I was wondering if I can go to the beach and tan after an ipl hair removal on my arms and legs - Is it bad to tan?

Sun exposure should be avoided about two weeks after an IPL treatment. The skin is really sensitive after this type of treatment and tanning and direct sun light can cause hyperpigmentation and more redness to the area. Sunblock should be applied to the area that has been treated. 

Hi there,

We definitely recommend our patients not tan for a minimum of 2 weeks and
preferably a month after IPL or laser hair removal. Also, if you are planning to go
back for another treatment, you shouldn’t get a tan because that will
interfere with your next treatment and it may have to be rescheduled. Often
patients who like to be in the sun will do their laser hair removal in the fall
or winter when they won’t be outdoors often. You can get hyperpigmented or hypopigmented
areas if you get tan before or after these treatments.
Best, Dr. Grant Stevens

Thank you for your question dimataher. The IPL treatment can be used to address unwanted hair on the skin in addition to rejuvenation and treating sun damage. After any type of laser treatment or chemical peel the skin will be sensitive to the sun for a period of time. A sun tan after a laser treatment can lead to burns and scars. I recommend avoiding sun for two weeks after a hair removal treatment. I also recommend against sun tanning in general because the sun leads to the damage that we treat with lasers. The best way to address sun damage is to avoid the sun in the first place. Spray tans are a great alternative to sun tanning. Good luck!