Is browning suppose to occur every time after IPL?

I have had 4 IPL treatments to get rid of old acne scars. After the first 2 treatments, browning occurred immediately and flaked off a few days later revealing lighter scars. This was great! Unfortunately in my 2 last treatments, there was no browning. Does that mean IPL is not working for me anymore? Is browning suppose to occur everytime?

3 answers to “Is browning suppose to occur every...”

A: Fraxel Beter Choice

By Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD - Virginia Beach Dermatologist

Fraxel is a better choice for acne scars. Most people feel the carbon dioxide fractionated lasers are superior to the erbium variety. Of course, the gold standard for laser resurfacing is still the pulsed CO2 lasers but few physicians venture in using them due to the high complication rate. The... more

A: Browning only in the beginning of IPL treatments

By Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD - Chicago Plastic Surgeon

IPL might not be the best option for treating acne scars. A lot of times acne, can leave a dark mark or pigmentation spots on the skin. In this case, IPL will work but only to lighten the pigment, not to smooth out the scars. Fraxel will be a better choice to improve both- the scars and the pigment at the same... more

A: First IPL treatment is usually the best

By Steven Bengelsdorf, MD - Franklin General surgeon

IPL works very well for hyperpigmentation or lentigines; The darker the spot initially, the more energy is absorbed and the better the "reaction" (peppering or flaking). After successive treatments, the contrast difference between your skin and the areas to be treated may be very little. In these... more