What you do after your IPL treatment is just as important as the treatment itself. Proper aftercare not only minimises potential side effects but also supports optimal results. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about caring for your skin in the hours, days, and weeks following each IPL session.
Immediately After Treatment: The First 2 Hours
Right after your IPL session, your skin has experienced a significant amount of light energy. While at-home devices are designed to be gentle, your skin needs immediate attention.
Normal Post-Treatment Reactions
It's completely normal to experience:
- Mild redness: Similar to a light sunburn, typically fades within 1-2 hours
- Warmth: The treated area may feel warm to the touch
- Slight puffiness: Especially around hair follicles
- Tingling sensation: Mild pins-and-needles feeling
These reactions indicate that the treatment is working and should subside quickly.
Immediate Aftercare Steps
- Cool the skin: Apply a clean, cool (not ice-cold) compress if needed for comfort
- Apply soothing products: Use pure aloe vera gel or a fragrance-free, gentle moisturiser
- Avoid touching: Keep hands away from the treated area to prevent introducing bacteria
- Wear loose clothing: Avoid tight or restrictive garments over treated areas
Keep a bottle of pure aloe vera gel in the refrigerator. The cool temperature combined with aloe's soothing properties provides excellent relief for any post-treatment warmth or redness.
The First 24 Hours
The first day after treatment requires careful attention to protect your skin as it recovers.
What to Avoid
- Hot water: No hot showers, baths, or steam rooms. Use lukewarm water only.
- Exercise: Avoid activities that cause sweating, as sweat can irritate treated skin
- Friction: Don't scrub, exfoliate, or use loofahs on treated areas
- Fragranced products: Skip perfumed lotions, body sprays, and scented skincare
- Makeup: If you treated your face, avoid makeup for at least 24 hours
- Chlorine: Stay out of swimming pools
- Tight clothing: Continue wearing loose, breathable fabrics
Recommended Skincare
Keep your routine simple in the first 24 hours:
- Cleanser: Use a gentle, fragrance-free, non-foaming cleanser
- Moisturiser: Apply a basic, soothing moisturiser or aloe vera gel
- Nothing else: Skip serums, treatments, and active ingredients
Days 2-3: Continuing Gentle Care
Your skin is still in recovery mode, though any redness should have resolved by now.
Gradually Resume Normal Activities
- You can typically return to exercise after 24-48 hours
- Warm (not hot) showers are fine
- Light makeup can be applied to facial areas if needed
- Normal clothing is fine if redness has resolved
Still Avoid
- Harsh exfoliation or scrubbing
- Retinoids, AHAs, BHAs, and vitamin C serums
- Waxing, plucking, or threading
- Direct sun exposure
- Self-tanning products
Treated skin is more sensitive to UV damage. Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen to any treated areas that will be exposed to sunlight, even through windows. This should continue for at least 2 weeks after each treatment to prevent hyperpigmentation.
The First Week: Returning to Normal
By days 4-7, most of your normal routine can resume, with a few ongoing considerations.
What You May Notice
- Hair shedding: Treated hairs will begin to fall out, which is a sign the treatment worked
- Stubble: Some hair may appear to grow, but these are treated hairs being pushed out
- Peppering: You might see small dark dots where hair is shedding from follicles
Don't pluck or wax these shedding hairs—let them fall out naturally. You can shave if needed.
Resume Active Skincare Gradually
Around day 5-7, you can typically reintroduce:
- Gentle exfoliation (soft washcloth, mild exfoliant)
- Vitamin C serums
- Light AHAs if your skin isn't sensitive
Wait until day 7-10 before reintroducing retinoids or stronger actives.
Between Treatments: Ongoing Care
The weeks between your IPL sessions require consistent care to prepare for your next treatment and protect your results.
Daily Essentials
- Sunscreen: Apply daily to treated areas, especially in the week before and after treatment
- Moisturise: Keep skin hydrated with a quality moisturiser
- Gentle products: Avoid harsh treatments that could irritate skin
Hair Removal Between Sessions
- Shaving: Yes—this is the only approved method between treatments
- Waxing: No—this removes hair from the follicle
- Plucking/Threading: No—same reason
- Depilatory creams: Generally okay, but some find them irritating
Building Your Post-IPL Skincare Routine
Here's a suggested routine for the days following treatment:
Morning Routine (Days 1-7)
- Cleanse with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser
- Apply soothing moisturiser or aloe vera gel
- Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen (essential)
Evening Routine (Days 1-7)
- Cleanse gently
- Apply aloe vera gel or calming serum
- Follow with fragrance-free moisturiser
Post-IPL Aftercare Timeline
- 0-2 hours: Cool compress, aloe vera, rest
- 24 hours: No heat, exercise, fragranced products, or makeup
- 48-72 hours: No active skincare ingredients, exfoliation, or sun
- Days 4-7: Gradually resume normal routine except retinoids
- Ongoing: Daily sunscreen, moisturise, shave only (no waxing)
When to Seek Help
While side effects are rare with proper use, contact a healthcare professional if you experience:
- Blistering or burns that don't heal within a few days
- Signs of infection (increasing redness, warmth, pus)
- Significant colour changes that don't fade after two weeks
- Scarring or textural changes
- Severe or persistent pain
Recommended Aftercare Products
Look for products with these soothing ingredients:
- Aloe vera: Natural cooling and soothing properties
- Centella Asiatica (Cica): Promotes skin healing
- Allantoin: Calms and protects
- Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5): Hydrates and soothes
- Niacinamide: Helps with redness (but wait until day 3-4)
Avoid products containing alcohol, fragrance, essential oils, or acids in the immediate post-treatment period.
By following this aftercare routine, you'll minimise any discomfort, protect your skin, and support the best possible results from your IPL treatment journey.