What actually happens during an IPL treatment.

Most people who come to me for IPL have already read about it online. They know it uses light, they know it targets pigment or veins, and they know it's non-invasive. But what they almost always say is: "I just want to know what it's actually like."

So here it is — the honest, step-by-step walkthrough of an IPL session at Lumos Skin. No jargon, no sales pitch, just what happens from the moment you walk in to the weeks that follow.

Before you arrive

If you're coming for IPL for pigmentation or IPL for thread veins, there are a few things that matter before your appointment. Your skin needs to be its natural tone — no fake tan, no recent sun exposure, and no sunburn. This isn't a box-ticking exercise; IPL targets pigment, and if your skin is already pigmented from the sun, the light can't distinguish between what it should treat and what it shouldn't. That's a safety issue, not a preference.

I'll send you full pre-treatment instructions when you book, but the essentials are simple: avoid sun exposure for four weeks, skip retinoids for two weeks, no fake taning or gradual taning for four weeks and use a good SPF everyday and throughout your treatment.

Step 1: Consultation and skin check

Before any treatment, I look at your skin properly. Not a glance — a real assessment under good light. I'm checking the type of pigmentation or veins you have, your skin tone, and whether IPL is genuinely the right tool for what you want to change.

Sometimes it isn't. If you have melasma triggered by hormones, IPL can actually make it worse. If your thread veins are deep or on the legs, they need a different approach entirely. I'd rather tell you that before we start than waste your time and money on something that won't work. This is why a consultation isn't a formality — it's the most important part of the process.

Step 2: Preparation

Once we've agreed IPL is right for you, you'll settle in and I'll clean the treatment area thoroughly. You'll put on protective eyewear — the light is intense, and your eyes need to be shielded throughout. There's no anaesthetic needed for IPL; most people find it very manageable.

I'll apply a cool coupling gel to the skin. This helps the light penetrate evenly and keeps the surface comfortable. It feels cold, which most people actually find soothing.

Step 3: The treatment itself

I'll place the IPL handpiece against your skin and deliver a pulse of light. You'll feel a quick warmth with each pulse — most people describe it as a light elastic-band flick. It's over in a fraction of a second. I move systematically across the treatment area, pulse by pulse.

For pigmentation, you'll often see an immediate response: treated spots darken slightly. This is normal — it's the pigment reacting to the light. For thread veins, the vessel may look more prominent briefly before it begins to fade.

The whole treatment is quick. A full-face IPL session takes around 20–45 minutes depending on the area. Smaller areas like the cheeks or around the nose can be as little as 15 minutes.

Step 4: Immediately afterwards

Once the treatment is done, I'll remove the gel and apply a soothing product. Your skin may be slightly pink — a bit like a mild flush — but this usually settles within hours. You can return to your normal day straight away.

For pigmentation: the treated spots will look darker for a few days, then gradually flake away, revealing clearer skin underneath. This is the most important thing to understand — it looks worse before it looks better, and that's exactly what should happen.

For thread veins: the treated vessels may darken and then fade over one to three weeks. Some disappear immediately; others take longer.

Step 5: The weeks that follow

This is where patience matters. IPL isn't a one-and-done treatment. Pigmentation and thread veins are built up over years, and clearing them takes a course of sessions — typically three to six for pigmentation, two to four for veins, spaced a few weeks apart.

Sun protection between sessions is non-negotiable. UV exposure will re-pigment the skin faster than any treatment can clear it. I'll talk you through the SPF and aftercare that works for your skin, and I'll check in on how things are looking at each appointment.

Is IPL right for your skin?

IPL works best on lighter skin tones with clearly defined pigmentation or surface-level thread veins. It isn't suitable for very dark skin tones, active acne, or certain skin conditions — and I'll assess all of this honestly at your consultation.

If you're dealing with sun spots, age spots or uneven tone, or facial thread veins and redness, IPL might be exactly right. But the only way to know is to have someone look at your skin and tell you honestly.

Related

Not sure if IPL is the right treatment for you? Read HIFU, RF microneedling or IPL — which is right for me? Or explore the full IPL treatment overview.

Published: June 2026 · Author: Anne, Lumos Skin · Tags: IPL, pigmentation, thread veins, what to expect, Basingstoke