Ibuprofen before IPL. What are the side effects?

Question

I just read that I should have stopped taking Ibuprofen before IPL. My aesthetician never told me and I've been on ibuprofen for weeks and just had my treatment today. What's the side affect of being on ibuprofen before IPL?

Rebecca Gelber, MD · Answer

Great question! You can absolutely use ibuprofen before IPL - in fact, you can take both ibuprofen and tylenol together (one goes through the liver, the other the kidneys) for even better pain control. The pro's and cons: ibuprofen will decrease swelling a bit. If you are someone who swells, sleeping upright after IPL and taking benadryl at bedtime will help even more. The only con is that if you have a lot of broken capillaries being treated with the IPL, you may get some bruising, so in that situation, you may want to hold off.

Selena Lantry, MD · Answer

You can use ibuprofen before an IPL. It should not affect your treatment in any way.  Just let your provider know beforehand and you should have nothing to worry about.

Katherine Dee, MD · Answer

Ibuprofen is fine to take before or after IPL. The only issue with Ibuprofen in general is that it makes you bleed more. For procedures where there is bleeding or bruising, it can be a little worse. IPL does not cause bleeding or bruising. You should be fine.

Mark Taylor, MD · Answer

Ibuprofen is safe to use before IPL.  The only concern is the following.  If you have an aggressive IPL treatment that causes some purpura (bruising), ibuprofen may make the bruising worse because it inhibits the platelets in your blood that reduce bruising.

Ibuprofen before IPL. What are the side effects?

Answers (4)

Answer: There is no problem using Ibuprofen before IPL.

Answer: There is no problem using Ibuprofen before IPL.

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about IPL

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

Ibuprofen before IPL. What are the side effects?

Answers (4)

Answer: There is no problem using Ibuprofen before IPL.

Answer: There is no problem using Ibuprofen before IPL.

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about IPL

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.