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IPL Safety: Legal Issues

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Aesthetic Applications of Intense Pulsed Light

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Abstract

Cosmetic medicine benefits nowadays from intense advertising. The general perception regarding the cosmetic procedures is that they are quick, painless and with little risk.

The optical hazard is the main danger for both physicians and patients when working with an IPL device. That is why it is mandatory for the patient and also for the entire personnel in the treatment room to wear protective eyeglasses during treatment.

Even though complications may appear after the medical and cosmetic utilization of the IPL, there are no generally accepted laws when it comes to the utilization of the IPL, regardless if we speak of the person who is operating the device, the person delegated to use it or the person supervising the procedure. Specially trained personnel and continuous improvement and training should be respected.

Due to intense and unconscious advertising of IPL devices, patients might have unrealistic expectations. It is important to understand the patient’s needs and expectations, to pose the right treatment indications and to thoroughly explain to the patient the benefits and effectiveness of the treatment. To protect the physician from malpractice lawsuits, informed consent should be signed for all kind of treatments.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic Surgery, Emergency District Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Lucian Fodor & Laura Sita-Alb

  2. Med’Art, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Lucian Fodor

Authors
  1. Lucian Fodor
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  2. Laura Sita-Alb
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lucian Fodor .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Emergency District Hospital, Cluj Napoca, Romania

    Lucian Fodor

  2. Director Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel

    Yehuda Ullmann

Appendices

Multiple Choice Questions

3.1.1 Q1: True or False. Is IPL Treatment a Cosmetic Risk-Free Procedure?

  1. (a)

    True

  2. (b)

    False

3.1.2 Q2: Which Is the Main Hazard of the IPL?

  1. (a)

    Optical hazard

  2. (b)

    Delayed skin cancer diagnosis.

  3. (c)

    Skin burns

  4. (d)

    Hypertrophic scars

  5. (e)

    Infection

3.1.3 Q3: Can IPL Treatment Delay Diagnosis of a Skin Cancer?

  1. (a)

    No, because IPL treatments remove the skin cancer

  2. (b)

    Yes, due to stimulation of tumor proliferation

  3. (c)

    Yes, due to superficial tumor depigmentation

  4. (d)

    No, because IPL treatment has no effect on superficial tumors

  5. (e)

    No, because IPL is a hazard free procedure

3.1.4 Q4: Is It Completely Safe to Have an IPL Treatment in a Cosmetic Facility?

  1. (a)

    Yes, IPL is a cosmetic, risks free procedure

  2. (b)

    No, specially IPL trained doctors should perform the treatment

  3. (c)

    No, trained medical staff under specially trained doctor supervision should perform the treatment.

  4. (d)

    Yes, because I feel safe in my favorite cosmetic facility.

  5. (e)

    No, because they are never trained

3.1.5 Q5: Is It Mandatory to Have a Physician Perform the IPL Treatment?

  1. (a)

    Yes, there are standard legal regulations worldwide

  2. (b)

    No, there are not unanimous rules that oblige the supervision or treatment to be undertaken by a doctor

  3. (c)

    It depends from country to country, and even from state to state

  4. (d)

    Yes, because it implies hazards and special medical training

  5. (e)

    Yes, the cosmetic facilities must have doctors supervising

3.1.6 Q6: Are Home IPL Devices Safe?

  1. (a)

    Yes, home devices have multiple security features, if used properly, with the safety features working, the optical hazard is anole

  2. (b)

    If home device safety features fail this may pose a retinal risk

  3. (c)

    No, they should not be used at home

3.1.7 Q7: Do Many Patients Have Unrealistic Expectations?

  1. (a)

    True

  2. (b)

    False

3.1.8 Q8: Why Is the Informed Consent Mandatory?

  1. (a)

    Informed consent is mandatory to avoid lawsuits

  2. (b)

    Written informed consent is not mandatory, verbal informed consent is enough.

  3. (c)

    It is important to inform the patient about the potential benefits and hazards of the proposed treatment

  4. (d)

    Photo-documentation should be done systematically

  5. (e)

    No informed consent is needed for the cosmetic industry

3.1.9 Q9: How to Deal Best with a Problematic Patient?

  1. (a)

    Medical practitioners should clearly communicate with the patients and always having informed consents for the proposed procedures.

  2. (b)

    Patients with unrealistic expectations and those with Body Dysmorphic Disorder should be identified via a thorough anamnesis

  3. (c)

    Patients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder have an emotional rather than a physical problem, they are rarely satisfied with cosmetic procedures.

  4. (d)

    Doctors should not worry about the problematic patients since it is a cosmetic procedure

  5. (e)

    Doctors must ask a psychiatric evaluation prior to treatment.

3.1.10 Q10: Is It Mandatory to Wear Protective Goggles During the Treatment?

  1. (a)

    True

  2. (b)

    False

Intense Pulsed Light Treatment. Informed Consent

The Intense Pulse Light Treatment is based on the light emitted by a flash lamp. Using different wavelengths, the device has proved to be useful in the treatment of vascular lesions, pigmentary lesions and hair removal. Partial skin rejuvenation can be obtained sometimes. More than one treatment may be needed in order to obtain the desired effect.

Patients should not be tanned at the treatment. If they are tanned, delaying the treatment for a few weeks is recommended to diminish the rate of complications. Immediately after the treatment, blue or red discoloration may appear. Usually this disappears within a few days. Most procedures do not necessitate anesthesia. Topical anesthetic creams can be used before the procedure. Eye protection will be used by the patient and the staff for the entire treatment period. Although no reaction on a developing fetus has been reported, the procedure is not recommended for pregnant women.

No guarantees can be made of the exact results from this treatment. Although the treatment is safe, some complications may appear:

  • Pigmentary changes can be either of increased pigment (hyperpigmentation ) or decreased pigment (hypopigmentation). Most of the time these color changes are temporary and resolve over several weeks to months. Permanent pigmentary changes may also appear.

  • Pain. The level of sensation during treatment varies from person to person. A warm or burning sensation can be reduced by using topical anesthetics before the procedure and ice packs after the treatment.

  • Excessive redness or swelling. In some instances, excessive redness or swelling can persist for up to a few days after treatment. In certain cases, mild topical steroids can be used to hasten recovery.

  • Infection is extremely rare as the technology does not break the skin.

  • Blisters can be encountered in certain people, especially in those with higher sensitivity.

  • Scarring is possible. Normally, the IPL technology does not produce scarring. However, there are a few reports in the medical literature of scarring.

  • Lack of satisfaction. Different patients respond differently to IPL treatment. Most people report significant improvement after a series of treatments. While positive changes can be expected, no changes may occur for reasons beyond the physicians control.

To obtain the best results, the skin should be thoroughly protected from sun exposure after the treatment, using sunscreens with SPF 30 or higher. There is no restriction on washing the treated area right after the procedure.

I declare that the above treatment procedure has been explained to me, along with alternative methods of treatment and the risks of the procedure, and all my questions have been answered. I consent to photographs of the treatment areas before and after in order to document the treatment process.

I consent to the Intense Pulsed Light Treatment and the above listed items.

Signature of patient or legal Guardian

Printed name

Physicians signature

Printed name

Date

Hour

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Fodor, L., Sita-Alb, L. (2020). IPL Safety: Legal Issues. In: Fodor, L., Ullmann, Y. (eds) Aesthetic Applications of Intense Pulsed Light. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22829-3_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22829-3_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-22828-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-22829-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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