IPL can feel like a snap of a rubber band, not painful at all. Most clients go without topical numbing cream and can tolerate the treatment quite well. We have the Lumenis One IPL system which has a great cooling system which numbs the pain. Good luck!
Most patients treated with IPL report a mild sting or "snap" sensation, and usually rate the pain as 2 or 3 out of 10. Topical anesthetic cream can reduce this, as well. Afterwards, patients experience a mild sunburn like sensation which usually lasts only a few hours.
