Is IPL treatment painful?

Does IPL hurt to have done?

3 answers to “Is IPL treatment painful?”

A: IPL can be painful

William J. Hedden, MD

Yes, IPL can be uncomfortable at the time of treatment. Some people attribute it to hot grease popping out on you. IPL has been described to feel like a bad sunburn after the initital treatment.Redness and irritation usually last only a couple of hours with the help of topical hydrocortisone1%... more

A: IPL and pain

Steven Wallach, MD

IPL uses intensed pulsed light. It usually is not that painful. Most patients describe it as a rubberband snap or about a 4/10 pain level with 0 being no pain and 10 being completely unbearable.

A: Yes, IPL is painful

Steven Bengelsdorf, MD

IPL works by directing an intense pulse of light into/through your skin. The light then gets converted to heat when it hits a chromophore (target that it is attracted to) and can stimulate nerve endings in your skin. Usually, the more "pain," the better the treatment (however, too much energy can... more

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