INTENSE PULSED LIGHT (IPL) Pre-Post Care Instruction
Before your IPL treatment:
1. Do not wear makeup to your treatment.
2. Avoid any irritants to your skin, such as any products containing Retin-A, retinol, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic/salicylic acids, astringents or Vitamin C for one week before your treatment.
3. Do not wax or use a depilatory on treatment areas for one week prior to your treatment.
4. Before each treatment, please inform us if you are taking any new antibiotics or medications as they
may make your skin photosensitive and therefore we may not be able to treat you for one to two weeks after completion of the medication.
5. Please inform our staff if you have a history of cold sores, or have a cold sores for pre-treatment.
6. Area that will be treated with IPL should not have had any sunburns or suntans on the skin for at least 12 weeks prior to treatment should avoid tans and burns on this area for 12 weeks post last treatment.
After your IPL treatment
1. Following treatment your skin may feel like it has a slight sunburn. You may experience erythema (redness), edema (swelling), and some discomfort of the treated areas for several hours or up to 3 days post-treatment.
2. You may experience some purpura (purpleish spots or patches) in treated areas, which would be expected to resolve within several days.
3. If you experience itching after treatment, you may use over the counter topical hydrocortisone cream. After treatment, your skin may appear slightly reddened which subsides rather quickly. Mild swelling may occur.
4. You may use cold or ice packs, 10-minute intervals, as needed for comfort and to relieve swelling.
Should swelling occur, application of an ice pack (10 minutes on, 10 minutes off) multiple times in the first 24 hours will help minimize the swelling.
5. Apply a gentle moisturizer immediately after treatment. Use a mild cleanser (such as Cetephil,
Aquinil, or Dove) and a mild moisturizer after the treatment for a few days before resuming your normal skin routine.
6. Avoid any irritants to your skin, such as any products containing Retin-A, retinol, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic & salicylic acids, astringents or Vitamin C for one week after your treatment.
7. Avoid sun exposure to the treated area for 1 to 2 months following the treatment (if not indefinitely). Use a broad spectrum of sunblock of at least SPF 25 or higher at all times.
8. If desired, you may use makeup on the treated area, as long as the skin is not broken, blistered, or irritated. If you do not need makeup for the evening or treatment, wait until the next morning.
9. Avoid hot baths or showers, aerobic exercise, massage, harsh cleansers, or chemicals on the treated area for 48 hours following treatment.
10. Do not wax, tweeze or use a depilatory to the treated areas for 1 week after your treatment.
11. Treated lentigines usually darken after treatment and 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.
12. If significant crusting occurs beyond the normal flaking of the treated lesions, an antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin or Bacitracin may be recommended.
13. We recommend you avoid air travel for 24 hours after your treatment.
14. Care should be taken to prevent trauma to the treated area for the fi rst four or fi ve days following treatment.
15. Rarely, a small blister or scab may form. If this occurs, call your doctor immediately. While waiting for his/her reply, perform gentle washing and apply antibiotic ointment (Bactracin, Polysporin, ect.) to the area unless you are allergic to these medications. Avoid sun exposure. Allow healing naturally, without irritation. Do not try to remove any scabbing.
——————————————————————————————————————
- Wash area gently with soap and water
- Apply ointment (suggested by hysician) to keep the skin well moisten
- Tylenol is suggested to control pain as needed
- No shaving over the treated area
- Avoid all sun exposure and tanning beds if the treated area appears irritated
- No contact sports during the healing/bruised phase
- Apply borad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen, with a SPF of 30 or greater, daily for at least 6 months
Please call us if you have any concerns or questions