Does Intense Pulsed Light Therapy Work?

Intense pulsed light therapy has been popular recently on social media platforms regarding medical usage. However, does it even work?

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light therapy) can be an effective treatment if used correctly. This therapy is ideal for hair removal, dry eyes, sun damage, and more. 

Today, we will learn more about pulsed light therapy and other procedures. 

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy: How Does It Work?

• The IPL technique uses broad-spectrum light to target specific skin pigments. The primary contrast is that IPL sends many wavelengths of light, not just one. 
• Light loosens up in the skin and is caught by melanin and hemoglobin. When these substances have absorbed the light, they turn into heat. 
• The heat destroys the pigmented or vascular cells, and then the skin replaces them with new cells.
• The elimination of such cells urges the human organism to get rid of them and initiate the production of a new portion of collagen. 

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy For Different Skin Conditions

Redness and Rosacea

Redness of the face and rosacea treatment is the most common utilization of IPL in modern dermatological practice. The vessel or pigment that appears so disrupted is destroyed, causing it to collapse painfully. 

This led to breakthroughs in redness reduction. You might get results within 1-2 weeks. 

Sun Damage and Pigmentation

Sun damage often presents as brown spots and an uneven skin tone. This is another area in which IPL can truly excel. The sunlight hones in on the melanin in these spots and disrupts their structure. This, in turn, causes your body to remove the pigmented cells and leave little to no trace of sunspots.

Hair Removal

IPL is the most famous and commonly used method for hair removal. It mainly targets the pigment located in the hair follicles. This pigment absorbs light and becomes hot, wounding the hair follicle. For many people, the hair will never grow again. 

However, Intense pulsed therapy is effective only for people with light skin and dark hair. If you have very light skin, the IPL might not be able to see the difference between your skin and your hair. 

Those with very dark skin must be aware that the IPL light might have to go quite deep into the skin and can cause burning. To reach the best results, you will have to undergo a few treatments. However, most people who have had many sessions have claimed long-lasting results. 

Dry Eyes

IPL is also used in chronic dry eyes, which are usually first treated with drops to dampen the eyes or with lifestyle changes. When that fails, IPL helps reduce the patient’s symptoms by working on the meibomian glands in the eyelids. 

Comparisons With Other Treatments

IPL and Laser Therapy

IPL and laser treatments can have comparable effects on respective skin issues. However, they differ in how they work and in their intensity. 

Laser treatments use a single wavelength of light that is focused enough to affect the skin and is, therefore, more potent. Thus, the patient requires fewer sessions with lasers for more significant results. 

However, recovery times are also longer. IPL is gentler and less focused, using several wavelengths of light to treat several conditions at once. Thus, the patient will need more sessions to see similar results to the laser.

IPL and Microdermabrasion or Chemical Peels

Microdermabrasion is a treatment that scrapes the skin using a stream of small crystals, while chemical peels use an acidic solution for the same effect. 

Both treatments give the skin a smoother surface and improve acne, texture, and tone. However, both treatments are also more surface-level compared to IPL. With IPL, the light can penetrate more deeply into the skin, where it can treat pigmentation and blood vessels. Therefore, IPL is much more efficient for these issues.

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What To Keep In Mind When Getting Intense Pulsed Light Therapy?

Here are the things you need to know first before you can jump into IPL treatment. 

Is It Suitable?

Not everyone is suitable for the IPL. People with very dark skin are not the best match, as the light beam will struggle to tell the skin’s pigment apart from the hair’s pigment, potentially causing burns or discoloration. 

People who are pregnant, those with skin conditions, and individuals who are on blood thinners or isotretinoin must check with their doctor before treatment.

Check The Side Effects and Risks

Intense Pulsed Light therapy is also generally known to be relatively safe. The most common side effects include redness, swelling, and temporary changes in skin pigmentation. 

The above changes are expected to disappear within several hours after the therapy or, at the most, within days. More serious risks, such as blistering or scarring, are rare and usually the consequence of a bad procedure.

Specialists’ Expertise

It is also quite important to get this sort of therapy from a competent specialist. You will get maximum results with minimum risks. Such a specialist would be a board-certified dermatologist. Alternatively, you can choose between a more experienced nurse or a clinical assistant.