Is IPL photorejuvenation treatment painful?

IPL, or Intense Pulsed Light treatments, help to decrease “brown and “red spots”.

You can feel some discomfort with IPL treatments. These treatments can feel like a rubber band snapping on your skin. There can also be sensations of pain and burning during a treatment pulse, or “flash”.

How do I decrease IPL pain?

Here are methods I regularly use:

• A skin numbing gel (usually containing lidocaine), usually applied for 30 minutes or longer, works well. If you have a lidocaine allergy, other options are available.

• A chilled air machine during the treatment (such as the Zimmer Cryo 6) can make your skin numb - kind of like putting your bare hands in a snowbank for a minute!

• If needed, I’ll prescribe medication in a pill form to decrease pain and relax patients, provided they have not had bad reactions to pain medications or sedatives. Usually patients take the medicine an hour before the procedure. If you take medicine by mouth, make sure someone drives you to and from your appointment so you don’t get in a car accident.

 Everyone is different. Discuss your options with your doctor!