IPL photorejuvenation is one of my absolute favourite treatments and really is the foundation of my clinic.
I still call IPL my "cleanup man". It gives you a beautiful, clear palette by treating superficial sun damage, pigmentation and vascular irregularities.
And depending on how we use the IPL, we can also get some collagen stimulation and that gorgeous overall photorejuvenation glow.
It's the first machine I started with when I came to Australia, and I ran my clinic around it for the first few years before gradually moving my ageing clientele onto treatments that could work deeper for laxity, texture and remodelling.
IPL photorejuvenation is right for people who want to improve the overall look and clarity of their skin rather than just treat one particular concern. It's particularly good for superficial sun damage, pigmentation, redness, flushing, visible vessels, uneven skin tone and that general "my skin just looks tired" feeling.
It's also a beautiful treatment for people who want to maintain their skin as they age. I use it on a lot of my clients in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s because it gives us that lovely clear, fresh-looking base to work from.
It's also a great little pick-me-up before a wedding or special event. If you're getting married, IPL can be a beautiful way to get your skin looking clearer, fresher and more radiant in the lead-up to the big day. It's also one of my favourite treatments after a long-haul flight. That post-jet-lag, tired-skin look can really benefit from a good photorejuvenation treatment.
For me, IPL is often the starting point. I like to get the superficial stuff cleaned up first, the pigment, little vascular irregularities and sun damage, and then, if you need more work on laxity, texture or deeper remodelling, we can move onto treatments that work further into the skin.
I won't treat you if your skin isn't in a good condition to be treated. That means if you're sunburned, recently tanned, irritated, inflamed, broken or still healing from another treatment, I'll ask you to wait until your skin has settled properly.
I also won't treat you if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, have epilepsy, or are taking medication that makes your skin particularly sensitive to light.
And if you have a skin concern that I'm uncertain about, I'm not going to treat it just because you've asked me to. I want to know exactly what we're treating and that IPL is the appropriate treatment for your skin.
I treat Fitzpatrick Skin Types 1 to 3 with IPL. If your skin type falls outside that range, I'll talk you through other options rather than putting your skin at unnecessary risk.
For IPL photorejuvenation, I use Syneron IPL and Global Beauty technology, among others.
Which machine I use depends on exactly what we're treating and which part of the body we're working on. Each machine has its own handpiece diameter, spot size and range of outputs, which allows me to choose the most appropriate settings depending on whether I'm treating something superficial or need to reach deeper into the skin.
For example, if I'm treating a larger area such as the back, I can use a larger spot size to cover the area more efficiently and work at the appropriate depth. It's not simply a matter of picking one machine and using the same settings everywhere. I'm looking at the area, the skin, what I'm treating and how deeply I want to work before deciding which platform and handpiece are best.
If you've never had IPL before, it's a really interesting sensation. The first five or six zaps aren't usually too bad, and then it gradually becomes a little more sensitive as we work across the face.
It can be a little more sensitive in the hollow beside the nose, and the forehead can feel a little pinkier because there's less padding there. I do have Cryo cooling, but rather than constantly cooling your face and drying out my conducting gel, I prefer to shift the sensation by getting you to cool the palms of your hands.
It's a very quick treatment despite the little zaps along the way.
In general, the actual IPL treatment for your face takes about 7 to 10 minutes. If we're doing your face and neck, it's around 20 minutes, and if we're doing your face, neck and chest, it's usually about half an hour.
From the time you walk in the door to the time you leave, I like to allow around an hour. That gives me time to assess your skin, get you prepared, do the treatment properly and finish everything off beautifully.
If you're on a strict schedule, I can absolutely work to a half-hour appointment. It doesn't mean you get any less treatment, it just means I talk less and get on with the work!
If we're doing pure photorejuvenation, there isn't much downtime at all. Your skin can go through a bit of an "I'm not sure what's happening here" stage for the first day or two, but after that it starts to really plump up and glow.
If you have more pigment, it becomes more like brown spot removal, and those spots can take around 4 to 5 days to crust up and come away. If you're interested in having more significant pigmentation treated, have a look at my Brown Spot Removal section on the website, where I go into much more detail about what you can expect.
The cost depends on the area we're treating, as different parts of the body require different amounts of time and treatment.
As a guide:
Face, $370
Neck, $300
Chest, $450
Arms, $600
I also treat other areas of the body, and I'll give you the exact price when we discuss what you'd like treated.
Prices are subject to change, so these are a guide only.
I wish people understood that IPL photorejuvenation isn't just about chasing one little brown spot or one red vein. It's about getting the whole skin looking clearer, brighter and more even.
When we're using IPL for photorejuvenation, the real magic is often in the cumulative effect: your skin becomes clearer, brighter, more even and more radiant over time.
And if you're doing it for a wedding or special event, don't leave it until the last minute. Give your skin time to respond, settle and glow.
It can be fantastic for superficial pigmentation, but not all pigmentation is the same. I need to look at what type of pigment we're dealing with and how deeply it sits before deciding whether IPL is the right treatment.
You'll often notice a fresher, brighter look quite quickly, but the full result develops over the following days and weeks. Some pigment will darken and clear, while the overall skin quality continues to improve.
It depends on what we're treating and what we're trying to achieve. Some people see a lovely difference after one treatment, while others benefit from a series. I'll give you a treatment plan based on your skin rather than just putting everyone on the same schedule.
Results vary from person to person.
| Activity | When |
|---|---|
| Makeup | Next morning |
| Gym | Next morning |
| Swimming | After 48 hours |
| Sauna | Day 5 |
| Sun | Ask me first |
| Alcohol | Straight away |