53%
276 reviews
Worth It Rating
Our index shows the percentage of community members saying this was "Worth it". See cosmetic treatment rankings
Is IPL Treatment Painful?
Does IPL hurt to have done?
+1
IPL and pain
IPL will feel like a snapping of a rubber band against the skin. If you have ever had laser hair removal, it will feel the same. Applying numbing cream prior to the treatment will help alleviate some of the pain and make the treatment more tolerable. Most of our clients do not need numbing cream since we use the Lumenis laser which has a cooling system which will cool the skin prior, during and after the treatment to reduce any irritation or inflammation. Good luck!
more
Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1
IPL treatment should not hurt
The IPL treatment should not hurt. In our practice, using the Zimmer air cooler in addition to the optional use of numbing cream can make IPL a very comfortable treatment. Some IPL’s are archaic, but the ones from Cutera, Lumenis, Syneron, and Palomar have proven to be effective. That being said, there needs to be a skilled operator.
San Francisco Dermatologic Surgeon
+1
IPL is painful to some and not others.
Interestingly, pain is truly experienced differently by different people. Some people who know themselves to be sensitive may benefit from application of a numbing cream prior to treatment. Others may not notice any discomfort at all, especially since a cooling gel is usually used with IPL anyway.
One downside of numbing cream application, is that if the goal of IPL is to reduce redness, the numbing cream actually constricts local blood vessels in the skin, taking away the IPL target...
more
+1
Pain free IPL treatment
In our medi-spa the IPL treatments are nearly pain free. Of course to achieve this we have to properly select treatment parameter on the device and even more importantly pre-treat the skin with a numbing cream. Not all numbing creams are the same, also it is quite important to prepare the skin and apply the numbing cream properly to achieve the comfort lever we strive for.
+1
Minimizing pain associated with IPL
IPL (intense pulsed light) or photofacial laser treatment can be painful depending on the type of laser machine that your doctor has. Discomfort can be minimized with numbing cream followed by Saran wrap to be applied 45-60 minutes prior to IPL treatment.
+1
Pain with IPL
IPL, like many other lasers and light-based devices, feels like a rubberband snapping against the skin. It is usually well tolerated and does not generally need a topical anesthetic. Certain areas, around the hairline for example, may be slightly more painful, however, overall it is a well tolerated procedure.
New York Dermatologic Surgeon
+1
Pain with IPL
Having had it myself, I can say that IPL feels like a rubber band snapping on your skin. Topical local anesthetic cream makes it tolerable and afterward you feel like you had a slight sun burn for the rest of the day. In areas where hair grows, like the beard, there is more discomfort but still tolerable.
All in all, it is relatively painless for the nice benefit you get.
+1
IPL dis comfort varies from None to slightly uncomfortable
Everybody has a different pain threshold and reacts differently to the same degree of energy. Moreover, as we all know different parts of our body are more tender than others. Compare upper lip vs. forehead for example.
The vast majority of my patients easily tolerate IPL with application of a cool gel over the treatment area and the application of cold flowing air.
Finally, not all IPL systems are comparable. The BroadBand Light (BBL) by Sciton is head and shoulders the best and most...
more
+1
Yes, there is slight pain involved in a IPL treatment
The IPL treatment (Intense Pulse Light) can be slightly painful. It can be very tolerabable with the use of cooling gel and a cold air blower. Some patients use a numbing cream if they find it to be to uncomfortable to sit through a treatment. Most patients complain it feels like a "snapping " rubberband. When the treatment is over your skin will feel like you have a sunburn. I do want to add most patients are so pleased with the results that the slight discomfort is worth it!...
more
Virginia Beach Dermatologist
+1
Pain is related to the type of IPL
Since the invention of the IPL over 18 years ago, over 20 different companies make a similar machine and they are all called IPL. The best is the Lumenis One. This IPL is from the company that invented the IPL and has technology that no other company has. It is the most effective and least painful IPL in the world. It works with just 1 or 2 treatments and a "package" of 5 or more treatments is not necessary, so you save money, time and pain.
San Diego Dermatologic Surgeon
+1
IPL not painful
Not at all. A cool gel is put all over the skin that is being treated and then the laser is passed over the area. You may feel a little snap depending on how much pigment is being targeted. The area may feel a little warm after the treatment but only for a short time.
New York Dermatologic Surgeon
+1
IPL pain
We've heard and answered this question many times with our new patients. While the industry standard answer is that it feels like a rubber band snapping on the face, we like Dr. Hedden's description a bit better. Hot grease splatter is a pretty accurate description. Variations in the pain level can be attributed to the individual pain tolerance, gender (men are bigger babies), condition being treated, device being used and the treatment settings.
+1
IPL can be painful
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% applied immediately after. Chemical peel at a light percentage can also treat pigmented areas.
+1
IPL and pain
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.
