IPL: Stories

beckylee, if they were plastic goggles they don't really do anything, but at least you had something over your eyes and not bare like that.

also i wouldn't go on with the rest of the treatments from this person, ask them for a refund and go somewhere where the technician knows what she's/he is doing and make sure they actually listen to you. you absolutely have the right to a refund, you might have to fight for it but you definitely deserve the refund. the only thing i can think of is if you signed anything (which you should have signed a health form or something) that could say you don't have the right to a refund if you pay in advance. either way call or go there in person and demand your refund.

if she doesn't give you a refund then take the loss of money, it will be hard and sucks but this person will ruin your face if you keep going on with the treatments with her.

thank u for ur comments..while she used the ipl on my face i had goggles on does that help? it is sad these horror stories.

i dont know if i should go on with the rest of my ipl appointments but i dont think she will refund me..do i hav a right for a refund??

I agree with KikiLisa, you should have ad eye protection Beckylee. i feel like she did abuse you and i feel really bad for you. there are too many bad/horrible doctors and technicians out there that don't know what they are doing and/or think they know everything and whats best.

before becoming an esthetician, i had my experiences with ipl and laser machines, they weren't pleasant and now that i am an IPL technician myself it is very very important to know what your doing, the machine your using and listening to the client. too many people don't even have a license to preform ipl or laser services. they just buy the machine from some companies and take a small course and go on there way.

when preformed properly ipl services are very safe and work. it saddens/angers me that so many people have had horror stories.

One thing I'd like to note, after reading beckylee's post, is that eye protection when undergoing a light or laser treatment is absolutely essential. If the spa/clinic is using plastic or paper to cover your eyes, you could end up with serious eye damage as I have and as many others I know have. You must always insist on the metal/lead eye protection. These machines can seriously harm your eyes. Next, I no longer trust these devices since I have had a terrible experience therefore will never get another. Yes, they break down certain pigments in the skin, but they also break down valuable cell structures and DNA, plus elastin and collagen. I was told that these treatments "stimulate collagen production" -- this is just not true. It is very sad the way this type of treatment is being marketed. The public is being lied to and it's very upsetting. Toronto, keep using the oils and supplements. I am doing this too and my damage is on my face. Time is a healer, give it time.

I just got my ipl laser done today n it killed me I told her to turn it down n she kept goin for her life I kept saying ouch That hurts is ment to hurt this much n she laughed n said no it doesnt hurt I'm like yes it does hurt she said no it's ok n kept goin on my bikini line n my under eyes. Now I'm in some pain but not bad marks just a bit red n sensitive the thing is iv been to her a year ago n paid her 900 upfront n only had 4 treatments done when supposed to have had 12 but I went overseas for 3 months so missed out on that when I got bak I tried to make my appointments but she was very slack n didn't return my calls n I hav been askin her for a receipt for 5 months before I went overseas until a few months ago I finally got it and when I got it in mail I couldn't even work out Wat it was and Wat it said her writing was not understandable Luke a 2 yr old rit it n she only put $ 700 on the receipt wen I payed $900 I told her I clearly remember giving u 900 she actually tried to convince me then when she realized I wasn't that dumb she said well I gave my boss they 200 so u need a separate receipt from her I told her noooo that's ur responsibility we got into a fight over this and then I didn't here from her for a month I thought I'd try get a refund but then I decided not to bc she is so stuborn so I cald her to make an appointment. We had floods here a month ago and some shops were closed but where I'm from the flood didn't come, so I went to go to my appointment n she wasn't there I calld her furious I was mad at that point bc she is so unprofessional n ignorant she could hav at least called me shes usually late when i went there the 4 times before I went overseas. So I yelled at her on the phone n she snapped back at me n said I wil refer u to another salon but I didn't want that as the other salon was to far she was busy n had to go. So I didn't here from her again for a month and she is walking around with my 900 dollars that she didnt work for I had enough I cought her in the beauty salon In my town, she only comes once a month and she was shocked when she saw me I said I want to make an appointment and that was my today's appointment. Boy was she evil I think she deliberately tried to hurt me bc she didnt stop n ask If it hurts or ask to turn it Down or give me in between breaks like she used to this time she went for her life she got it all done In 10 mins wen it should take Half hour n that pain I felt she never did that before it was like fire on my eyes I saw red flash n felt the zap it was so evil she laughed when I said ouch n it's to hot it's burning n hurts she didn't stop it was like I was getting raped by her machine in her hand I got Into the car and cried all the way to my sisters house n told her what happend she was shocked.... Is this normal I have been haunted all day bc of this I feel like a let her abuse me what do u think?

