IPL Photofacial

An IPL photofacial, short for intense pulsed light, is a light-based skin rejuvenation treatment that improves the overall color and clarity of your skin. Unlike a laser, which delivers a single wavelength, IPL releases a broad spectrum of light in gentle pulses. The pigment in a brown spot and the hemoglobin in visible redness absorb that light, heat up, and break apart. Over the following days, your body clears the treated pigment and the spot fades.

At Express Med Spa, our nurse practitioner-led team performs IPL photofacials with the FDA-cleared Candela elos system. What sets this platform apart is that it pairs IPL with radiofrequency (RF) energy. While the light targets pigment and redness near the surface, the radiofrequency reaches deeper to stimulate collagen and refine texture. The result is a dual benefit from one treatment: clearer, more even tone along with smoother, firmer looking skin.

Because IPL treats color rather than removing tissue, there is no open wound and no required downtime. For a closer look at how light and radiofrequency work together, see our guide to sun spot removal with the Candela elos system.

Because sun exposure drives most of the concerns IPL addresses, we treat the areas that see the most daily UV. Common IPL photofacial treatment areas include:

• Face – the most requested area, treating the cheeks, forehead, and the skin around the nose where sun spots and redness collect
• Neck – a frequent site of mottled pigment and redness that reveals sun history
• Chest and decolletage – the V of the chest, where years of sun show as freckling and redness
• Hands – the backs of the hands, where age spots and sun spots are common

Your provider adjusts the settings and number of passes for the area being treated and can combine areas, such as the face and neck, in a single visit. IPL photofacials are available at all four Express Med Spa locations, including La Grange, Frankfort, Shorewood, and Mount Greenwood.

Your visit starts with a quick assessment of your skin so your provider can confirm IPL is the right fit and set the device for your skin type and concerns. From there, a typical session looks like this:

• We cleanse the area and apply a thin layer of cooling gel.
• You wear protective eye shields for the entire treatment to keep your eyes safe from the light.
• As the handpiece delivers each pulse, most patients feel a warm snap, often compared to the flick of a rubber band. A cooling tip helps keep you comfortable.
• A full-face session takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Smaller areas take less time.

Right after treatment, it is normal to look flushed, similar to a mild sunburn, for a few hours. Over the next several days, treated brown spots typically darken into small flecks, called microcrusting, before flaking away on their own. There is no required downtime, so most patients return to work and normal activities the same day.

IPL results build gradually. In the first one to two weeks after each session, treated sun spots darken and then flake off, leaving clearer skin behind. Redness and flushing soften, and your overall tone looks more even. Most patients see meaningful improvement after a series of three to six sessions spaced about four weeks apart, which gives your skin time to respond and recover between visits.

Once you reach your goal, results are long lasting, but IPL does not stop new sun damage from forming. Daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher is the single most important step to protect your investment. Many patients schedule a maintenance photofacial once or twice a year to keep their tone even and address new spots as they appear.

If you have researched photofacials, you have probably seen the terms IPL, BBL, and laser used almost interchangeably. Here is how they differ:

• IPL (intense pulsed light) uses a broad spectrum of light to treat several concerns at once, mainly brown pigment and redness. It is the workhorse of photorejuvenation.
• BBL (broadband light) is a brand name for IPL made by a different manufacturer. The underlying technology is the same category of broadband light.
• Lasers deliver a single, focused wavelength. They are excellent for targeted work such as resurfacing or specific vessels, but they are not the same as broadband photofacial light.

Express Med Spa uses the Candela elos system, which combines IPL with radiofrequency. That pairing lets us treat pigment and redness while also stimulating collagen for texture, something single-modality IPL devices cannot do on their own. If you are weighing IPL against other options, our team will walk you through which treatment, or combination of treatments, best fits your skin during your consultation.