Skip to main content

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Handbook of Lasers in Dermatology

Abstract

Intense pulsed light (IPL) systems are mostly used for improving the skin texture from aging damages. This technology works by emitting a pulsed, noncoherent, polychromatic light through a filter, which can be changed according to the desired target within the skin. The side effects of these devices have been reduced, allowing its use for a wide variety of clinical indications. Currently, IPL devices are a safe and efficient treatment option for non-ablative skin rejuvenation, hair removal, and the removal of pigmented and vascular lesions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Darker skin types being at greater risk.

References

  1. Goldman MP, Weiss RA, Weiss MA. Intense pulsed light as a nonablative approach to photoaging. Dermatol Surg. 2005;31(9 Pt 2):1179–87; discussion 1187. Review. Abbreviations.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Goldman MP. Treatment of benign vascular lesions with the photoderm VL high-intensity pulsed light source. Adv Dermatol. 1997;13:503–21.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Weiss RA, Goldman MP, Weiss MA. Treatment of poikiloderma of Civatte with an intense pulsed light source. Dermatol Surg. 2000;26(9):823–7; discussion 828.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Sadick NS, Weiss RA, Shea CR, Nagel H, Nicholson J, Prieto VG. Long-term photoepilation using a broad-spectrum intense pulsed light source. Arch Dermatol. 2000;136(11):1336–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Park JM, Tsao H, Tsao S. Combined use of intense pulsed light and Q-switched ruby laser for complex dyspigmentation among Asian patients. Lasers Surg Med. 2008;40(2):128–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Feng YJ, Zhao JY. Effects of rejuvenation by intense pulsed light and basic mechanism thereof. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2007;87(20):1394–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Babilas P, Schreml S, Szeimies RM, Landthaler M. Intense pulsed light (IPL): a review. Lasers Surg Med. 2010;42(2):93–104. doi:10.1002/lsm.20877. Review.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Anderson RR. Lasers in dermatology–a critical update. J Dermatol. 2000;27(11):700–5.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Gan SD, Graber EM. Laser hair removal: a review. Dermatol Surg. 2013. doi:10.1111/dsu.12116. Epub ahead of print.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Wang CC, Sue YM, Yang CH, Chen CK. A comparison of Q-switched alexandrite laser and intense pulsed light for the treatment of freckles and lentigines in Asian persons: a randomized, physician-blinded, split-face comparative trial. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;54(5):804–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Raulin C, et al. Treatment of a nonresponding port wine stain with a new pulsed light source (PhotoDerm VL). Lasers Surg Med. 1997;21(2):203–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Raulin C, et al. Treatment of essential telangiectasias with an intense pulsed light source (PhotoDerm VL). Dermatol Surg. 1997;23(10):941–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Raulin C, Raulin SJ, et al. Treatment of benign venous malformations with an intense pulsed light source (PhotoDermTVL). Eur J Dermatol. 1997;7:279–82.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Raulin C, Schroeter CA, Weiss RA, Keiner M, Werner S. Treatment of port-wine stains with a noncoherent pulsed light source: a retrospective study. Arch Dermatol. 1999;135(6):679–83.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Anderson RR, Parrish RR. Selective photothermolysis: precise microsurgery by selective absorption of pulse radiation. Science. 1983;220:524–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Goldberg DJ. Current trends in intense pulsed light. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2012;5(6):45–53.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Bjerring P, Christiansen K. Intense pulsed light source for treatment of small melanocytic nevi and solar lentigines. J Cutan Laser Ther. 2000;2(4):177–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Retamar RA, Chames C, Pellerano G. Treatment of linear and spider telangiectasia with an intense pulsed light source. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2004;3(4):187–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Tanghetti EA. Split-face randomized treatment of facial telangiectasia comparing pulsed dye laser and an intense pulsed light handpiece. Lasers Surg Med. 2012;44(2):97–102. doi:10.1002/lsm.21151. Epub 2011 Dec 16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Goldman MP, Fitzpatrick RE. Laser treatment of vascular lesions. In: Goldman MP, Fitzpatrick RE, editors. Cutaneous laser surgery. St. Louis: Mosby; 1999. p. 19–178.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Rusciani A, Motta A, Fino P, Menichini G. Treatment of poikiloderma of Civatte using intense pulsed light source: 7 years of experience. Dermatol Surg. 2008;34(3):314–9. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2007.34064.x; discussion 319. Epub 2007 Dec 19.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Angermeier MC. Treatment of facial vascular lesions with intense pulsed light. J Cutan Laser Ther. 1999;1(2):95–100.