INTENSE PULSED LIGHT (IPL)

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is a non-invasive, light-based treatment designed to improve skin tone, texture, and overall clarity. Unlike a traditional laser, which uses a single wavelength of light, IPL uses a broad spectrum of light that can be filtered and adjusted to target multiple skin concerns in one course of treatment.

It is particularly effective for:

• Sun damage and pigmentation
• Redness, facial veins and rosacea
• Uneven skin tone
• Dull, lacklustre skin
• Certain types of acne and post-acne marks

The result is a more radiant, even and youthful-looking complexion with minimal downtime.

IPL works by delivering carefully controlled pulses of light into the skin. Different colours (chromophores) in the skin absorb this light, converting it into heat. This precisely targeted heat then:

• Breaks down excess pigmentation (sunspots, age spots, freckles) so that it can gradually be removed by the body’s natural processes.
• Targets haemoglobin in visible blood vessels, helping to collapse and fade redness and thread veins.
• Stimulates collagen production in the deeper layers of the skin, improving texture, firmness and fine lines over time.

Because the light is filtered to suit your skin type and your concerns, IPL can be tailored to you. Treatments are typically described as feeling like a warm flick or elastic band snap on the skin. Most people find sessions very tolerable and quick, with only mild, temporary redness afterwards.

• Medical-grade skincare
  Using high-quality, clinic-grade products helps to prepare the skin before IPL and maintain results afterwards. Pigment-suppressing serums, vitamin C, retinoids, and SPF can significantly enhance your outcome and protect against future damage.
• Chemical peels
  While IPL targets deeper pigmentation and redness, peels focus on surface texture, congestion, and dullness. Combining both can deliver clearer, smoother and more radiant skin than either treatment alone (timed appropriately to allow the skin to recover).
• Microneedling and collagen-stimulating treatments
  IPL can improve colour and clarity, while microneedling helps to further stimulate collagen, address fine lines, and refine scars and enlarged pores.
• Injectable treatments
  Anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers address lines, volume loss, and facial contours. IPL complements these by improving the “canvas” of the skin – tone, clarity and overall brightness – for a more polished, harmonious result.
• IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and Hydrafacial complement each other exceptionally well by combining deep exfoliation with targeted light therapy for comprehensive skin rejuvenation. A Hydrafacial first cleanses, extracts impurities, and deeply hydrates the skin, removing the outer layer of dead skin cells and debris. This creates a smooth, clear, and perfectly prepped canvas that allows the subsequent IPL treatment to penetrate the skin more deeply and evenly. While the Hydrafacial improves overall skin texture and moisture, the IPL effectively targets deeper issues like hyperpigmentation, sun damage, broken capillaries, and redness. Together, this combination maximizes the efficacy of both treatments, resulting in a significantly brighter, smoother, and more even-toned complexion without adding extra recovery time.

Your practitioner will advise on the best way to sequence and space your treatments to ensure the skin remains healthy and supported throughout.

From your first consultation, we take time to understand your concerns, medical history and treatment goals. At your IPL appointment, your skin will be cleansed, protective eyewear applied, and a cooling gel used to help conduct the light and improve comfort. Each pulse is delivered methodically over the treatment area, and the whole process is usually completed within 20–45 minutes, depending on the size of the area.

Afterwards, you will receive tailored aftercare advice, including the importance of daily SPF and avoidance of heat and sun exposure for a short period.