Does IPL or photofacial make your skin more sensitive and thinner making it more prone to sun damage in the future?

Question

I'm 23 years old and I have been doing some microdermabrasion recently and has found that it makes my skin thinner and more sensitive to the sun. I wear sunscreen on a daily basis but I want a treatment that strengthens my skin in the longer term and not make it only smooth and nice in the short term. Does IPL or photofacial help to treat sun spots and veins while at the same time strengthening the skin by creating a new layer of skin? If not, which other treatments are worth investigating?

David W. Kim, MD · Answer

Hi Cosmetic03,Great questions! There are many treatments that will strengthen the skin, but IPL is the best for simultaneously treating sun spots and small vessels at the same time. If you are trying to accomplish all 3 goals with one type of treatment, I think IPL is a great choice -- assuming you have a skin type that is appropriate for IPL (your treatment provider will be able to assess this). Down the road, you may want to consider other treatments for deeper collagen stimulation, but at your age, I probably wouldn't recommend them just yet. Hope that helps.

Alex Eshaghian, MD, PhD · Answer

Thank you for your question Cosmetic03. IPL is a great treatment for facial rejuvenation. It helps with dark spots and discoloration. There is evidence to show that it rejuvenates the skin and possibly prevents skin cancer. Certain lasers such as non-ablative and ablative lasers will help stimulate collagen production to strengthen the skin. Full surface ablation will remove a thin layer of dead skin cells. Please consult with a doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!

Laura Riehm, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  You are correct, microdermabrasion does TEMPORARILY make your skin thinner and more sun sensitive.  You are taking off the top layer of dead skin with a sand blaster.IPL on the other hand is non-ablative.  It does not effect the skin barrier.  Amongst other things, it causes micro-trauma sub-dermally triggering your own bodies healing process.  This causes your skin cells to turn over faster and break up underlying pigment.  We do 1 IPL pass with settings targeting pigment and a second pass with settings targeting vascular lesions (blood vessels).   Best of luck.

Summit Kundaria, MD · Answer

Cosmetic03,
Thanks for the question.  IPL has a sun sensitizing effect, though it is most pronounced 1 week after a treatment, and you eventually return to your baseline level of sun sensitivity.  IPL does treat sun spots and veins well (depending on their size), and does strengthen the skin with its collagen stimulating effect.  These effects are subtle when compared to fractional laser resurfacing, which would be a better treatment for age spots and collagen stimulation, though it will give you down time.  The smaller veins respond well to IPL, though larger ones may require a long pulsed Nd:YAG to treat.

Tarek M. Fakhouri, MD · Answer

Hi Cosmetic,
Great question! Microdermabrasion is like a minichemical peel. It strips away the top layer of the skin. This produces a clear fresh look to the skin which can make it a little more sensitive. However, this is not a permanent change. The skin heals very quickly after microderm. The best way to protect your skin is with daily sunscreen use. UVA and UVB light damage the skin, cause wrinkles, thin skin, and discoloration.
There are many treatments that can reverse the signs of sun damage and skin aging. IPL helps with skin tone as well as dilated/"broken" blood vessels. Other treatments can help with the collagen under the surface. These treatments are microneedling, radiofrequency, and laser treatments. There are many technologies to choose from, however, choosing the proper doctor is the most important decision you make. Please see a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon to get the best results!
Take care,
Tarek M. Fakhouri, MD

Does IPL or photofacial make your skin more sensitive and thinner making it more prone to sun damage in the future?

Answers (5)

Answer: IPL and skin thinning

Answer: IPL and skin thinning

Answer: Best long term skin care is sunscreen

Answer: Best long term skin care is sunscreen

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Everything you need to know about IPL

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Does IPL or photofacial make your skin more sensitive and thinner making it more prone to sun damage in the future?

Answers (5)

Answer: IPL and skin thinning

Answer: IPL and skin thinning

Answer: Best long term skin care is sunscreen

Answer: Best long term skin care is sunscreen

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.