Get the real deal on beauty treatments—real doctors, real reviews, and real photos with real results.Here's how we earn your trust.

See All Reviews
See All Reviews
POSTED UNDER IPL REVIEWS

IPL Can Seriously Burn You.

ORIGINAL POST

I started developing two tiny light brown freckle...

User Avatar
FF1October 4, 2008
$150

I started developing two tiny light brown freckle type spots on my cheeks and doctor recommended Fotofacial.

I received IPL treatment on my face, during which I was in agonizing pain. It felt like I was being burned by a hot Iron. The technician kept saying it is painful but that is how it should be. I was hot red in my face when I left and by tomorrow i had dark burned spots in lines and in rows on my face, and neck like a zebra. I looked horrifying and after four days I went back to the clinic and this time the doctor saw me and was very sorry that the girl did n't test a small patch first to see my reaction before she does the treatment on my complete face.

it has been 3 weeks now,the burn spots fell off and now I have some pink and some dark spots mostly on my forehead, neck and sideburns.

what is now the right treatment for them? Are they ever gonna completely go away? this treatment was meant to treat two tiny sun spots and it lead to this. what should I do? where should I go?

FF1's provider

Replies (113)

User Avatar
Sharon at RealSelf
October 4, 2008

Hi Faye, Thanks so much for sharing your story and I'm so sorry for what you've been through. 

Crystal Jackson
October 7, 2008
What a terrible thing to have happened! I wanted to tell you that when I was younger, someone burned my back with a cigarette. I put pure vitamin E on it as well as coca butter lotion. It finally scabbed over. i did not pick at it, and when it finally fell off, the skin was pink, but it was clear that it was going to be normal again. It completly went away and there is no scar at all. Try this out, and I would bet money that you are able to completly get rid of your burns! I am so sorry! Hope you get much better soon!
User Avatar
FF1
October 7, 2008
Thank you I am using vitamin e at the moment. Hopefully it will for me as well.
ellem
October 7, 2008
I am so sorry to hear of your terrible experience. I have had really good luck with fading of hyper-pigmentation with Obagi. It could help with healing and taking away any scars or future spots. Good luck and thank you for sharing.
emform
October 10, 2008
OMG! I'm so sorry that happened to you. Thank you so much for posting your experience. I was going to have it done to my face, but not now. I hope you recover soon.
Nits
November 30, 2008
Like many others, I too am grateful to you for posting this information. Really sorry to hear about your experience. I have a lot of facial hair and along with the hormone therapy,I have been recommended Laser. I went through this costmetological process a couples of years ago but it didn't help me at all. The doctor said I would first have to correct my hormone imbalance. I heard about IPL and was ready to go for it. But I will now look at other options for sure. Hope you get back a healthy and a smooth skin soon.
(unregistered guest)
December 28, 2008
I had similar results, except my burns were welts instead of your circles. Was very horrified, especially after two months and the burns showed no signs of fading. I went back to the owner/dermatologist, threatened litigation, and settled. One year later, they are completely faded. It was a very tramautic experience, so never again.
christinaflower
February 13, 2009
Hi i am also mexican also was burned by ipl and also have dark marks and scars probably around the same time that you had posted this picture. I wanted to see what you have done to get rid of your dark marks on your face? It's been a while so I wanted to see what you have done to get rid of it if anything. I was going to start using a bleaching cream because mandelic acid hasn't helped me one bit even though I've been using it for some time. I found out that ipl actually sinches skin and it's hard to get rid of. If you ever get this you should email me because I'd want to help you or find out how you are doing. Take care
worrilady
April 24, 2009
Hi christina chico. I also am dark complected and got burned and have dark stripes on my chin. Has your discoloration started to fade yet? Please email me and let me know how you are doing. I had my ipl 3 weeks ago and I'm worried I will have permenant hyperpigmentation from burn. update 4/24/09 I went to Aesthetic specialist. I am doing Nu Derm Obagi which I am getting fantastic results. I believe it kept my skin from hyperpigmentation problems. I am half Italian and half English/Irish, so I have a real strange combinations of colors in my skin. I also bought some Nia24 strengthening cream and the sunscreen. I am please with my results. I had a hispanic medical doctor do my IPL. I figured she'd be familiar/expert with fitzpatrick skins 3-4 as she said she did her mother and she also had fraxels done on her face. Well, lesson learned. If you have a medium complexion, I would look for a different alternative to fixing hyperpigmentation problems. IPL work really, really well on freckles, but IPL is like flipping a coin. Some get good results, some end up with a nightmare.
See More IPL Reviews
See All Reviews