IPL 2 days ago: Seeing some "coffee-ground" areas but some regular sun damage areas are the same - Will they also turn? (Photo)

Question

I'm wondering if these spots that haven't turned into coffee grounds will eventually turn into coffee grounds of if they'll need another treatment?

Larry C. Leverett, MD, FACS · Answer

With IPL treatments, microcrusting(coffee grounds) usually appears in 24-48 hours. A series of IPL photofacials (3-6) depending on how much damage was present initially may be recommended to achieve optimal results. If you have stubborn pigment, consider a series of treatments 3-4 weeks apart. Also, microderm treatments performed approximately 2 weeks following the IPL treatment are a great way to exfoliate the skin once the coffee grounds have flaked off and prepare it for the next IPL treatment. Be sure to discuss with your physician an at-home skincare plan to maintain your results. As always, be diligent with your sunscreen.

Melinda Lirag Lacerna-Kimbrell, MD, FACS · Answer

That's a good question. Some of the spots may  turn darker and flake off over the next few days. However, many people find that they have stubborn areas of pigment that do need more treatments. Be patient, do not try to scrub the dark areas off, let them flake off on their own. If you find that you still have dark areas you may need another treatment. If areas look more like large patches of dark skin, you may have melanoma that usually responds better to fractional erbium laser treatment as opposed to IPL.

IPL 2 days ago: Seeing some "coffee-ground" areas but some regular sun damage areas are the same - Will they also turn? (Photo)

Answers (2)

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