Exercise after IPL - is it the flushing or the sweating that you want to avoid?

Question

Hi, I had IPL for redness on Tuesday. It is now Friday and have had to go on a hike which went for most of the day and caused a lot of sweating. No extreme flushing though. I say that it said to avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours but other places ive read up to two weeks. Also is it the flushing you want to avoid or the sweating? Also does it just delay the healing progress or does it mean the treatment will be less effective regardless. Cheers

Sabrina Fabi, MD · Answer

One of the benefits of choosing Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) to resolve redness or other skin issues is that there is virtually no downtime. While you do want to avoid getting overheated and flushing your face the first day or so, exercising on day four is perfectly fine. You must absolutely use sunscreen, though, no matter what the weather. And yes, that means wearing it while driving to the gym or walking across the parking lot. It’s imperative! Consulting your board-certified dermatologist will help you feel more comfortable about where you are in the healing process.

Carl R. Thornfeldt, MD · Answer

I recommend that my clients avoid strenuous exercise for 48 hours post treatment to reduce the risk of increasing blood flow sufficiently to reopen treated capillaries.

Andre Berger, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question,
Following IPL treatments, it is recommended that patients reduce activities that could increase their blood flow, as this could diminish results. However, light exercise is alright.

Chad Pfefer, MD · Answer

Thanks for the question.  I recommend avoiding exercise, heat/steam(think of avoiding flushing after and most importantly sun exposure after IPL.  The problem with these activities is they can increase pigmentation after the procedure.  More specifically about exercise, I recommend avoiding strenuous exercise for at least 48 hours, but light exercise is generally okay as long as you're not having sun exposure or sweating, but it's better to be safe and an ounce a prevention is worth a ton of cure in this situation.

Rebecca Gelber, MD · Answer

Great question - it's really the flushing and most specifically, the blood vessel dilation that you want to avoid when you are doing IPL for redness. IPL will damage and result in ultimate reduction in both visible vessels and subclinical tiny vessels that cause redness. Things that cause increased blood flow in these vessels (exercise, spicy foods, hot tubs) right after treatment may reopen some of these treated vessels.

Aurora DeJuliis, MD · Answer

In my experience there is no problem with exercising after IPL. This is a laser that carries no downtime. My only recommendation is sun block specially if you are outdoors.Good luck

Exercise after IPL - is it the flushing or the sweating that you want to avoid?

Answers (6)