POSTED UNDER IPL REVIEWS
Single IPL Made Face Look Awful - Colorado, CO
ORIGINAL POST
I'm 24 years old and suffer from mild rosacea on...
walk313May 21, 2015
$500
I'm 24 years old and suffer from mild rosacea on primarily my cheeks. My Derm recommended I try IPL as a possible solution to my mild redness and flushing. Well, I wish I could turn back time and NEVER show up for that appointment. After making an appointment with another doctor, a supposed "IPL expert and educator" (someone other than my regular Derm - she doesn't do IPL in her office) I am left with skin that is completely wrinkled and crepey. My 64 year old mother has better skin than I do! This is not "micro-swelling" or "dry skin," this is damaged skin. I would also like those who may be considering this procedure to know, that I had a completely comfortable and normal experience. The machine barely hurt, and the doctor told me he was using a very low setting as I had requested him to be extra conservative (told him I'd rather the machine do nothing at all, than burn me). Well after the procedure I felt fine, my skin had very minimal swelling, and I only had mild flushing in my cheek area for around 1 hour after the procedure. The next morning I woke up and noticed my cheeks looked a little more wrinkly than normal, but I figured that was to be expected since I had just traumatized the area and this would of course go away.. Well it didn't and things have just gotten worse. I now have little wrinkly lines all over my cheeks! (looks like my pores played a game of connect the dots)! My little brother blatantly stated, "your skin looks just like a raisin!" Sad, but the description is an apt one. The machine used was a Lumenis IPL without RF and was just serviced a month prior to my procedure. I would also like others to know that I was considered the perfect candidate for IPL, as I have very fair but thick skin, that doesn't ever tan. Although I will say that the IPL cleared my redness, it came at a terrible price. I have always taken excellent care of my skin and have worn sunscreen daily since I was 12 years old (thanks mom). My skin before this procedure was truly close to perfect, and now it is a wreck. Another sad development was the odd dent that has started to appear under my right eye. At first I thought I was focusing on my face too much and that it was nothing, but then a few days passed and I really started to see a problem. Developing, is a dark dent under my right eye that perfectly outlines the IPL machine head that was used. I went back to the doctor who performed this procedure and he stated that, "there is no way that the IPL could have caused this damage, especially not the dent in my face (also interesting he didn't deny there was damage). " WELL.. THAT IS NOT TRUE!!! I went home and researched the IPL machine used and read up on Lumenis' annual 10k report, and under the "Risk Factors" section it states clear as day, "Our systems may not be able to meet patient expectations and there may be adverse side effects from the procedures for which our products are used. Laser and IPL systems are inherently complex in design and require ongoing scheduled maintenance. Despite pre-market testing, our products may malfunction when used by our customers, due to their technical complexity. In rare instances, patients may receive burns, blisters, skin discoloration or skin depressions..." UMM hello!!! Skin depressions anyone? It's right there in the quarterly report!!! And this doctor is telling me that "It can't happen?!" When I sent him this information via e-mail and told him I was upset that these potential side effects were never disclosed to me, he never responded back to me! LADIES LISTEN TO ME... This is not an easy "lunch time" procedure that is safe, with "no side effects." For some I understand this procedure works miracles, but for others the results are devastating. Too many people on this site have had their faces compromised for a supposedly "easy" procedure. I had one IPL, JUST ONE! And it was done by a highly regarded doctor in a medical office, with years of IPL experience and accreditation. I did not do this procedure at some back alley medical spa with a cheap machine. I regret it every single day. Don't be me, find another way to treat your skin issues.
I've since been using Psoria- gold and moisturizing the heck out of my skin with emu oil, and been wearing high SPF sunscreen every day. Nothing has helped so far. I have an appointment set up with my original derm to see the damage and hopefully help treat it. Will let you guys know how it goes. Thanks for reading my story. Photos to come... I have not posted the name of the doctor for legal reasons.
