How long does IPL recovery take?

The downtime and recovery time depend on how aggressive the treatment was. Temporary discoloration will occur for 3-4 days after the procedure and will flake off slowly. Short term side effects are reddening of the skin, temporary bruising and edema. Rare reactions such as scabbing and blistering are possible but not very common. Protecting the skin by applying sunscreen daily is very important after the IPL and will prevent from future sun damage.

Thank you for your question. Minimal downtime is needed for an IPL treatment. Post-treatment you may have some redness and within the next few days any dark spots will get darker and eventually flake off leaving you with a more even complexion.

thank you for your question.  IPL treatment treats red vessels, hyperpigmentation and it improves the texture of your skin by producing collagen and elastin. you will pepper after the treatment and the dark spots will appear darker before they flake off. do not be alarmed.  This takes 2-4 days depending on your skin type and the intensity of the treatment.Always consult with a physician to make sure you are a good candidate.

Hello and thank you for your question. Most patients experience redness from one to four days following an IPL treatment. The redness depends on the patients skin sensitivity and the intensity of the treatment. If you are experiencing extreme sensitivity, redness, or flakiness, please contact your laser technician and request an in-person follow up appointment, I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck.  

The downtime and recovery time will depend on the aggressiveness on your treatment. It can take several weeks for laser results to settle. There can be temporary discoloration which will gradually resolve.  I always combine IPL with microneedling/prp to improve outcomes. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Best, Dr. Emer 

There typically is no downtime with IPL.  After the treatment one can expect their hyperpigmenation(brown spots and discoloration) to come to the surface of the skin and become more noticeable and darker. A mild sunburn for up to 24 hours can be expected as well.  Depending on how aggressive the treatment was, and how much discoloration the patient has it may take up to 2 weeks for the spots to crust over and naturally flake off. 

UPDATE: IPL is not actually a laser, but an intense flash of light that is "attracted" to brown and red pigment in the skin.  IPL technology has advanced in recent years with BBL (Broad Band Light) overtaking standard IPL by offering quicker improvement and lower risk.Both IPL and BBL target discoloration, but BBL offers a wide range of "color filters" so that most any skin color can be treated safely.
Brown Pigment:
The absorption of the light causes the brown pigment to shatter, which makes it come to the surface faster. This is why you will see what looks almost like fine coffee grounds on your skin over the next week (or a little longer). They'll naturally slough off. 
You can make the process easier by keeping your skin moisturized and not picking at the little flakes (Picking at the flakes may cause more problems). You should not experience recovery pain, bleeding or scarring. But you will feel some skin roughness initially and some mottled coloring as the pigment granules fall off. Any "help" should be limited to the light use of a washcloth after your skin is wet, such as after a shower.
It's generally helpful to have several IPL/BBL treatments to reach deeper level pigment. Sun screen is required to minimize recurrence. Expect a touch up session every so often if you tend to spend time outside. It's nearly impossible to prevent pigmentation issues in areas with high sun exposure.
Redness:
The absorption by tiny broken or expanded capillaries shrinks and coagulates them. Larger veins will require Vbeam or other treatment, but the tiny capillaries that cause irregular redness often respond very nicely to IPL alone.
It's important to distinguish the cause of pigment irregularities. Melasma needs different treatment than environmentally caused discoloration, so be sure the doctor you see is a board certified dermatologist who can properly determine the best treatment.CAUTIONS:IPL comes in a wide array of "qualities".  Cheaper machines tend to carry more risk for loss of pigment, burns and scars. Although widely offered in promotions as a risk-free treatment, in the hands of an improperly trained operator, the results can be anything but risk free. With so many people having a mixed genetic background, it takes a professionally trained and skilled provider to treat your skin safely.  

I usually recommend to my patients to avoid the sun for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after any laser treatment on the skin. Also, certain photosensitizing antibiotics should be avoided as well. Ask your doctor for after care instructions for your particular situation, hope this helps!

IPL downtime is really very minimal compared to other treatments with actual lasers.  While more aggressive settings can yield more temporary side effects, this treatment really has no true social downtime.  The same day, the patient can wear a gentle cover up (with sunscreen!) and go out in public looking great.  Pinkness and redness are mild and persist for a few hours.  There is a mild transient sunburn or tightness sensation.  Dark spots will darken, and flake off over 7 days.  There is no crusting or oozing, and minimal swelling.Best wishes

IPL can take as little as 2 days and as long as 3 weeks depending on the setting.  Typically there is an initial redness which dissipates over a few hours to a few days.  Patients who are treated for hyperpigmentation can note dark areas becoming darker and this process can take a few weeks, however it is easily covered by makeup.  Patients who are being treated for blood vessels (newer IPLs are most effective for this) may note bruising if the vessel was aggressively treated.    IPL is one of the best treatments for creating an even complexion and it is tolerated well by most skin types.

Sciton® BBL technology treats sun-damaged and aging skin effectively.
The light energy delivered by the BBL will gently be absorbed by the unwanted melanin
responsible for pigmented lesions in the upper layers of the skin. Over the
next few days the pigmented lesions will darken and fall off. Pigmented lesions
can be removed by full-face or spot-treat superficial resurfacing. This
technology allows patients to experience quick recovery with smoother,
healthier, more vibrant skin, and an immediate change in skin texture and
tightness.#BBLrecovery    #lowriskBBL   #BBLsafety