IPL: Stories
Write a ReviewDO NOT Get an IPL - Evansville, IN
- hoosieraj
- posted 3 years ago
- updated 3 years ago
- Not Worth It
- Cost: $1,400
- Dr. Manley @ DeJa Vu (Evansville, IN)
It was really free, yah, because I originally had...
- 8 Jun 2009
It was really free, yah, because I originally had a micro laser peel in early December 2008. After the procedure (several weeks), I looked like I was ran over by a tire leaving a pattern on my face from the tools used. To make it worse, I am a model and now I am completely insecure about my face and have lost money (work).
So my IPL treatments have been free due to the center destroying my face. It is now June 2009, I have had 7 IPL treatments and if anything, my face is worse. I still have the square patterns on both cheeks, my skin is a lot more oily (I was always normal), with hypopigmentation that looks like scarring. To look somewhat normal, I have to wear tons of makeup. The make up makes me even more insecure knowing I have way too much on.
The nurse keeps saying, "Oh, we just need to do another IPL and make adjustments on the setting." It is painful for the first hour, or it has been several hours when the nurse decides to do each area twice in one setting. I look like a monster for about 6-8 days and I am unable to work during this time of healing. I do not know what to do. I am going back in a few days for another nurse at the office to look at it. I am getting a second opinion and am thinking of a law suit.
Has anyone else had this similar experience? If so, did it ever get better and how? I really think it is permanent and if anything could fix it, it would be a very severe process like grafting which is scary and expensive.
HELP!!!!! My advice, do NOT do it!!!!!!
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Comments (35)
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I bought a groupon for 1 IPL photo facial. I expressed to the assistant and dr. Siegel my...
I decided to try ipl to prove rhe appearance of my skin and reduce the sun damage on my...
I have been wanting to have something done for my sun spots and damage for a long time and...
I had a laser peel as well. I did two IPLs and than a laser. It was after the laser that I started noticing all of the discoloration. He did one more IPL after that claiming that the IPL would fix the discoloration but, it didn't... it only made it worse.
I was also told that it depends on who does the IPL or the laser... that they have to know exactly what they're doing. One tweak of the machine and you can be ruined for life.
I can't believe that they did 9 IPLs in less than 4 months!!! That's crazy!!!
I'm so sorry for what you are going through! Being a professional model, it must be so hard for you. How is your skin now?... has it improved?
Peace & light
Rhea
I get the Obagi peel here and there along with microderm. It's constant maintenance, but u have to do it. The damage is permanent as I've been told by drs/rn's, etc. If you do not stay out of the sun, it comes back. I was out one day last year without my sunblock and the spots started to come back.
It's funny because my mom is a LPN and now works for a dermatologist that does ipl and my mom hasn't seen this. It all depends on who does it. Do not take the risk of any laser treatment, not worth the chance bring its permanent. I prefer chemical peels 100%
FYI, as my first post says, it wasn't IPL that destroyed my face. It was a stronger laser peel, but ipl was used to try to correct the damage. They ruined my face with more lasers by doing 9 ipls in less than 4 months. Complete horror story even more since I was a professional model :(
First...make an appointment for a burn center, just in case so they can assess any damage.
Second, amp up on your vitamins and eat really extremely healthy.
Third...Leave the skin alone, no scrubs, retina, just sunblock and moisturize.
Fourth...Stay outta the sun for the next 6 months.
Fifth...Hydroquoine worked wonders for my pigmentation post ipls. Its a lighter, is an rx, does come with some controversies, but it's made my pigment uniform.
Sixth...no more lasers, no more ipls, and take weekly pictures of your skin just in case you need to.
I'm so so so so sorry this happened you. If you have any inflammation on the skin try to get biafine. I hope this is the worst of it for you and it just gets better. Unfortunantely, their are no consistant results, or cookie cutter results, melasma post ipl/laser is from damage from those devices, "it's not bringing those spots to the surface" - - - that's what all practioners say. BS.
You don't need to worry about your spelling, we can all get what you are saying - your good heart & intentions are worth more than perfect grammar any day!
I was on a vegan diet for about two years... just recently, I started eating some meat again because my son (who is a fitness nut), insisted that I wasn't getting enough protein. We run on the beach together a few times a week and he noticed that I wasn't keeping up like I used to. I've decided though anyhow to go back to my vegan diet and to focus on getting more protein through legumes. I do eat very healthy but am guilty of not taking my vitamins as I should... I'm going to start as of now!