I've since been using Psoria- gold and moisturizing the heck out of my skin with emu oil, and been wearing high SPF sunscreen every day. Nothing has helped so far. I have an appointment set up with my original derm to see the damage and hopefully help treat it. Will let you guys know how it goes. Thanks for reading my story. Photos to come... I have not posted the name of the doctor for legal reasons.
UPDATED FROM walk313
27 days post
Here Are Some Pictures
walk313May 22, 2015
Decided to provide some pictures for you guys, because without pictures my warning is pretty much heresay. My face looked nothing like this before the SINGLE IPL treatment. My face was smooth and gorgeous with just a little redness. When I went back to the doctor he tried to tell me that this was "natural aging" and that my skin looked great. A complete insult to my intelligence to try and gaslight me into thinking everything was "fine." It is not fine, and I am not the only one who has noticed the damage. This does not look like the skin of any 24 year old I know. Ladies please DO NOT do this procedure. Think back to the days of Thermage when people were complaining of burns and fat loss/ atrophy, and the doctors absolutely denied this could happen...Well here we are today and now they are saying that "it can happen." Any advice you guys can give would be great, I am at a loss right now and deeply upset. I can't even wear makeup to cover the damage, it just makes things look worse.
Replies (17)
May 22, 2015
I'm sorry you didn't get the results you were looking for. You may also want to post in the Doctor Q&A.
June 1, 2015
i would think a VI peel would help u. i know people who got the fraxel laser done and had ur same results and VI peel took that orange peel and wrinkly texture away. Ive had one and theyre great . look into the VI peel.
June 11, 2015
I will look into that, thank you very much. I had one doc recommend micro needling, but I was worried it would damage my skin even more.
June 3, 2015
Dear Beautiful Young Woman,
I am much older than you, but also had a bad experience with a laser treatment. I was able to mitigate the damage, by using copper peptide serum by Skin Biology. The doctor, Loren Pickard Phd. that is responsible for the research behind the amazing serum is wonderful. When I didn't know where to turn, after being burned by a mishandled laser, he suggested using CP serum to soothe and heal my skin, and I still use it every day.
I'm not trying to sell you anything, but check him out, along with the benefits of using CP serum for "skin remodeling", burns and scar removal. Skin Biology is where I purchase the serum from and 4 oz lasts about a year using it once a day over my entire face and neck, on cleansed skin before moisturerizer, etc. Good luck and God bless you. I hope this helps.
July 6, 2015
I am so sorry for what happened to you. Iam thankful for you sharing. I hope you find ways to heal your skin. Remember how wonderful is our body and that is mean to heal. It is is nature to do so. I would try the most natural products literary. Maybe Ayurveda?
July 6, 2015
Thank you for your nice words, I just want to get my story out there so that other people are fully aware that this device can have some nasty outcomes. I am trying to be kind to my body with good nutrition and a positive outlook. I know stress can delay healing and make things worse. Thank you for your advice :)
September 5, 2015
I had ipl with radiofrequency. Similar results. It's terrible.
January 11, 2019
RF should not be used with IPL unless it is for hair reduction as it can burn the skin. Biological effects can result from exposure to RF energy. It has been known for many years that exposure to very high levels of RF radiation can be harmful due to the ability of RF energy to heat biological tissue rapidly. This is the principle by which microwave ovens cook food.
UPDATED FROM walk313
29 days post
Another Doctor's Opinion
walk313May 23, 2015
What is truly sad is that I have now been to two different MD's to see if they can help with whatever has happened to my face. One stated that perhaps the machine heated my skin up too much and I sustained excessive thermal damage. He also suggested that perhaps the right cut off filters were not used, and that maybe the IPL machine damaged some of my surrounding tissue (this was all just speculation). The second doctor I saw was completely at a loss, he asked me if I was sure that I did not have Lupus or another genetic disorder that would have made me sensitive to light exposure (I don't have anything, nor do I take any medications that would cause this). I personally love how doctors will try and come up with something organically wrong with you before they will ever admit that your problem could have been the fault of a highly complex and temperamental machine. My issue is not that I am having a problem with my treatment outcome (which is awful), my problem is that doctors are not adequately warning their patients about potential adverse side effects. I have found multiple sources online that state potential side effects that were not listed anywhere on the form at my MD's practice or in any follow up conversations we had prior to the procedure. In my opinion this is criminal. What has happened is we have taken real medicine and real medical procedures and turned them into simple cosmetic events. IPL is not something to be taken lightly. The effects can be awful and many of the positive results you may get from treatment aren't even permanent. DO NOT DO IT! I have also added a picture of what my face used to look like prior to IPL and one of what it looks like now. If you don't believe IPL can damage your face check them out, and you decide if you want to take the risk or not.
