, Suite D in Chandler. Enter Dobson Professional Plaza, and I’m the building directly in front of you. I’m an easy drive from Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Sun Lakes and Ahwatukee, and I’m open Monday through Thursday 2:30 to 8 PM and Fridays 10 AM to 8 PM.

This article is for general education and isn’t medical advice. Results vary from person to person, and I’ll talk through what’s right for you at your consultation.