The short answer: IPL (intense pulsed light) targets colour in the skin: brown sun spots, freckling, diffuse redness and broken capillaries. Our Lumecca platform works quickly, and most people need just 1–3 sessions 4 weeks apart. A face session is $250, hands start at $125, and a typical course is $375–750. There's no real downtime, but treated spots darken and flake off over about a week. Results last 1–2 years with yearly maintenance.
IPL isn't a laser. A laser uses one precise wavelength, while IPL delivers a broad-spectrum flash of light that is filtered to the target. That light is absorbed by melanin (brown pigment) and hemoglobin (red blood vessels), so the targeted spots and vessels break down while the surrounding skin is untouched. Lumecca is known for its high energy output, which is why it gets results in fewer sessions than older IPL systems.
What it won't do: IPL treats colour only. It doesn't tighten loose skin or fix scarring and texture. For tightening, we use Forma or Morpheus8. For texture, microneedling or peels. It's also not our first choice for melasma, which can react unpredictably.
| When | What you'll see |
|---|---|
| During | Each flash feels like a quick rubber-band snap with warmth. About 20 minutes for the face, usually no numbing needed |
| First 1–2 hours | Mild redness that settles quickly. SPF on before you leave |
| Days 3–7 | Spots darken to a coffee-ground look, then flake away. This is the treatment working, so don't scrub |
| Weeks 2–4 | Visibly clearer skin. Redness keeps fading as the vessels are reabsorbed |
| Weeks 4–6 | Full result, and the time to decide whether a next session is worthwhile |
| Area | Per session | As an add-on |
|---|---|---|
| Face | $250 | |
| Chest | $250 | $125 |
| Hands | $125 | $75 |
Most concerns need 1–3 sessions, so $375–750 for a typical course, with stubborn pigment or significant vascular work sometimes needing a fourth. An IPL skin assessment is $50, and consultation fees are applied to your treatment if you go ahead.
IPL suits Fitzpatrick skin types I–IV. Lumecca is safer for darker skin than older systems, but types V–VI still carry more risk, so we may recommend another approach. You'll need to skip tanning and significant sun for 2 weeks before and after each session, so fall and winter are ideal. IPL isn't suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or while you're taking photosensitising medications such as doxycycline, isotretinoin or St John's Wort.
IPL is performed by Torri Bennett, RPN. Deciding between IPL and a peel? Read IPL vs chemical peel.