IPL: Stories

I went in Flawless MedSpa to get rid of a sun spot which seems to get bigger as years went by and it started to bother me. I was recommended IPL treatment for 5 sessions for full face. I was told it will even out my skin tone and rid of sunspots. I am 54 year old Asian with fair skin and dark hair. With full faith, I went in for the first and it wasn't bad; tolerable pain,my face looked like there are black peppers but came all off after 3-4 days. I noticed a black strip(2 in) on one side of my face and was told it will fade given time. The next one I waited for 3 weeks. I felt more intense pain during the treatment and when I got home even after placing a bag of frozen peas on swollen areas and applying Hydrocotisone cream,it was still very painful for a little over 1week. But then I noticed my face looks brighter specially the right side. I was very happy for I can't remember when I saw my face like that in a long time. Except the 2in strip seem to have faded a bit to brown. So then my hopes were positive to go in for the 3rd time. She did my forehead that time and when she was doing my rt cheek, I was wondering where the smell of burnt hair coming from. When all the scabs came off after 1 week, I noticed my rt eyebrow was singed right in the middle arch. It now looks like I have 1 broken eye brow. Then the side cheek I was so happy about the result last time had a diagonal black strip about 4 inches long. "THat's it!" I told the technician I don't want to go on anymore unless she guarantee it won't happen again. She did'nt but she written down a prescription for hydroquinone 4 percent and retinol 0.5. This is where I am now, praying and hoping these black strips go away soon. I'm scheduled to come in 4 weeks. I'm thinking maybe I should'nt spent $960 for high tech stuff when I'll just end up doing tca, the old fashion way of getting rid of spots..wait, will that work for strips too?