Replies (32)
May 26, 2015
Hi walk313, I'm very sorry to see that this happened to you. I had a very similar experience, I was 31, had mild rosacea (redness mostly on cheeks), and developed bad textured skin from IPL. One treatment, Luminus without RF, very conservative settings, at a dermatologist's office, mild redness for an hour after, procedure comfortable, etc. etc. It will be 1 year on June 4th, and my skin has not improved. But I don't think that it is getting much worse. Basically the damage kind of peaked and leveled of at about 7 or 8 months for me. Since that point I see variation based on hydration and time of the month, but for the most part I think the extent of the damage has been realized. I hope yours levels off soon. Once you get to that point, in my experience, it's easier as at least you are not as surprised when you look in the mirror.
I filed an adverse event report, and I've tried a bunch of moisturizers etc. etc. but basically I've just had to accept the changes. My skin looks better with primer, and in some lighting from far enough a way you can barely tell anything went wrong. I like what one lady said on here, that her skin looked like she had been drinking and smoking and laying on a beach for years .... which would be one thing if that's what we had done, since that would have at least been fun, but instead we spend hundreds of dollars for 15 minutes that will take away at least a decade of our skin's youth and vitality. What really helped me was to read psychology information about trauma etc. because the psychological aspect of this was very very heavy for me, and I already suffered from being prone to anxiety and depression going into this, so it was a very hard mental hit for me. I hope everything works out as best as possible for you, thank you for sharing your story.
June 9, 2015
Great words of wisdom, Emily. Yes, it's there, and the worst thing is the lack of knowledge to fix it and the lack of acknowledgement that these results can happen. Everyone should be informed, warned, AND SHOWN PICTURES of what can happen before they consent. There is not enough patient (and doctor) education of what can happen. These procedures need to stop being marketed as "no' or "low risk" "no downtime" "lunch time procedures." They are anything but. Yes, heavy moisturizer and primers help. For me, I find Cerave cream in a tub helps, and a primer over that to help smooth out all the little pits and lines helps but does not eliminate the bad texture. I've also had to buy so many new foundations because now with all these holes, ridges and lines, etc. I find many foundations accentuate the lines. I basically have to buy foundations designed for very old, wrinkly skin. Ironically, I got the IPL to be able to wear LESS makeup. Now I have to wear more, and covering up all these problems is harder than it was before.
June 17, 2015
Yes, same for me. I'm using Cerave Cream and a Smashbox primer. Some makeups make it look worse, I've been though a lot of them. I actually did end up getting bangs and now I feel better that I can hide the worst of the damage on the days when it looks really crinkled up. I also just started retinol, I'm easing into it very slowly 0.025%, every second night, too soon to see any results but it's not been irritating or making it obviously worse so maybe there is hope on that front, but I'm not invested in it.
May 27, 2015
Your report and others similar to it regarding poor outcomes after IPL are disturbing. I've held off on my plans for IPL as a result. I'd encourage you take a look at the site "SkinActives.com" and their line of skin care products developed by a plant biochemist. There's a lot of information on the site and the products (both ready-made and DIY) are reasonably priced. For example they've got a product called Restoration Cream that's described to "help accelerate recovery after procedures such as laser or micro-exfoliation". You're young so your skin still has potential for healing and repair, especially with the right support.
