CALL TODAY: IPL (intense pulsed light) can diminish the effects of sun damage, hormones, and skin conditions such as acne and rosacea. It requires minimal downtime, but the experts at Diane Walder Dermatology say it’s important to follow these detailed pre- and post-care guidelines.
Before your IPL treatment:
1. Do not wear makeup to your treatment.
2. Avoid any irritants to your skin, such as any products containing tretioin, retinol, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic/salicylic acids, astringents or vitamin C for one week before your treatment.
3. Avoid taking antibiotics such as TETRACYCLINE or MINOCYCLINE for 1-2 weeks prior to your treatment as they make your skin photosensitive. Therefore, the technician will not be able to treat you until 1-2 weeks after completion on the antibiotic.
4. To avoid damage from the laser, you must be off ACCUTANE for at least 6 months prior to treatment.
5. Do not wax or use depilatory creams on treatment area for 1 week prior to your treatment to avoid irritation.
6. No sun exposure for 2 weeks prior to treatment.
After your IPL treatment:
1. Avoid sun exposure and tanning beds to treated areas after treatment. (We recommend this indefinitely to maximize results). Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 is vital to maintain your improved skin.
2. Avoid any irritants to your skin, such as any products containing tretinoin, retinol, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic and salicylic acids, astringents or vitamin C for one week after your treatment.
3. Do not wax, tweeze or use depilatory creams to the treated areas for at least 1 week after your treatment.
4. Treated lentigines usually darken after treatment and mild crusting begins to form within a few days. This crusting usually resolves in 1 to 3 weeks. It should be allowed to naturally flake off. If significant crusting occurs beyond the normal flaking of the treated lesions, an antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin may be recommended.
5. Localized redness may be presented and typically resolves within 24 to 48 hours.
6. If you do not need makeup for the evening of the treatment, wait until the next morning.
