What's the difference between IPL and BBL? Which is better for removing brown spots?

There are many brands of laser and light devices, and some brands set themselves apart by "branding" their treatments.  BBL stands for Broad Band Light, and IPL for Intense Pulsed Light.  Sciton's BBL is the trademarked name for their version of IPL.  Sciton BBL along with Cynosure IPL are some of the most popular and effective IPL treatments on the market.  The Cynosure MaxG IPL is a very effective treatment for removing pigmented spots, as it delivers a constant steady stream of energy instead of spikes of energy that can cause burns with some other devices.  It can be tuned to treat both brown pigment and red vessels and flushing in the same session.  Both the MaxG and Sciton BBL use contact cooling via a sapphire crystal to make the procedure very comfortable.  Both treatments if performed 2-4 times per year can maintain the skin and prevent photoaging, actually activating cellular repair genes within the skin cells.  Seek consultation with a board certified core physician such as an ENT Facial Plastic Surgeon, Dermatologist, or general Plastic Surgeon in your area and they can recommend the best treatment for your skin. 

Best Wishes

Thank you for your question.
IPL (intense pulse light) and BBL (broad band light) are the same type of treatment under different names. These treatments work well for improving skin tone, reducing redness and erasing brown spots.
As always, an in-person consultation with a board certified dermatologist with cosmetic training is the best way to assess your needs and provide medical advice. 

IPL or intense pulsed light and BBL, broad band light are just two different broad band light therapies that are marketed by different manufacturers. The question of which of these two is better for removing brown spots completely side steps the issue of what therapies may actually be at least as effective, less expensive and even quicker in many cases. The use of superficial peeling agents, such as full strength glycolic acid, TCA 15%-25%, and Jessner's solutions, particularly the latter two, all have a very long (going back decades) history of tried and true use for treating blotchy, irregularly pigmented skin and solar lentigines (sun/age-related) brown spots. Relatively expensive, bells and whistles supposedly "next best thing to come along" are not necessarily either the most cost effective, quickest or least expensive way to treat these kinds of unwanted spots. You would do well to seek consultation with a board certified aesthetic physician in order to more fully discuss all options available, rather than jump to the industry-supported marketing hype that surrounds so much of the new light and energy-based devices out there. Best of luck to you.

IPL refers to a broad spectrum device that is good for treating brown and red spots on the skin. BBL is a brand of an IPL device. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Usually a combination is needed to treat brown spots including lasers with microneedling/prp and peels. Best, Dr. Emer

IPL or intense pulsed light is a device that utilizes a broad spectrum of light to address brow and red pigmentation in the skin.  The quality of the result will depend on the operator of the machine and the quality of the device.  We use a Palomar Icon, which is a powerful IPL device and we have seen very good results in treating telangiectasias and brown spots.  BBL represents broad band light, and is manufactured by Sciton, but is also considered a very good device. 

Thank you for
your question tiffanyholdeman. I understand your concern. There are many devices on the market and things can get confusing. IPL is a great
treatment for facial rejuvenation. BBL is the IPL device by Sciton. Outstanding results can be achieved with any device. It is more important to look for the best doctor. Look for experience, before and after pictures, and testimonials. Please consult
with a doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and BBL (Broadband Light) are similar. While there are many varieties of IPL, BBL is the brand name of the Sciton device. One advantage of the BBL is that there are specific attachments that mask surrounding normal skin so that precision in removing isolated spots is possible.
Many of the older IPL devices are fairly painful, so if that is your chosen route, go with a device with strong cooling and skin-type specific capabilities (both devices had filters that can be adjusted for lighter or darker skin types).

Thanks for the great question. BBL (BroadBand light) is a form of IPL. For comparison BBL is like Kleenex and IPL is like a facial tissue. They both essentially do the same thing. That being said, BBL is excellent for removing red and browns in the skin. Older therapies such as TCA peels also work, but they have an extended down time. Just as with peels, you may require 1-3 BBL treatments before your pigment has lightened to a level that you're happy with. The great thing about BBL is that there is virtually no down time. You might be red for 12-24 hours after the treatment, but that's about it. Make sure to see someone who has a lot of experience with IPL. Best of luck!~Dr. Sieber

IPL stands for intense pulsed light.  There are many different manufacturers of various IPL devices.  Some are better than others.  BBL stands for broad band light and is one type of IPL.  We have had the BBL in our office for a number of years.  In experienced hands, it is a great device for skin rejuvenation in the right candidate.Regards,Dr. Ort

Intense Pulse light (IPL) and BroadBand Light (BBL) are similarly both light emitted from a laser source. The difference is the way in which the wavelength is distributed and absorbed by the skin. Intense Pulse Light is just as is sounds, the wave of light intensely goes up, then intensely drops. BroadBand Light is more of a scatter and even distribution of energy. In my opinion, BroadBand light is much more effective with less room for unpredictable complications.