Thanks for your response.

I agree she should not have a business because it is quite obvious she does not know what she is doing. Even after she had burned me the first time she kept going. I had to physically take her hand away from my stmach to make her stop.

I was hoping for tightening and she told me it would tighten the skin too. I knew I would have to go back for many sessions and was prepared to do so until I realized how badly she burned me.

I'm really hoping and wishing that the parts with no pigment return back to normal. I've been using a blend of vitamin E oil, vitamin e cream, and Bio Oil. I also have been taking a bunch of vitamins internally to help with the healing and it seems to be working somewhat. I will just have to wait and see. I do know that I will never get laser anything done, I'm way too scared and I don't trust anyone. This is unfortunate because I'm sure that with the right person, it would have turned out ok.

I'm more dissapointed than anything, I was really looking forward to getting these treatments done and the results that would follow.

IPL Machines ARE NOT lasers in any way! Laser machines are COMPLETELY different! i just wish people understood that and what the REAL differences are not the fakes that are out there.

Toronto7506,

I'm so sorry for what happened to you! i'm an IPL technician and it's just killing me to see what this person did to you. people like this should not be working let alone have a business!

This lady honestly has no idea what she's doing because your skin tone is so dark (in our terms) that she 1. should have refused treatment on you or 2. done a SMALL test patch in an area no one see's and asked you to come back in 24048hrs to see the result. unfortunately it looks like she just wanted the money and/or doesn't really know what she's doing.

IPL machines CANNOT tighten skin in the way i think she said and you maybe hoped for. they help more in the face for photo facials, which tone and tighten the skin over time(several treatments).

Unfortunately the white patches you have left are permanent :( they may darken slightly over time and sorta get back to your normal skin tone around the burn. what happened is with the 3rd degree burn you experienced, the Melanin (cells responsible for determining skin color) basically got destroyed leaving no pigment. no like i said they could darken over time but will probably never go back to your natural skin tone. i would definitely go see a doctor about a treatment (cream,oil etc) to help.

as for the Glycolic acid, WAIT!! do not do it now and for atleast 6-8months after they heal completely. you could potentially cause more damage if the tissue is not healed. the acid might help to lighten the scar a bit but it's a toughie because its not really a true scar.

im so angry at what she did. it's because of people like this that IPL and Laser treatments have such a bad reputation.

Thanks fro our reply I really, really appreciate it. Even more so, because I really have no idea what to do.

Now the black marks are peeling. It seems as though the really bad one have peeled to reveal no pigment, I'm really freaking out now. Is this permanent? Will it ever go back to normal?

Also, is it to late to get the Biafine now, after the burns have already peeled and left a scar underneath?

I have been using Vitamin E Oil and cream mixed with Bio Oil. I don't know if this will help or not, in terms of the pigmentation problems I have or with the scar it Will GLycolic Acid help?

She was not even a doctor, she was a laser technician. My skin is even worse than the picture! The skin has peeled off and it all white and bloody underneath. I wanted to take pictures but I have it all bandage up. Those are the places where she used the highest energy and I felt the most pain. I'm thinking those areas are going to leave a big scar, which is so unfortunate. My skin looked better before going to her. I'm just wondering once eveything heals if there will be any good results from the laser itself.

@Brit- I sent her an email and included the picture that is on here. She said she's sorry and what can she do. Sorry doesn't help anything, and she can help me by telling how I can get these marks to go away!

@KikiLisa- When I got home and saw these marks I was thinking the same thing! I would have died if these were on my face!

I will never go back for any lasers EVER again!