Two things most often make skin look older than its years: uneven pigmentation and redness. Sun spots, freckling that has merged into patches, a weathered look across the cheeks and nose, small red thread veins — most of it is the accumulated effect of many summers. IPL, intense pulsed light, is designed to treat exactly that.

How IPL works

IPL delivers pulses of filtered light across a range of wavelengths. Different wavelengths are absorbed by different targets: melanin in brown spots and freckles, and haemoglobin in thread veins and diffuse redness. The light heats and breaks down the target without harming the surrounding skin. Pigmentation darkens and flakes away over one to two weeks, while treated vessels collapse and are reabsorbed. Because IPL also gently warms the deeper skin, it stimulates collagen too, improving overall tone and texture.

What it treats

  • Sun damage, age spots and freckling on the face, neck, chest and hands
  • Thread veins and broken capillaries
  • Diffuse redness and flushing, including rosacea-related redness
  • Uneven tone and a dull, weathered complexion
  • Pigmentation and sun damage on the body

What a course looks like

A cooling gel is applied and the handpiece is passed over the skin; each pulse feels like the warm snap of an elastic band. A full face takes 30 to 45 minutes. Afterwards the skin may be pink for a few hours, and pigmented spots typically darken over the following days before flaking away — that is the treatment working. A course of three to four sessions, four weeks apart, gives the best results for most concerns.

Why autumn and winter

IPL and the sun do not mix. Recently tanned skin holds more pigment, which makes it harder for the light to distinguish its target from the surrounding skin, and treated skin needs protecting afterwards. With UV lower through the darker months, a course is far easier to complete safely — which is why we recommend starting now. Strict sun protection throughout is essential; our guide to SPF and ageing explains why.

Who IPL is not for

IPL is not suitable for tanned or darker skin types, where the light cannot safely distinguish target pigment from the surrounding skin. This is assessed carefully at consultation, a patch test is required, and alternatives are recommended where appropriate. IPL does not treat melasma reliably and can make it worse, so an accurate assessment of the pigmentation matters. It reduces rather than eliminates rosacea-related redness, and new sun damage will continue to appear without protection. Results vary from person to person.

IPL at ELM

IPL is carried out by Melody Steel, Nurse Prescriber, who has been in private aesthetic practice since 2007 and trained in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery unit at St James’s Hospital. Prices are set out on our IPL page, and if you are planning several treatments this season, our autumn skin reset guide shows how IPL fits alongside laser and peels. A patch test is required, and a deposit will be required to secure your appointment.