I went to a different dermatologist for an opinion about 3 weeks ago. She said that I should try the profraction since the doctor is offering to do it for free... I didn't feel good about that. She than said that if that didn't work, I could come back to her and get this new treatment called Villani... the brochure states that it's a revolutionary treatment and their center is one of the first in the US to be chosen to offer this "new cutting edge technology" to it's patients. Hmmm... not sure what to think about that. It's a mask derived from a sponge found in the Volga River in central Russia. I would need 12 treatments... total cost $1,200. I ended up walking out of there with a lightener called Elure. Besides costing a small fortune, it doesn't seem to be doing much for me. But, than again I don't know if I've given it enough time or not... I'm so anxious to be rid of these brown spots... I may just be impatient. I had been using a scrub made by dermalogica but after I use it, it seems as if my spots become more pronounced so, I stopped using it as of a few weeks ago.
Have you heard of the Obagi Nu Derm treatment working?
As much as I love being outdoors and the feeling of the sun on my face, I now soak my skin with sunblock and I put on a hat before I go out for the day. I swear... I would do anything to be rid of these spots... I wish so badly that I had read up on IPLs and lasers before getting these treatments. I did look into it a bit but, what I found was all positive results... subconsciously it's probably what I was looking for so, it's what I found. : (
I've read so many horror stories since I've realized the damage that these laser treatments cause... it breaks my heart to hear of what so many people are going through! I actually feel like I'm one of the lucky ones because there are so many people out there with experiences much worse than mine!... at least for now... I'm concerned with the fat loss and like you said, I hope that this is the worst it for me.
I'm going to see another dermatologist tomorrow and will mention the hydroquoine... hopefully she'll write me out a prescription for it.
I vow to NEVER get any laser treatment again!!! NEVER EVER!!!
If you don't mind me asking, what happened to you?... and how is your face today?
You are an angel... thank you so much again for responding!... your kindness brought tears to my eyes.
Peace & light
Rhea
I'm on the forum that you addressed too:). I am one of the lucky ones as well, I did incur fat loss rather quickly, and my skin texture is sadly crepey at 35. I had my treatments done at 33, and like you I researched EVERYTHING. It simply sounded so easy, no downtime, and everything is touted as safe, safe, safe. It's not. My story is here too, if you click on it for your review, and I have pictures....gross pictures...lol.
My face to date, is simply uniform in color, that's pretty much the only progress I've made, and in May of this year it will be 2 years since my initial treatment. The hydroquione, most likely they will start you off at 4%, in my case, my skin tolerates it well and I'm at 8%. Stay off the scrubs, because it can make the pigmentation worse. Your pigmentation colored becaused it was your skins way of trying to protect you from the heat of the ipls/lasers. I haven't heard much of the Villani, that's new to me. But because your damage is early out, I'm so tempted to tell you to stay hand off, just sunblock and moisturizer and the rx once presecribed. I waited a year for my skin to settle, you don't want to keep it in inflammation mode because that can delay your healing for now. If you're not so great at multivatims, lololol, you can look into systemic enzymes. That was mentioned before from someone that had a negative experience with lasers, her dad I believe is a scientist, and really what your body needs is all the nutrition it can get so that it can heal fast and well.
I'm sorry Rhea, I'm sorry for everyone that has had a negative experience. I'd like to see professionals disclose that the heat can cause thermal damage, and with that even though pigment spots seem to slough off early in damage, they only creep up even faster in new areas where the skin absorbed the most heat, and creates new ones, and makes your skin weaker. It's playing with fire, literally.
Be good to yourself, and don't obsess...lol. It will drive you crazy to the point you can get yourself into other trouble with new treatments that your skin may not be ready for. Inside out is what I think is almost key. But make sure you take pictures, I hate to see anything ahppen to your skin and texture beyond pigment change, but you need those pictures regardless and just in case you need to go back or look into legal options. This stuff aint no joke...sigh.
