IPL is not a magic wand

Jordana S. Gilman, MD answers: IPL for multiple skin problems?

I am from South Africa and I am doing some research on IPL. My question is can an IPL machine really remove hair, tattoos, blemishes, stretch marks etc? I was told it can do all these. Is this true? Please could some one help me?


Jordana S. Gilman, MD
2 months ago
By Jordana S. Gilman, MD - Manhattan Dermatologic surgeon

IPL, also known as photofacials, does not treat all the things you have listed.  It is a great treatment for freckles and sunspots.  It also treats redness and broken blood vessels.  It will remove some of the redness from newer stretch marks and fade it to white, but it will not completely remove the mark.  IPL is OK for hair removal, but not the best laser for this.  IPL does not remove tattoos and does not remove moles or birthmarks.

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