When Does Peeling Start After Photofacial?

Photo facials consist of IPL treatments of red and brown discoloration of the skin.  The IPL component that treats broken capillaries and diffuse redness just affects the vessels in the dermis, so it should not cause any peeling. The IPL component that treats brown discoloration does affect the surface of the skin, but what is seen is the pigment initially getting darker, then breaking down into "coffee grounds" type tiny brown spots that eventually are shed from the... more

After laser treatments (or IPL) for sun damage, we typically see pigment "flake" off rather than peel off anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks after treatment. "Peeling" is not expected to occur after an photofacial in general and definitely not if facial redness or fine lines were being treated. The only peeling would be the flaking off of age spots and sun damage.

You can expect peeling after chemical peels or laser resurfacing, but not after Photo facial. Bronzing of the brown pigmentation and darkening of the blood vessels are the most common skin reactions after the IPL. It usually takes 7-10 days for the pigmentation to flake off after the treatment.

Thank you for your question. In general, a photofacial refers to IPL or other laser treatment of redness, facial vessels, and lentigos/brown spots/photodamage. There is usually no peeling with any of these with the exception that the brown spots may appear darker themselves, and then later flake off. When getting a photofacial, the results are gradual without much downtime or peeling. Peeling after laser procedures is usually seen in ablative fractional and non-fractional resurfacing... more

It is probably normal. In fact, it is unusual to get peeling after a Photofacial. Frequently, dark spots become darker over the next several days, and then come to the surface and slough off, but there is usually no other peeling.

I having been doing photofacial IPL since 1999. After IPL photorejuvenation, bronzing of pigment does occur and lasts for 5-10 days, then fades. Peeling is unheard of with true photofacial. The lack of peeling is one reason it is a true "no downtime" procedure.