June 1, 2015
Hi So sorry to hear your awful treatment of the IPL - is there no way you could at least be reimbursed - that is the least they could do considering what they did to you! Just a thought which may help - I have really serious rosacea and I have just started to use a product by Honevo - it is called "Rosacea" it is excellent - a New Zealand product which uses Kanuka Honey - I recommend you try it - I don't use it every day and it brings down the redness quite a bit. I put the paste on dry skin and leave for 15 mins before rinsing it off with cool water - I don't apply any cleansers before or after treatment. I do however put a moisturiser for sensitive skin called "Rosehip moisturiser" by essano also New Zealand. I am probably sure by now you guessed that I live in NZ - I do! :-) The other thing I would highly recommend you use since they mucked up your skin is use a top quality 100% if you can get it - Aloe Vera Gel. Probably at a health shop. Leave it in the fridge too. I usually buy a tube of it. Apply this to your face and leave for as long as possible - I find if I don't need to go out I leave it on all day. It not only will cool your face it will "heal" your skin! If you can't do this during the day then when you arrive home cleanse your face - pat dry and apply the aloe vera gel. The Rosacea by Honevo you could use in the evening as well or once in the morning before putting on your moisturiser after your normal skin care routine. Anyway, hope this helps - good that your seeing a specialist. I see a specialist for my skin every three months she has also put me on Doxycycline tablets - I take one tablet a day. All the best - let me know how things go. :-)
June 1, 2015
I forgot to say I am 51yrs old but have been told I look much younger which is great it is just the redness that flares up but as I have said the above products I have mentioned really do help and also very reasonable price wise! Perhaps Google the mentioned products first for you to have a read about them. I purchased my Honevo on line but buy my Rosehip at my local supermarket although you are able to purchase it online. Best wishes...
June 9, 2015
I'm sorry. The big problem seems to be that these laser doctors are really not held accountable when something goes wrong. They know the risks now. There's enough information out there now where they can't say they don't know. They know it's hard for a victim to sue. If they told you the truth you wouldn't do it.
Look into Dermarolling . It has helped me. It's a slow process but it has helped. Look up Dr. Des Fernandes on YouTube. He's done a lot of research on Dermarolling. Hope this helps. Take care.
June 11, 2015
One doc I saw did recommended micro needling, but I was worried it could make things worse. Did it make your wrinkles worse at first before the scar tissue filled everything in, or was it a good/ better outcome right away?
June 11, 2015
No it didn't make anything worse. After about 6 months now I'm starting to see some good results. But Dermarolling is a slow process. Test patch your skin before you dive in though. Good luck.
July 4, 2015
I agree. Dermarolling is a good way to approach damage to the skin. I use it to build collagen in my skin, because at 65 years of age, my body isn't producing it like it did years ago. I've seen real results with dermarolling. I also use the illumask for 15 minutes every day - gentle light that has given results. The side benefit is that I'm forced to lie quietly ever day for 15 minutes so it's a good chance for me to relax and meditate, and do affirmations for self healing.
June 11, 2015
When did you (or anyone else who wants to answer) find your damage stopped progressing? I'm worried I'll continue to see more damage with time. Initially I'd hoped time would improve my condition, but some people said their damage progressed for up to a year after their procedure. That terrifies me, as I can already barely look in the mirror. What do you think?
July 11, 2015
I had vbeam and had similar damage (as well as a lot of inflammation for a few months). Six months later with much moisturising, it's looking better so try to just ride it for a while if you can. My redness is uneven now unfortunately (white dots where its worked) so I'm thinking of having BBL to try to even up the redness. What do others think? Is it the same? Walk313, unfortunately, everything can have side effects - I had fillers and had a bad systemic reaction that took 3 months to recover from - I was very sick. Did doctors tell me that was possible? Nope, they said my reaction must be unrelated because the hyaluronic acid in filler is natural, like that in our body. So I believed them and did it again a year later with the same reaction only worse. They finally said that some people can have a foreign body allergic reaction to filler and never to use it again.
September 6, 2015
BBL is what damaged a few people really badly on Real Self. Be cautions.
Replies (39)