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Raulin C, Greve B, Grema H. IPL technology: a review. Lasers Surg Med. 2003;32(2):78–87.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Goldman MP, Eckhouse S. Photothermal sclerosis of leg veins. Dermatol Surg. 1996;22:323–30.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Schroeter CA, Wilder D, Reineke T, Thuerlimann W, Raulin C, Neumann HAM. Clinical significance of an intense, pulsed light source on leg telangiectasias of up to 1 mm diameter. Eur J Dermatol. 1997;7:38–42.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Sadick NS. A dual wavelength approach for laser/intense pulsed light source treatment of lower extremity veins. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2002;46:66–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Green D. Photothermal removal of telangiectases of the lower extremities with the PhotodermVL. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1998;38(1):61–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Raulin C, Greve B, editors. Laser und IPL-Technologie in der Dermatologie und A ¨ sthetischen Medizin. 1st ed. New York: Schattauer Stuttgart; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Dover JS, Sadick NS, Goldman MP. The role of lasers and light sources in the treatment of leg veins. Dermatol Surg. 1999;25:328–36.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Goldman MP. Treatment of leg veins with lasers and intense pulsed light. Preliminary considerations and a review of present technology. Dermatol Clin. 2001;19:467–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Gold MH, Foster TD, Bell MW. Nevus spilus successfully treated with an intense pulsed light source. Dermatol Surg. 1999;25(3):254–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Li YH, Chen JZ, Wei HC, Wu Y, Liu M, Xu YY, et al. Efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light in treatment of melasma in Chinese patients. Dermatol Surg. 2008;34(5):693–700. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2008.34130.x; discussion 700–1. Epub 2008 Mar 3.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Kawada A, Shiraishi H, Asai M, Kameyama H, Sangen Y, Aragane Y, et al. Clinical improvement of solar lentigines and ephelides with an intense pulsed light source. Dermatol Surg. 2002;28(6):504–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Paquet P, Piérard GE. Intense pulsed light treatment of persistent facial hypermelanosis following drug-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis. Dermatol Surg. 2004;30(12 Pt 2):1522–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Shirakawa M, Ozawa T, Tateishi C, Fujii N, Sakahara D, Ishii M. Intense pulsed light therapy for aberrant Mongolian spots. Osaka City Med J. 2012;58(2):59–65.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Santos-Juanes J, Mas-Vidal A, Coto-Segura P, Sánchez del Río J, Galache Osuna C. Pigmented actinic lichen planus successfully treated with intense pulsed light. Br J Dermatol. 2010;163(3):662–3. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.09857.x. Epub 2010 May 11.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Kontoes PP, Vlachos SP, Marayiannis KV. Intense pulsed light for the treatment of lentigines in LEOPARD syndrome. Br J Plast Surg. 2003;56(6):607–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Anderson RR, Parrish JA. The optics of human skin. J Invest Dermatol. 1981;77(1):13–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Weiss RA, Weiss MA, Beasley KL, Munavalli G. Our approach to non-ablative treatment of photoaging. Lasers Surg Med. 2005;37(1):2–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Figueiredo Souza L, Trancoso Souza S. Single-session intense pulsed light combined with stable fixed-dose triple combination topical therapy for the treatment of refractory melasma. Dermatol Ther. 2012;25(5):477–80. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8019.2012.01530.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Weiss RA, Weiss MA, Marwaha S, Harrington AC. Hair removal with a non-coherent filtered flashlamp intense pulsed light source. Lasers Surg Med. 1999;24(2):128–32.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Weir VM, Woo TY. Photo-assisted epilation–review and personal observations. J Cutan Laser Ther. 1999;1(3):135–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Rogers CJ, Glaser DA, Siegfried EC, Walsh PM. Hair removal using topical suspension-assisted Q-switched Nd:YAG and long-pulsed alexandrite lasers: a comparative study. Dermatol Surg. 1999;25(11):844–4; discussion 848–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Ross EV, Ladin Z, Kreindel M, Dierickx C. Theoretical considerations in laser hair removal. Dermatol Clin. 1999;17(2):333–55, viii.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Haak CS, Nymann P, Pedersen AT, Clausen HV, Feldt Rasmussen U, Rasmussen AK, Main K, Haedersdal M. Hair removal in hirsute women with normal testosterone levels: a randomized controlled trial of long-pulsed diode laser vs. intense pulsed light. Br J Dermatol. 2010;163(5):1007–13. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.10004.x.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Klein A, Steinert S, Baeumler W, Landthaler M, Babilas P. Photoepilation with a diode laser vs. intense pulsed light: a randomized, intrapatient left-to-right trial. Br J Dermatol. 2012. doi:10.1111/bjd.12182. Epub ahead of print.

    PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  47. Bitter PH. Noninvasive rejuvenation of photodamaged skin using serial, full-face intense pulsed light treatments. Dermatol Surg. 2000;26(9):835–42; discussion 843.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Negishi K, Wakamatsu S, Kushikata N, Tezuka Y, Kotani Y, Shiba K. Full-face photorejuvenation of photodamaged skin by intense pulsed light with integrated contact cooling: initial experiences in Asian patients. Lasers Surg Med. 2002;30(4):298–305.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Weiss RA, Weiss MA, Beasley KL. Rejuvenation of photoaged skin: 5 years results with intense pulsed light of the face, neck, and chest. Dermatol Surg. 2002;28(12):1115–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Hedelund L, Due E, Bjerring P, Wulf HC, Haedersdal M. Skin rejuvenation using intense pulsed light: a randomized controlled split-face trial with blinded response evaluation. Arch Dermatol. 2006;142(8):985–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Dover JS, Bhatia AC, Stewart B, Arndt KA. Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid combined with intense pulsed light in the treatment of photoaging. Arch Dermatol. 2005;141(10):1247–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Gold MH, Bradshaw VL, Boring MM, Bridges TM, Biron JA. Split-face comparison of photodynamic therapy with 5-aminolevulinic acid and intense pulsed light versus intense pulsed light alone for photodamage. Dermatol Surg. 2006;32(6):795–801; discussion 801–3.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Li YH, Wu Y, Chen JZ, Zhu X, Xu YY, Chen J, et al. A split-face study of intense pulsed light on photoaging skin in Chinese population. Lasers Surg Med. 2010;42(2):185–91. doi:10.1002/lsm.20889.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Bhardwaj SS, Rohrer TE, Arndt K. Lasers and light therapy for acne vulgaris. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2005;24:107–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Wang B, Wu Y, Luo YJ, Xu XG, Xu TH, Chen JZ, et al. Combination of intense pulsed light and fractional CO2 laser treatments for patients with acne with inflammatory and scarring lesions. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2013;38(4):344–51. doi:10.1111/ced.12010. Epub 2013 Apr 3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Mei X, Shi W, Piao Y. Effectiveness of photodynamic therapy with topical 5-aminolevulinic acid and intense pulsed light in Chinese acne vulgaris patients. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2013;29(2):90–6. doi:10.1111/phpp.12031.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Wat H, Wu DC, Rao J, Goldman MP. Application of intense pulsed light in the treatment of dermatologic disease: a systematic review. Dermatol Surg. 2014. doi:10.1111/dsu.12424. Epub ahead of print.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert Weiss MD FAAD, FACPh .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer-Verlag London

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Falto-Aizpurua, L.A., Halvorson, C.R., Weiss, R. (2014). Intense Pulsed Light Therapy. In: Nouri, K. (eds) Handbook of Lasers in Dermatology. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5322-1_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5322-1_17

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-5321-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-5322-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics