When Should Swelling Dissipate After IPL?

Swelling after IPL under the eyes can happen but it's not very common. It is unusual that you see more wrinkles on that area just because when the skin is swollen the wrinkles are less visible. I would recommend icing the area 2-3 times a day, using aloe gel or hydrating eye cream. The skin under the eyes is more delicate and it's normal to take longer for the complete recovery.

Some patients do experience more swelling under the eyes after IPL. I am one of them. It seems to happen more frequently in patients with diffuse redness pre-treatment more than in those with mainly brown spots or larger veins. It is also more common in patients with thin skin, or those who have been on tretinoin. Usually it resolves in 3-5 days, but rarely I have seen it last as long as 7-10 days. For those patients who are more prone to swelling, and for myself, we have found that... more

Thanks for your question. IPL can cause slight swelling for up to 2-3 days, but in cases where the inflammation may be more, it may take slightly longer for the swelling to settle down. This might be the case in your situation, and I would simply give it more time and see how it looks after one week. Under no circumstances would I worry that IPL gave you more wrinkles. Perhaps it may feel like that because of the swelling and the appearance of new lines, but again, this will be temporary... more