Swelling and Blisters After IPL

Question

I had an IPL proceedure done this afternoon. By the time I arrived home, I was very swollen and have large blisters appearing all over. They then break and ooze and I am keeping Neosporin on my face, and wiping it with a papertowel every few minutes. I feel like a chipmunk with blisters. I called the dermatologist but it was after business hours. Is there anything I can do to be more comfortable? Should I be nervous about these symptoms?

Don Mehrabi, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.
Blistering immediately after an IPL treatment may indicate a true IPL burn, and is a complication that should be taken extremely seriously. You must be very careful with these blisters and make sure that your dermatologist sees them today so that he / she can document the extent of the damage, and provide you with specific skin care recommendations. 
In brief, be gentle with the blisters, don't wash excessively, and don't peel off any skin or crusting. You can apply any ointment including neosporin, bacitracin, vaseline, or vitamin E ointment. Or, you can receive a prescription for Biafine or Bionect from your dermatologist to help wound healing.
Hope this helps!

Swelling and Blisters After IPL

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