Pre and Post Care for Limelight IPL Treatments

Please be aware that there are 7-10 days of downtime with this treatment. Results may vary from person to person. In Vascular patients, post-treatment bruising can last for up to 10 days.

Recommendations for IPL preparation:

Before getting your Limelight IPL treatment

• Do not wear makeup on the day of treatment.
• No sun-tanning or self-tanners 4 weeks prior to treatment.
• Includes spray tans, tanning lotions, tanning beds, sun exposure and inadvertent sun exposure.
• Some medications or supplements may increase the risk bruising. Consult with your physician.
• Avoid treatments that may irritate the skin for 1-2 weeks prior to treatment (waxing, depilatories, others).
• Notify the CLINIC with any changes to your health history or medications since your last appointment.
• History of herpes or cold sores may require an anti-viral prescription PRIOR to treatment for at least a few days (PRE-treatment and possibly POST treatment).

AFTER getting your Limelight IPL treatment

• Avoid sun exposure and use a broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen to prevent further sun damage.
• Bruising, redness and swelling are common and resolve with time.
• Pigmentation and freckles will darken in the 24-48 hours following treatment.
• A “bug bite look” is common and usually resolves in 1-2 days.
• Avoid heat – hot tubs, saunas, etc. for 1-2 days.
• Avoid skin irritants (examples below) a few days post-treatment.
• Avoid skin care products containing active ingredients such as tretinoin, retinol, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic/salicylic acids, astringents, others.
• Notify clinic of any concerns (blistering, excessive redness/swelling or unusual or concerning responses to treatment).
• You can typically resume normal skincare routine 5 days after your treatment.
• Exercise should be avoided for 24-48 hours post-procedure.

What do LIMELIGHT Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatments feel like?

• When the pulse of light is delivered, patients will experience a mild stinging or very brief ‘pinching-like’ sensation.
• Cooling gel is often used to help cool and comfort the skin before the light energy is pulsed.
• Anaesthetic or pain medicine is typically not required.

How many Limelight IPL treatments will I need?

One to three treatments are usually sufficient to see results.

Additional treatments may be recommended, especially for excessively sun-damaged skin.

Your Dermal Clinician will give you a customised treatment plan.

We offer other solutions if you have skin problems that are not suitable to be treated with IPL – just attend a skin consultation to learn what treatments will be best for your personal skin-related concerns.

What happens after the IPL treatment?

• Immediately following the Limelight IPL treatment, your brown spots may start to darken and your skin is likely to appear slightly pink or reddish in colour.
• The treated area may become mildly swollen.
• Swelling typically lasts a few hours – possibly a day or longer.
• Special make-up can be applied to cover the redness.

When will I see results from IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)?

• Within a week to three weeks, the darkened spots will flake off and fade.
• Diffuse redness or tiny vessels will decrease and your mottled complexion will improve.

Will the spots and redness reappear over time?

New brown spots, telangiectasia (tiny vessels) and diffuse redness may appear with new sun damage. However, they can be treated as required.

Remember to always apply broad-spectrum sunscreen when outdoors to minimise sun damage and the appearance of new spots and diffuse redness.