How should I handle hyperpigmentation from IPL burns?

I am an Asian female who underwent IPL to treat folliculitus and ingrown hairs. On my fourth treatment I suffered superficial burns on my bikini line, but was assured that they would heal. They did, eventually, but I was left with dark pigmentation marks on the area. When they did IPL on the same area to treat it, I got burnt again.

My therapist claims to have skipped the burnt area and claims confusion over what had happened. She advised me to use lavender oil to treat it but my GP and a pharmacist prescribed other creams for burns. How should I deal with these burns? Would you know if they would cause scarring and how I can avoid them on my next treatment? Thank you.

2 answers to “How should I handle...”

A: Burns with IPL

Harold J. Kaplan, MD

The first question we have is why you would be considering having another treatment with this practitioner after two that led to burns? Either the practitioner does not know how to use the device or your skin type is not a good candidate for the treatment. Either way you should not be going back fo rmore... more

A: The best way to deal with it is to not let it happen.

Robert Swanson, MD

The burns that the patient describes are the result of too much light energy going into the skin. The way IPL works is light energy is absorbed by the pigment that we want to get rid of (in this case it is melanin in the hair) and that energy is converted to heat. The heat damages or destroys the structure... more

Comments

Dr. Sachit Shah
52 posts
3 Oct 2008

1. The treatment will be slow 2. I would use a form of brightening cream and sun block assiduously. 3. You can add 1064 q switch laser treatments to help reduce the hyperpigmentation marks 4. Stop the IPL treatments for hair removal 5.Consider going over to getting 1064 laser treatments for hair reduction. 6. I do not know what your burns look like but scarring could occur.

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