Intense Pulse Light (IPL) Photofacial in Dayton, Ohio

With aging and sundamage, the skin can develop increased redness and extra pigment that comes in many different forms. It can be frustrating when topical skin care does not improve your cosmetic goals. If you’ve been looking at your options, then you should know that the IPL Photofacial is one of the best options when it comes to reducing unwanted pigment, redness, and broken blood vessels.

What is the IPL Photofacial?

This laser-like system can effectively reduce your cosmetic concerns in a few treatments. Unlike ablative laser systems, this treatment uses light energy to penetrate and disrupt melanin, causing the body to shed it. In addition it also removes unwanted blood vessels and redness. IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light, and it uses very fast pulses to achieve your results. This treatment is easy, painless, and can produce excellent results.

How Does IPL Photofacial Work?

Your skin’s natural coloring is caused by melanin cells which are naturally produced by your body. Sometimes, these can group together in some areas as a result of genetics or sun damage. This causes moles and discoloration. Alternatively, vascular changes can cause blood vessels to become closer to the surface of the skin. In both cases, IPL can target pigmentation and damage the melanin and blood cells, causing the body to naturally dispose of them. This process does not affect or damage the surrounding skin. Dr. Gandhi prefers to use the InMode Lumecca and Lumenis IPL systems for his patients.

What Can IPL Treat?

The IPL method is one of the most versatile laser-like treatments available.

Our most common treatments for the IPL system are:

  • Brown Spots (Hyperpigmentation)
  • Red Spots (Vascular Changes)
  • Rosacea
  • Sun Damage
  • Scars

IPL Photofacial Maintenance

After your IPL treatment session, it’s important to keep your skin protected from the sun, since your skin will become photosensitive and any sun damage can produce more pigmentation. It’s normal for your treatment area to become more pigmented than usual, because the skin begins to shed the damaged melanin cells and slough them off. Most patients begin to see results after only one treatment.

Many patients find their best results with a package of 3-4 treatments spaced at about one month apart. Additionally, Dr. Gandhi can recommend additional cosmetic treatments to boost your results, like injectable options to restore volume, prevent wrinkles, and produce healthy skin. He can also combine IPL with other laser and energy devices in the practice that can further rejuvenate your skin and complement our full line of in house skincare products.

IPL Photofacial treatments can be one of your best options when it comes to reducing pigment and leaving your skin clear and glowing. To begin discussing your treatment package, schedule a cosmetic consultation with Dr. Gandhi by contacting our Dayton, Ohio office.

Call 937-668-9850

Learn more about IPL

To prolong treatment efficacy, we recommend you maintain diligent sun protection and your at-home skincare routine. It is best to have your skincare customized by Dr. Gandhi prior to the procedure and after the procedure to optimize your results.
Damage following IPL lasers is unlikely when performed by a qualified specialist. Dr. Gandhi is the only fellowship trained Cosmetic Dermatologic Surgeon in the Dayton Ohio metro area and has trained with over 60 devices prior to starting Ohio Skin Center. Prior to your laser treatment, we consult with each patient to ensure there are no contraindications to the laser treatment which would adversely affect your results.
IPL can be utilized to removal flat, pigmented areas on the skin. However, we recommend having all lesions that are, or may resemble moles be evaluated by Dr Gandhi prior to any laser treatments.
IPL treatments are indicated for targeting pigment concerns including sun damage, age spots, redness, broken capillaries, and anti-aging benefits.
IPL treatments are used to target melanin and can be useful for many skin concerns, but it often can be a challenge for people with melasma as the light and production of warmth in the skin associated with this treatment can “flare” pigment which could potentially make melasma worse. Patients with melasma could consider having a different procedure such as a chemical peel or another nonablative laser instead of IPL.
We recommend avoiding IPL treatments on tanned skin as this will alter the way in which the settings are chosen for your skin.
Yes. IPL photorejuvenation can be used on several different areas of the body including face, neck, arms, shoulders, and décolletage.
Mild swelling can occur for some patients after IPL treatments. This generally resolves within a few hours to 1-2 days. An oral antihistamine such as Zyrtec can be taken to help reduce swelling prior to and after treatment, as well as applying an ice pack to areas of swelling in 15-20 minute intervals as needed.
Damage following IPL lasers is unlikely when performed by a well-trained provider, and with settings that are appropriate to concerns being addressed. Prior to your laser treatment, we consult with each patient to ensure there are no contraindications to the laser treatment which would adversely affect your results.
IPL can be beneficial for treatment of broken capillaries. For longevity of results, we recommend avoiding saunas, hot showers, hot tubs, strenuous exercise, spicy foods, and hot beverages, and diligent sun protection.
IPL is used for treatment to small red vessels, also known as thread veins or spider veins on the face and body.
Retinol products can generally be used 2-3 days after IPL treatments. We recommend diligent sun protection before and after IPL treatments, and with retinoid use.
We recommend a series of 3-6 IPL treatments spaced about 4 weeks apart to address your pigment concerns, followed by maintenance treatments typically 1-2x per year.
After IPL treatments, sun spots or brown spots can resemble the appearance of “coffee grounds” on the skin which will come off on their own in about a week’s time revealing a lighter appearance than before the treatment to those targeting brown spots.
Some benefits such as diminishing appearance of blood vessels or capallaries can be seen almost immediately. Most often, results will be noticeable 2-4 weeks after the IPL treatment.
IPL treatments are an ideal solution for sun damaged skin and for photorejuventation. Sun damage can appear in the forms of redness, brown pigmentation, or freckling on the skin and can be diminished with a series of IPL treatments. We also recommend physical protection against the sun and sunscreen after treatments.
A light moisturizer can be applied after IPL treatments, as well as a physical sunscreen to protect compromised skin. The skin may feel like a mild sunburn has occurred, and moisturizers may be soothing. Discuss any products you are planning on using on your skin after the treatment with your provider.
IPL treatments can be beneficial for reducing redness, broken capallaries or blood vessels, sun damage, brown spots or hyperpigmentation. Additionally, there are some collagen production benefits as this treatment uses light and a small amount of heat which is helpful for collagen and elastin stimulation.
For patients with darker skin tones or tanned skin, the possible risks of IPL treatments increase. When applied to darker skin, IPL treatments can potentially cause skin darkening or skin lightening known as hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation.
IPL stands for “intense pulsed light” which is a light-emitting treatment designed to target specific skin concerns or to deliver a comprehensive full-face rejuvenation treatment.
An IPL targets pigmentation in the skin including redness, broken capillaries and blood vessels, and sun damage.
We recommend waiting 3-5 days after an IPL treatment to gently exfoliate the skin.