IPL is a popular treatment for addressing a range of skin concerns, thanks to its safety, effectiveness and minimal (if any) downtime. To help optimise the results of your IPL procedure, Ivy Clinic’s highly trained therapist have put together this article about what to expect before, during and after IPL.
BEFORE
Booking an IPL consultation at Ivy Clinic
First, you’ll book a consultation with one of our caring therapists, to figure out whether IPL is suitable for you to address these skin concerns:
- Hyperpigmentation
- Sunspots/age spots
- Redness/rosacea
- Broken capillaries
- Unwanted hair
Before your consultation, we’ll send you a couple of forms to complete: our medical form, and the Fitzpatrick Test. Your Fitzpatrick score is a gauge of your skin type, and suitability for IPL. We can safely and effectively treat Fitzpatrick 3 or below.
Know your skin type. Take the Fitzpatrick Test now.
Have a Fitzpatrick score higher than 3? No worries, you’re still welcome to chat with a therapist. Ivy Clinic offers plenty of options for addressing the above skin concerns that don't involve IPL.
Your IPL consultation
The initial 30-minute consultation at Ivy Clinic costs just $50, which is redeemable on future IPL treatments.
During this initial consultation, you and your therapist will:
- Discuss and assess your skin concerns
- Go through the best treatment options available to address those skin concerns
- Determine how suitable IPL is for you. This will include your medical history, your Fitzpatrick score, whether IPL is right for addressing your particular skin concerns, your ability to commit to a course of treatment, and the season. (If it’s summer, you’ll need to wait until autumn, for example.)
- Go over the IPL treatment process: how it works, safety precautions and possible side effects, and the results you can expect.
- Look at the treatment packages available for your skin concern and the area to be treated.
Then, if you and your therapist decide IPL is right for you, you’ll sign our consent form and book in for your first treatment session. BTW. Because it can increase photosensitivity, we only use IPL during the cooler months. Your therapist will schedule your treatments with this in mind.
Take a look at Ivy Clinic IPL packages.
DURING
Here’s a walkthrough of the IPL treatment process here at Ivy Clinic. Other clinics may have slightly different steps. Everything we do is to minimise discomfort, support healing and optimise your results.
- Throughout the session, your therapist will talk you through the process. Please ask questions and let your therapist know if you have if you have any concerns.
- Your therapist will make sure you’re warm, comfy and the area to be treated is exposed.
- The treatment area will be assessed, cleansed, and prepped. Your therapist will map the area with a white pencil.
- If you’re having hair removed, the area will be gently shaved (or you can shave the area beforehand – the morning or night before your appointment).
- Your therapist will programme the correct dose of energy for your treatment into the IPL machine. This dose is expertly pre-calculated by your therapist based on your consultation.
- Both you and your therapist will put on the appropriate eye protection.
- Your therapist will apply a cooling ultrasound gel to the area being treated followed by the IPL device.
- Your therapist will warn you with a countdown before delivering the light. You may feel a small flick or warmth when the button is pressed. Your therapist will then move to another spot and repeat until the entire area has been treated.
AFTER
The aim of IPL aftercare at Ivy Clinic is to optimise your results, while minimising side effects and speeding up skin repair.
- After your treatment, your therapist will look at how your skin’s responded to the treatment and the likely way your skin will act over the next few days: i.e. slight reddening, mild flaking of darker sunspots etc.
- The area that has been treated may feel slightly hot and tender, like a mild sunburn. You’ll need to use non-active products and avoid sweaty workouts and hot showers for a day or two.
- Expect an email the day after your treatment with your aftercare instructions. You can also find our aftercare resources here.
- You’ll also book your next IPL session. The time between sessions depends on your skin concern, and how many sessions you need. Here are some timings:
Hair removal
4 weeks between sessions
8-12 sessions (future maintenance treatments may be needed)
Hyperpigmentation, facial redness (including rosacea), facial rejuvenation (collagen induction)
4 weeks between sessions
4-6 treatments
The reason for the season
At Ivy Clinic we only carry out IPL treatments between March and October. To get you the best outcomes and avoid damaging your skin, we avoid doing IPL treatments in the summer. Having IPL while your skin is being exposed to the summer sun can downgrade your results or even exacerbate your skin concerns.
