IPL Photofacial: The Best Time to Treat Sun Damage Is Now
If you’re noticing dark spots, redness, uneven tone, or lingering sun damage from last summer, this is for you. Sun exposure, even with sunscreen, can leave behind damage that slowly surfaces over time. The good news? These concerns are highly treatable, especially when addressed at the right time of year. That’s where IPL comes in.
IPL is one of our favorite treatments for restoring clarity, balance, and overall skin health, and winter is the ideal season to begin.
What Is IPL?
IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light, a non-invasive treatment that uses broad-spectrum light to target discoloration beneath the skin’s surface.
Unlike lasers that focus on a single wavelength, IPL delivers controlled pulses of light that are absorbed by pigment and redness in the skin. This energy breaks down unwanted pigment while stimulating your skin’s natural renewal process.
In other words, IPL helps your skin correct itself from the inside out.
What Does IPL Treat?
IPL is a versatile treatment that can address multiple skin concerns at once, including:
- Sun damage and age spots
- Hyperpigmentation and brown spots
- Redness and broken capillaries
- Uneven skin tone and texture
- Acne and acne-related discoloration
- Mild acne scarring
Because IPL works below the surface, it’s especially effective for concerns that topical skincare alone can’t fully resolve.
What Is Hyperpigmentation?
Pigment refers to melanin, the natural substance that gives your skin its color. Your body produces melanin to protect itself, especially in response to sun exposure, inflammation, or injury.
Hyperpigmentation occurs when melanin is produced in excess or unevenly, leading to darker patches or spots on the skin.
Common triggers include:
- Sun exposure
- Hormonal changes
- Acne or inflammation
- Aging and cumulative UV damage
This is why sun damage, acne marks, and age spots can linger long after the original cause is gone.
Topical skincare can help prevent future pigmentation, but once pigment settles deeper into the skin, professional treatments like IPL are often needed to effectively break it down and restore a more even tone.
Why We Use Lumecca IPL
Not all IPL technologies are created equal.
We chose Lumecca because it delivers higher peak power than traditional IPL devices, allowing it to target pigment and redness more effectively in fewer pulses. This means faster, more noticeable results, often in fewer sessions compared to older IPL technology.
One of our favorite features of Lumecca is its sapphire cooling tip, which provides triple cooling during treatment. This built-in cooling system reduces the amount of heat you feel and ultimately leads to a much more comfortable treatment than older IPL devices.
Why Now Is the Time to Start
IPL treatments are most effective when your skin is not actively exposed to sun. That’s why fall, winter, and early spring are considered the best times to begin treatment.
Starting now allows you to:
- Fade last year’s sun damage before it deepens
- Complete a series of treatments safely
- Reveal clearer, more even skin by summer
- Avoid treating pigmentation during peak sun months
Treatments are usually spaced 4-6 weeks apart, which is why we recommend starting IPL now, before warmer weather arrives and we start spending more time in the sun.
How Many IPL Treatments Will I Need?
The number of treatments needed varies from person to person. Factors like your skin tone, level of pigmentation, redness, and overall goals play a role. Typically a series of treatments is needed to pull out discoloration that is sitting deep beneath the surface, especially if it has been there for a long period of time.
Sometimes, best results are achieved from a combination of treatments. Your esthetician may suggest a treatment plan consisting of other services as well, like microneedling or a chemical peel.
That’s why we always begin with a consultation. During your consultation, we evaluate your skin, discuss your concerns, and create a customized treatment plan designed specifically for you.
What to Expect From an IPL Treatment
IPL treatments are relatively quick and require minimal downtime. Your esthetician will go over post care instructions with you and answer any questions you have throughout the process.
After treatment, pigmentation may temporarily darken before naturally lifting away, revealing clearer skin underneath. Over the weeks following treatment, skin tone continues to improve as your body clears away damaged pigment and supports healthy skin renewal.
Long-Term Skin Health
While we have seen IPL alone deliver noticeable results, it works best as part of a comprehensive skin health strategy. Pairing IPL with a customized home routine, sun protection, and ongoing professional treatments help maintain results and prevent future damage.
Above all, our goal is to provide you with long-term skin health and confidence that lasts.
Ready to Start Your IPL Journey?
If sun damage, redness, or uneven tone have been lingering longer than you’d like, now is the ideal time to take action. Beginning IPL in the winter gives your skin the opportunity to heal, reset, and respond optimally to treatment, while avoiding sun exposure that can interfere with results.
As always, no treatment is one-size-fits-all. We begin with a consultation, where we take the time to understand your skin and create a personalized plan focused on visible improvement and long-term skin health.
If you’re ready for clearer, more balanced skin this year, schedule your IPL consultation today and let’s create a plan your skin will thank you for.
