We are leaders in cosmetic surgery, facial aesthetics, and medically supervised weight loss, serving the entire San Francisco Bay area. Whether you live in the Bay Area or are coming in from out of town, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have on your path to your new self. Book your cosmetic surgery intro call or Med Spa consultation today and take the first step towards realizing the look you’ve always wanted for yourself.
IPL
Do I have IPL laser hypopigmentation?
You will likely have pigment changes due to the burns from the IPL treatment. The best way to minimize the damage is to apply aquaphor to the scabbed areas until they are completely healed and definitely avoid sun exposure on these areas while they are healing. Hypopigmentation may improve over a long period of time, but it can be permanent as well. Hyperpigmentation can also improve over time and with the use of lightening creams and sunblock. Follow up with your clinician to make sure things are healing properly and definitely make sure settings are more conservative if you are doing future treatments. Always make sure to let your clinician know of any changes in your health or medications prior to any treatment and if you have had recent sun exposure. This can help guide the treatment setting selection to reduce your chances of adverse reactions.
Clinical Context
IPL burns can injure the pigment-producing cells in skin, causing either lighter patches (hypopigmentation) from reduced melanin, or darker patches (hyperpigmentation) from increased melanin. Both are recognized side effects of laser and light treatments, more common with darker skin tones or overly aggressive settings. Hyperpigmentation usually fades with time and sun protection, while hypopigmentation can take longer and sometimes doesn't fully resolve. Keeping the area protected from sun during healing helps limit further pigment changes.
Related Questions
