Brown spots, redness, and uneven skin tone are some of the most common signs of sun damage. While skin care products may help protect the skin and improve its appearance, they cannot always reverse existing discoloration. IPL is a light-based treatment that may help reduce visible sun damage and create a more even-looking complexion.
At ASI Medical Spa in Issaquah, WA, IPL is the treatment for sun damage that shows up as color rather than wrinkles.
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What Can IPL Treat?
IPL may help when sun damage is showing up as pigment or redness rather than deep wrinkles, loose skin, or changing skin lesions. It is commonly used for discoloration and visible redness that sits close enough to the skin surface to respond to light-based treatment.
IPL may be considered for:
- Brown spots
- Sun spots
- Age spots
- Freckling from sun exposure
- Redness
- Broken capillaries
- Blotchy tone
- Dull or uneven skin tone
IPL is most effective for improving excess pigment and visible redness caused by sun damage. It can create a clearer, more even-looking complexion, but it does not address deeper wrinkles, significant skin laxity, or other structural signs of aging. IPL treats color, melanin (brown) and hemoglobin (red), not texture.
How IPL Targets Brown Spots and Redness
IPL stands for intense pulsed light. It is different from a laser because it uses broad-spectrum light instead of one single wavelength.
During treatment, light energy is absorbed by pigment and redness in the skin. Brown spots may absorb the light and darken temporarily before they fade or flake away. Redness and visible vessels may also improve as the light targets the blood vessels contributing to the discoloration.
The goal is to create a more even skin tone over time. IPL does not remove all signs of sun damage in one visit, and results depend on the type of discoloration, skin tone, treatment settings, and how the skin responds.
What IPL Cannot Treat
IPL is most effective for treating pigment and redness caused by sun damage. Other concerns, such as deeper wrinkles, loose skin, or certain types of pigmentation, may respond better to different treatments.
At ASI Medical Spa, those include chemical peels for tone and surface texture, SkinPen microneedling for texture and acne scarring, and Ultherapy for mild laxity.
Another option may be more appropriate for:
- Deep wrinkles
- Significant loose skin
- Severe skin laxity
- Deep acne scars
- Melasma-prone pigmentation
- Raised or changing skin lesions
- Suspicious spots that need medical evaluation
- Pigment concerns that are not safe to treat with IPL
Any spot that changes in size, shape, color, bleeds, itches, or does not heal should be evaluated by a dermatologist. IPL is a cosmetic treatment. It cannot tell a harmless sun spot from an early skin cancer, and fading a spot with light can hide a cancer and delay the diagnosis. Suspicious spots are seen by a dermatologist first.
Who Should Not Have IPL
IPL is not the right choice for every patient. Everyone is evaluated in person before treatment.
IPL is generally not appropriate in the following situations:
- Darker skin tones. Olive, brown, and black skin are generally not candidates for IPL. The light cannot tell the pigment in a sun spot from the pigment in normal skin, so the risk of a burn and of dark or light patches goes up.
- A tan, including self-tanner. Tanned skin carries the same burn and pigment risk. Avoid UV exposure and self-tanning products for 7 days before treatment.
- Melasma. These blotchy, hormonal brown patches on the cheeks, upper lip, or forehead are pigment that IPL heat can make worse.
- Isotretinoin (Accutane). Recent isotretinoin means waiting before any light-based treatment. Dori confirms the waiting period at your consultation. Topical retinoids need a shorter pause.
- Sun-sensitizing medications, such as doxycycline. These drugs make skin burn more easily in light, so tell us everything you take.
- Pregnancy. Tell us before your appointment.
- Active infection, open skin, or a cold sore in the treatment area.
Any spot that is new, growing, changing shape or color, bleeding, itching, or not healing. These are evaluated by a dermatologist before any treatment.
What to Expect From an IPL Session
Arrive with clean skin and no makeup or lotion on the treatment area. A cool gel is applied and you wear protective eyewear. Each flash feels like a quick snap of a rubber band with a flash of warmth. A full face takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Most patients need more than one session. Dori sets the number of sessions and the spacing between them at your visit.
After each session, avoid unprotected sun for at least 14 days, because the treated skin can be re-damaged during this time. After that, wear broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every day, for life.
Side Effects and When to Call Us
The expected side effects are mild and short. In most cases, there is redness and a sunburn feeling for a few hours, dark specks that look like coffee grounds and flake off over 7 to 10 days, and some bruising where blood vessels were treated. Do not pick or scrub the specks.
Less often, IPL can cause blistering or a burn, patches that turn darker or lighter than the surrounding skin and last months, and rarely scarring. These problems are more likely in darker or tanned skin, which is why the candidate rules above are firm.
Call ASI Medical Spa at (425) 553-3223 for blistering, open skin, or pain that is getting worse instead of better after day 2.
IPL Treatment at ASI Medical Spa
At ASI Medical Spa, IPL treatments are performed by Dori Nasserziayee, Licensed Master Aesthetician, who customizes each treatment based on your skin concerns, complexion, and aesthetic goals. Whether you are looking to reduce brown spots, improve redness, or create a more even skin tone, your treatment plan is designed around the type and severity of your sun damage.
During your consultation, your skin will be evaluated to determine whether IPL is the most appropriate option or whether another treatment may better achieve your desired results. Our goal is to recommend the treatment that best matches your skin and helps you achieve natural-looking improvement.
Medical Spa in Issaquah, WA
If you are concerned about sun damage or exploring treatment options to improve brown spots, redness, or uneven skin tone, schedule a consultation at our medical spa in Issaquah. Call (425) 553-3223 or visit us at 6505 226th Pl SE, Suite 101, Issaquah, WA 98027.
FAQs
Does IPL get rid of sun spots permanently?
IPL can reduce treated sun spots, but it does not stop new sun damage from forming. Daily sunscreen, sun protection, and maintenance treatments may help preserve results.
Do brown spots get darker after IPL?
Yes, brown spots often darken after IPL before they fade or flake away. This is a common part of the process. The treated skin should be protected from the sun and handled gently while it heals.
Can IPL help redness and broken capillaries?
IPL may help reduce redness and visible broken capillaries in appropriate cases. The response depends on the cause of the redness, the depth of the vessels, skin tone, and the treatment plan.
Who should avoid IPL?
IPL may not be appropriate for recently tanned skin, certain darker skin tones, active skin irritation, some pigmentation conditions, or medications that increase light sensitivity. A skin evaluation helps determine whether IPL is safe for the concern being treated.
Does IPL hurt, and is there downtime?
Each flash feels like a rubber band snap with a flash of warmth, and the cool gel takes the edge off. Most people go back to work the same day and wear makeup over the dark specks until they flake off.
How much does IPL cost?
Cost depends on the area treated and the number of sessions in your plan, and ASI Medical Spa offers package pricing that changes the per-session number. We go over the exact figure at your consult.
