How long should an IPL photorejuvenation procedure of the face take?

Question

My procedure only less than 5 minutes for my entire face each time and that doesn't seem like enough time to properly do the treatment. After 3 of these treatments over 2 months I see no difference. No improvement of broken capillaries around and on my nose and chin and no improvement of brown spots. Is this a typical experience and outcome? How long should it take for this treatment?

Alex Eshaghian, MD, PhD · Answer

Thank you for your question fuel. I understand your concern.
IPL is a great treatment for facial rejuvenation. The treatment time depends on the device and the operator. We use the Sciton BBL which has a large spot size and fast repetition rate. This allows for fast treatment. I have personally performed over 8,000 of such treatment and it takes me less than 5 minutes to treat an entire face with 3-4 passes. We schedule appointments for 45 minutes to allow for numbing, preparation, etc. It is more important to look for results and without photographs it is difficult to make an assessment. For my patients if they are not satisfied with their results I adjust the settings on subsequent treatments. Please consult with a doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!

Michael J. Brown, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! A five minute treatment seems way too fast to be thorough enough when treating brown spots and red vessels. Typically, an IPL treatment for the face takes about 45 minutes. Unless your technician was spot treating certain areas then five minutes would not be an adequate amount of time to treat the entire face. Sometimes it can take between 3-5 treatments to see a significant improvement. Some of the stronger IPL machines can yield the desired outcomes in as little as 1-3 treatments. It is important to have an experienced IPL technician doing the treatment in order to get a great result. For more information please feel free to look at our website.

Andre Berger, MD · Answer

Hello! I'm sorry that this has been happening to you without results. 5 Minutes is very short, as the procedure normally takes 15-20 minutes to do the entire face, unless their just treating the areas with broken capillaries, etc. That being said, it might also be that the settings on the lasers aren't turned up to high enough intensity and thus the Intense Light isn't penetrating the epidermis. Consult a new clinic nearest you for best results.

In good health,

Dr. Berger

In good health,

Dr. Berger

Reza Tirgari, MD · Answer

Typically an IPL in our office will take between 30-60 minutes, so 5 minutes seems a little fast, unless they were doing spot treatments only.

If you aren't getting any results even after 3 treatments, it's best to consult with your treating physician.

Laura Riehm, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question.  I can't comment on your previous treatments.  In our office, we schedule an hour in the room for an IPL full face treatment.  We expect it to take about 45 minutes to treat someone thoroughly with 2 passes for browns and 2 passes for reds.  We use a CynoSure ICON with the MaxG hand piece.  You should pose your question to the supervising physician of your provider.  Thanks and good luck.

Katherine Dee, MD · Answer

IPL is great for treating both red and brown spots on the face. One full pass of the entire face may take around 10 minutes, but it depends on the machine and the quickness of the operator. Often more than one pass will be done, especially if you are treating both red and brown, since with many devices you have to switch hand-pieces. 5 minutes seems pretty speedy, but could be done with the right device and only one pass. Most of our IPL procedures take 15-20 minutes.

How long should an IPL photorejuvenation procedure of the face take?

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