What Are Those Black Specks on the Skin After IPL?

It is very normal to have a darkening of some areas of the skin after an IPL treatment. You can think of the light generated by an IPL device as a huge controlled light bulb. When it flashes, the darker areas of the skin, freckles, sun damage and any other dark areas will absorb most of the energy. This is similar to a black sweater absorbing the heat from the sun on a bright and sunny day.
When the pigment (freckles, sun spots, etc.) in the skin absorbs this light energy from the IPL it can destroy the cells that contain the pigment. These dead skin cells come to the surface of the skin in a period of days or weeks after the treatment and appear much darker than the surrounding skin. As part of the normal process, these darker areas will flake off and be replaced by skin tissue without the pigment.
This in fact is how the IPL works to get rid of freckles and sun damage so what you are experiencing sounds perfectly normal.

Coffee ground speckling on the skin post IPL treatment for hyperpigmentation is normal and usually occurs. This is pigment working its way to the surface of the skin prior to flaking off on its own. It is not advised to exfoliate or pick at them. If this does not occur, it is not an indication of a bad treatment. Everyone's skin responds differently. 

This response is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider.

thank you for your question.  IPL treatment treats red vessels, hyperpigmentation and it improves the texture of your skin by producing collagen and elastin. you will pepper after the treatment and the dark spots will appear darker before they flake off. do not be alarmed.  This takes 2-4 days depending on your skin type and the intensity of the treatment.Always consult with a physician to make sure you are a good candidate.

This advanced light based technology otherwise known as IPL is targeting any discoloration or pigment on the skin. When the light is delivered to the skin it causes any pigment to come to the surface of the skin.  Depending on how pigmented the brown spots or lentigos were prior, they can turn very dark, sometimes almost black and can remain on the skin for up to 2 weeks until they naturally flake off.

Having black specks on the skin after IPL treatment is a good sign.  This means that the darker areas of the skin or the sun damaged spots absorbed most of the energy from the IPL.  The IPL is bringing the pigment closer to the surface of the skin.  Over the next days to few weeks, this pigment will flake off.   

The specks are the signs of success. They are the accumulated brown pigment from sun damage that have absorbed the light emitted by the light source and heated to the point of separating from the rest of the skin. This is a 2-3 day event of discoloration and will wash off after a few days.