IPL: Q&A
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Why is It Important to Avoid IPL Laser on a Mole (During Hair Removal)?
Can IPL laser turn a benign mole into melanoma? If not, why do I read that IPL laser should be avoided on a mole?
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3 Doctor Answers |
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RS2011
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IPL is attracted to pigment
IPL is attracted to color, which is why it works to resolve red and brown pigments in skin. Because moles have a concentrated amount of color, applying an IPL over it may target the color and drive the light hard into the skin. In the worst cases this could result in a superficial burn. IPL cannot cause melanoma, period, or turn a benign mole into a cancer.
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Avoiding moles with IPL
The target for IPL treatment is pigment. The wavelengths of light used target red and brown pigment. If a pigmented mole were treated with IPL the color would lighten although the substance of the mole itself would remain. If it is the goal to remove a mole then a surgical removal and submission of the tissue to pathology would be recommended. Seemingly benign moles may in fact be melenomas. Any suspicious pigmented lesions should be removed and studied under...
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IPL Does Not Turn a Pigmented Mole Into Melanoma
Just to clarify, the term intense pulsed light (IPL) laser is confusing because an IPL light source is not a laser. An IPL source and a laser light source are two different modalities. IPL is a broad spectrum light source that contains multiple wavelengths of light. Filters can be used to focus the majority of light near a certain wavelength to provide specific treatment benefits. A laser, by contrast, is composed of a single wavelength of light.
Both IPL and lasers may be used for...
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