Treatments · Treatment guide · Energy devices
IPL photofacials in your clinic: records, protocol and aftercare
How a clinic runs IPL for pigmentation and redness: the treatment record, screening and skin type, what clients will see in the days after, how a series is spaced, and the aftercare sheet they need.
- Treats
- Sun spots, uneven pigment, redness and small vessels
- Best suited
- Lighter skin types (Fitzpatrick I–III)
- Typical course
- A series of sessions a few weeks apart
- After treatment
- Spots darken, then flake off over about 1–2 weeks
What to record
IPL settings are what the next session ramps from, so they belong in structured fields, not a sentence: the device and handpiece, the filter or wavelength range, fluence, pulse duration and delay, cooling, the number of passes, and the areas. Record the Fitzpatrick type, what was treated (pigment, redness, or both), and the endpoint you saw.
Take baseline photos before the first session and repeat them under the same lighting. Pigment and redness both change gradually, and clients judge results by photos more than memory.
Consent and contraindications
IPL consent should describe what the skin will do before it improves: spots darken and flake over several days, and redness and swelling can follow treatment for vessels. It should name the risks, including blistering, burns, and pigment change, and say that a series is usually needed. Screening matters more here than for most skin treatments, because recent tanning, photosensitising medication and darker skin types change or rule out treatment.
Suspicious or changing lesions should be assessed by a physician before being treated with light. Record that you looked.
Screen for these before you treat
- Tanning, sun exposure, or self-tanner in the past 4 weeks
- Photosensitising medication
- Isotretinoin in the past 12 months
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- History of keloid, cold sores, or melasma
- Suspicious or changing moles in the treatment area
IPL protocol: skin type, filters and endpoints
IPL delivers a broad band of light, narrowed with filters, that is absorbed by pigment and by haemoglobin in vessels. Because epidermal melanin absorbs it too, skin type decides how safely it can be used. Your device manufacturer's settings, your medical director's protocol and your provincial scope of practice come first; the points below are the principles a record should reflect.
- Fitzpatrick I–II respond well with low pigmentation risk; III calls for more conservative settings. Our laser session calculator lists IPL among the options for Fitzpatrick I–II only.
- Darker skin types carry a higher risk of burns and pigment change with IPL; longer-wavelength lasers are usually the safer choice.
- Never treat tanned skin. Postpone the session rather than lowering settings to fit.
- Test patch if recommended by the device manufacturer or your protocol, and record the result.
Course of treatment
IPL photofacials are usually done as a series of sessions a few weeks apart, with maintenance after. Each session builds on the last, so the interval and the settings should both be on the record.
- Darkened spots typically flake away over about one to two weeks after each session.
- Clients need to keep out of the sun and off tanning throughout the course, not just the week after.
- Record the session number and interval at every visit, and compare photos at the same points in the series.
Aftercare you send
The question clients ask most after IPL is why their spots look worse. The aftercare sheet answers it first: treated spots darken and then flake away. It then covers redness and swelling, heat and exercise to avoid for a day or two, sun protection and no tanning between sessions, not picking, and when to restart active skincare, with a blank for your clinic's dates.
Running this in Zdrovia
In Zdrovia, IPL settings are stored per client and per session, so the next practitioner ramps from the last treatment instead of starting over, and the series sits alongside the clinical record. Attach the IPL aftercare sheet to the service and every client receives it after their visit.
See how Zdrovia is set up for med spas and laser clinics.
Frequently asked questions
Why do spots get darker after an IPL photofacial?
The pigment absorbs the light, darkens, and works its way to the surface, where it flakes off over about one to two weeks. It is expected, and clients should be told before treatment.
Is IPL safe for darker skin?
IPL carries a higher risk of burns and pigment change on darker skin, because the skin's own melanin absorbs the light. It is best suited to lighter skin types, and longer-wavelength lasers are usually the safer option for darker skin.
How many IPL sessions does a course take?
Usually a series of sessions a few weeks apart, followed by maintenance. The number depends on the concern, the skin, and your protocol.
What should IPL aftercare cover?
Why spots darken before they fade, what is normal and for how long, heat and exercise to avoid, strict sun protection and no tanning between sessions, not picking, when to restart active skincare, and when to call the clinic.
Related
- Laser hair removal treatment guide
- Photo consent form template
- Software for laser clinics
- All treatment guides
This guide summarises published figures and common documentation practice for clinics. It is not clinical or legal advice. Dosing, depth, and device settings are decisions for the treating practitioner, the manufacturer's instructions, and your medical director's protocol, and scope of practice varies by province and profession. Confirm anything you rely on with your regulatory college.