IPL Gothenburg – Stellar M22 for pigmentation, redness and skin rejuvenation 

It depends on what we’re dealing with.

Occasional sunspots can sometimes be significantly improved after just a treatment, whilst more extensive pigmentation, redness or broken capillaries usually require a course of treatments.

It is often recommended that around 3–5 treatments at intervals of a few weeks to achieve a more comprehensive result.

After that, occasional maintenance treatments can be carried out as and when required.

We assess each treatment plan on a case-by-case basis, as conditions such as pigmentation, rosacea and acne should not be treated using exactly the same protocol.

IPL generally has a relatively short recovery time.

Immediately after treatment, the skin may be:

• red
• warm
• slightly swollen
• sensitive

When treating pigmentation, it is common for the pigmented patches to become considerably darker during the first few days. They may look like small dark spots or thin scabs before gradually fading away.

During vascular treatment, the redness may temporarily become more pronounced and some swelling may occur.

You can usually carry on with your normal daily activities, but you’ll need to take care of your skin afterwards.

IPL generally works best when there is a clear contrast between the target structure and the surrounding skin – for example, a dark pigmented spot on relatively light skin.

In darker skin, there is more melanin even in the normal skin. This means that a greater proportion of the light energy can be absorbed by the epidermis, which increases the risk of, amongst other things, sunburn and changes in skin pigmentation.

This does not mean that all people with darker skin are excluded from IPL, but the treatment requires careful assessment and tailored parameters.

For certain pigmentation problems and darker skin types, other treatment methods may be a safer or better alternative.

IPL should not be carried out on skin that has recently been tanned.

It is therefore important to let us know if you have recently been out in the sun, used a self-tanning product or are planning a holiday in the sun around the time of your treatment.

We also need to be aware of medicines and skincare products that can make the skin more sensitive to light.

Active infections, open wounds and certain skin conditions in the treatment area may also mean that treatment needs to be postponed.

Before your treatment, we will therefore go through the relevant contraindications and your skin type.

IPL is a well-established treatment, but, like other energy- and light-based treatments, it is not without risks.

Possible side effects include:

• temporary redness and swelling
• darker pigmentation before the pigment fades
• crackers
• blisters or burns
• post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
• hypopigmentation

The risk is influenced by factors such as skin type, sun exposure, the treatment area and the parameters used.

That is why careful patient selection and individually tailored settings are an important part of the treatment.

No. BBL is Sciton’s BroadBand Light technology, whilst the Stellar M22 has been developed by Lumenis. IPL and BBL are both light-based treatments, but they use different technical platforms. The Stellar M22 is an IPL platform from Lumenis featuring XPL™ technology. So these are two different technical platforms with similar operating principles – not the same machine under different names.

We’re being cautious here.

Melasma is not the same as ordinary sunspots. Heat and inflammation can, in some people, make melasma worse or trigger new pigmentation.

We therefore do not automatically recommend IPL simply because the pigmentation is brown.

If melasma is suspected, we carry out an assessment first. In many cases, a depigmenting skincare programme, such as MeLine, be a better first choice.

Redness and a sensation of warmth in the skin are common, temporary reactions following IPL treatment. Some people may also experience temporary increased redness or flushing, which involves sudden episodes of redness and warmth in the face. How often this occurs varies depending on skin type, the area being treated and individual circumstances. 

IPL uses a broader spectrum of light, whilst lasers usually use a specific wavelength. Which method is most suitable depends on skin type, the area to be treated and the condition being treated. 

The price depends on the area to be treated and the type of treatment required. See current price list and booking or contact us for further information.