What other conditions can Intense Pulse Light Therapy treat?

I know IPL can treat small veins and broken blood vessels. I've also heard it can be helpful for a variety of other skin conditions, like acne scars and age spots. Is this true? What can IPL treat, and what are it's limitations?

Answers from doctors (2)


More About Doctor David Green, MD

Published on Nov 11, 2021

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) works best for flat brown patches due to the ultraviolet light from the sun, primarily freckles and solar lentigos. Although promoted for redness, capillaries, hair removal, scarring and sun damage, IPL usually provides little long-term improvement for these conditions. IPL is not a laser.

Redness and capillaries are dramatically more improved with a vascular laser (KTP 532nm, PDL 585nm) compared to IPL. Hair removal is more successfully and permanently removed with a laser used for this purpuse (Diode 805nm, Alexandrite 755nm, YAG 1064nm). Scarring is more improved with a resurfacing laser - fractionated or not - and microneedling.

Answered by David Green, MD (View Profile)

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) works best for flat brown patches due to the ultraviolet light from the sun, primarily freckles and solar lentigos. Although promoted for redness, capillaries, hair removal, scarring and sun damage, IPL usually provides little long-term improvement for these conditions. IPL is not a laser.

Redness and capillaries are dramatically more improved with a vascular laser (KTP 532nm, PDL 585nm) compared to IPL. Hair removal is more successfully and permanently removed with a laser used for this purpuse (Diode 805nm, Alexandrite 755nm, YAG 1064nm). Scarring is more improved with a resurfacing laser - fractionated or not - and microneedling.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


Bella MD Laser Vein and Aesthetic Center

Published on Mar 22, 2010

Complex question. Very good for age spots. In general good for treating discolorations. i e. Reds and browns.
Not good for acne scarring but can be used to treat acne especially when uses with topical medicines.

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Answered by Bella MD Laser Vein and Aesthetic Center

Complex question. Very good for age spots. In general good for treating discolorations. i e. Reds and browns.
Not good for acne scarring but can be used to treat acne especially when uses with topical medicines.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


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