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IPL
How long does IPL recovery take?
Post-treatment recovery after intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment is generally minimal. Your skin may be red and warm for the remainder of the day and this usually settles down by the following day. Around three to five days after treatment the dark spots on your skin will become darker, often described as having a “coffee-ground” appearance. Over the next few days after they appear, the darkened spots will disappear on their own leaving your skin with a healthy glow. It is extremely important to avoid sun exposure after IPL treatments, especially in the first two weeks, as during this time your skin is more susceptible to sun damage and at risk for permanently worsening the appearance of sun spots.
Clinical Context
The coffee-ground darkening reflects pigment that IPL's light has heated and clumped within surface skin cells. As part of normal turnover, your skin sheds these treated cells over the following days, carrying the darkened pigment away. This is why the spots flake off naturally rather than needing to be picked or exfoliated—doing so early can irritate the skin or cause uneven pigment to form underneath.
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