What Are Those Black Specks on the Skin After IPL?

Question

What are the black specks (coffee ground looking things) on the skin after IPL treatment? Is that pigment?

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

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.

A.J. Amadi, MD · Answer

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.

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.

Jeff Angobaldo, MD · Answer

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.

R. Brannon Claytor, MD, FACS · Answer

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.

Sam Naficy, MD, FACS · Answer

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.

Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, MD · Answer

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.

Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD, FACS · Answer

When the IPL gets attracted to the sun damaged spots, it brings up the pigment to the surface of the skin. It kind of cooks the pigment which looks like black specks, resembling ground coffee or black pepper. It can take up to a week for the pigmentation to exfoliate or flake off the skin. This reaction occurs only after the first or second treatment and you should expect great results if it happens.

Robert W. Sheffield, MD · Answer

Hi! Thanks for the question! The black speckson your skin post IPL treatment are often called as coffee ground effect. Thisis an after effect that may be experienced after an IPL treatment is done onyour skin. Now, this is not all that bad since these black specks are actuallygood signs. This only means that the sun damaged part of your skin with darkdiscolorations were able to absorb the energy burst by the IPL device. These coffee ground specks on your skinwill eventually exfoliation or peel off in the course of 1 to 2 weeks. So,there is no need to fret over this one. Just remember to avoid picking on thepeelings or the scabs so as to avoid scarring. Let it flake off on its own tosee a clearer skin as a result of the treatment. Hope this is helpful!

Dennis Gross, MD · Answer

Seeing "coffee grounds" or "peppering" on the skin after an IPL treatment is a fantastic result! That is exactly what we are looking to do in achieving clarity of superficial pigmentation. Once this pigmentation comes up to the surface it will then dry up and flake off, leaving the skin clearer and the pigmentation much lighter or even completely gone. We suggest doing two or three treatments to get optimal results.

Tobi B. Richman-Steinhardt, MD · Answer

Patients are constantly amazed at how much sun-induced pigment they have developed over the years---and this pigment becomes very obvious right after an IPL treatment--the dark spots that you will see within a few days after the treatment will peel off and fade away, leaving you with much clearer skin.

What Are Those Black Specks on the Skin After IPL?

Answers (13)

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