Smile on;),
Claud
I went to see a dermatologist yesterday that I use to go to years ago... I stopped going to her because I changed insurance companies. She did make me feel a little better but, I still don't know if I have hyper pigmentation or scarring. My face feels somewhat smooth but, when I press hard with one finger across my cheeks, I can feel little ridges where the white spots are. I'm just afraid that if it's scarring, there may be something else that I should be using. Someone mentioned a gel like sheet... silicone sheeting? The dermatologist did say the exact same thing that you did... stay away from peels and any strong treatments. I asked her about the Obagi and she didn't want me doing that right now either. She did give me some hydroquine but other than that she said to give my skin a break and to let it rest and heal. I'm going to take your advice and make an appointment at a burn center because I truly to believe that I've been burned.
In the meanwhile, I'm really going to try not to stress. : ) I think that I'm going to hold off on using the hydroquione just in case what I have is scarring... I don't want to create more problems and I don't know what the hydroquione will do to scarring? I'm going to look into the systematic enzymes as well.
I'm so sorry that all of us are in this situation!!! Thank you so much for all of your help and your advice!!!
Peace & light
Rhea
You can use scar guard, it's like a silicon sheeting. I would stay off the hydroquione too (keep it in the fridge always), I waited one year before I began it, because it can be drying and irritating. Maybe you don't have to wait as long, but I'd give it at least a good six months if you can hold out that long. Cerave, in case you don't use it, pick it, it's a great and gentle moisturizer, it won't irritate your skin and that's what my derm and many others suggest, especially since your skin is sensitive right now. Leave off any kind of anything extra, just moisturizer and sunblock. That's it. Your skin is also vulnerable to more allergic reactions, so keep it simple and stick to powder make up.
Don't try to stress....lol....just keep up your healthy lifestyle and eating, your tissue needs all the nutrition. For any kind of inflammation, you can get some arnica cream or tablets, keep off cortesoids.
I'm actually in the process of researching fat grafting...at 35!!!! I never even knew how naive I was to think of ipls as non cosmetic surgery, it really destroyed my contours and face. Unfortuantely, same body, but I look really sickly even though I feel great and healthy, but my tissues were altered with heat. I always said I'd just keep it natural, but I never guessed this would have ever happened, so now I'll be more like 90% natural? ugh.....
Vitalize is a good brand, that was recomended by the person I told you about, and wowbenzym...something like that. Vitalize is about 90.00 for 180 tablets, it last 2 months. Wowbenzym is a little cheaper, but you have to take 6 tablets a day, so the former is more bang for your buck. Does it work, I have no idea, but if she's a scientists's daughter and it's natural, why not...lol.
I'm sorry too, but I pray it will be okay for you and that people read our experiences and run the other direction. So not worth the gamble.....
Love ya,
Claud
I have a 3rd one scheduled for this week. That will make it 4 weeks from my most recent treatment. They say to make each IPL tx 4-6 weeks apart. I have not had any issues thus far...fingers crossed. I did have a reaction after my 2nd treatment...this was not r/t the IPL tho. My doctor said I could resume my ziana (helps acne) and that was a big mistake. I developed red,raised, itchy areas all over my r side of my face. My dermatologist said this was because Ziana is a retinoid and it causes sun sensitivity. I should have waited at least 1 week to start using it again. Presently the reaction has diminished. I do feel really dry though. Not sure if this is IPL related or just residual from the ZIANA.BTW...I am receiving IPL for a brown birthmark on my cheek. Curious to know, those of you who have had negative responses to IPL...did you go to a doctor certified or a spa???? Did you space out the IPL treatments as directed??? Also, it seems that a lot of those with negative responses have darker skin. I have read that IPL is not rec for those with darker skin. My heart aches when I read these horror stories. I wish the best to you all. Any feed back would be appreciated. Thanks!
What chemical peels are you using? I found a great esthetician who will be doing my microderm, but also have a natural brown skin so don't know what chemical peels to learn more about.
Here is what has helped: I use the Obagi Nu Derm system and its wonderful. Def worth the money. And yes, I use sun screen all the time, no tanning my face.
I was doing chemical peels every 4 weeks with microdermabrasion in between. I did this cycle for about 6 months. Then I did chemical peels only about every 6-8 weeks. Recently I had the new Obagi Radiance Peel, I love it!!!! It's $150 per visit compared to $100 for the chemical peel, but well worth it. I'm going to get a package of 6 and do it every 4 weeks and I still use the Nu Derm system.
Sunscreen is crucial, because the lines come back if not. I hate that my face stays pale since I'm olive and dark complected, but a good bronzer helps. I will never do laser treatment again.
I hope this helps :)