The following blurb is posted on numerous websites all over the Internet with regard to IPL, mostly on manufacturer/distributor and practitioner websites. I cannot list them all, nor note the author as it is unknown to me:
As a photonic "Swiss Army Knife", Intense Pulsed light (IPL) devices have become very popular over the recent past. They are much less costly to manufacture than lasers-they're basically a pulsed laser without the costly laser components such as the laser rod, pump chamber, optics, and delivery device. Broadband light has the ability to target multiple chromophores, including blood and melanin, and although cutoff filters can modify the emitted broadband spectrum to some extent, it cannot match the specificity of monochromatic laser light. Any photons not absorbed by the target chromophore will be absorbed by other chromophores and then dissipated as heat. This "collateral damage" has actually been touted as an advantage of IPL over lasers by some proponents, but in reality the amount of energy delivered to the intended target may be compromised by undesirable effects on adjacent structures.The cogent portion in the information above is bolded in red. Perhaps those suffering fat loss/atrophy have this collateral damage, with the collatateral damage mentioned as almost an aside rather than the real side-effect it has most assuredly become.
IPL devices have been aggressively marketed to physicians as a less expensive, "one box" alternative to multiple dedicated lasers. In addition to versatility, IPL devices have the advantage of larger spot sizes than lasers, which is useful for treating large areas quickly. Their lack of specificity limits their use, especially in darker skinned patients. As a rule IPL devices are less effective than a dedicated laser for a given task.
If you have doubts this collateral damage exists, please, meet the collateral damage-all of whom are members of the IPL/laser support board:
Member #1: VBeam - January - September of 2007 -5 treatments over entire face- orange peel texture, pitted and linear scars at cheeks, pitted scars at temples and a few at jaw-line, enlarged pores, fat loss over entire face, indentations at temples, forehead, jaw-line. skin is hyper-sensitive to all topicals - flushes red. changes most notable 4-6 weeks after last procedure. - IPL 1999- 3 treatments over entire face- pock mark scar and mole noted on left cheek within weeks of last procedure- indentations at temples with fat loss at temples noted months later.The story does not get better for the collateral damage group, it only compounds.
Member #2: IPL -Fall 2007-Two treatments on face and neck-Complications include pin pricks on cheeks; pitted scars, ice pick scars on cheeks, chin, temples, forehead; lines like etchings or stab wounds that go in all directions on cheeks, nose, near lips, temples, chin; blotchy, hyperpigmented skin all over face. I look diseased.
Enlarged pores on cheeks, nose, forehead, chin, between nose and lips. Looks like orange peel. Wrinkles everywhere, sagging skin around eyes; fat loss all over face and neck. Thinned out skin. Overly sensitive to skin products that had been used safely in the past. Skin burns easily now. Roughened texture to skin on top of everything else. Prone to breakouts. Damage still going.
Member #3: Non-Ablative laser - Late 2007- 1 treatment resulted in 2 ndented lines that became visible within the early weeks following procedure. Volume loss right next to it in my upper right cheek that continued very slowly over the following year.
Member #4: IPL Sept. 2005 (thought it would help my rosacea) Two IPL treatments - twice in the same week as part of a special 3-part program- thank God I didn't do all 3! The first seemed fine, but I could tell during the second one (when the doctor said he was going to really crank it up) that something was wrong. Sure enough that did me in. This did me in and completely melted/hollowed my entire head. The surface skin itself became very thin and fragile with pinprick holes and even made a few weird moles grow.
Member #5: IPL 2006 - I had a series of 5 IPL sessions for my mild rosacea. Had good results, but on the 5th session the doctor decided to increase power which worsened my rosacea (but no textural damage). I waited 6 months, and saw a very good laser practitioner who decided to give me 2 test patches over a period of 6 months...everything was fine. Went ahead with the full treatment, (doctor decided it would be ok to increase the power slightly ) During the treatment I complained that the IPL treatment was actually burning my face, but he assured me everything would be ok and carried on. Well the rest is history, severe inflammation, severe nose swelling, and a few months later as my skin began to recover I noticed my cheeks were covered in pinprick indentations.
Member #6: IPL - I had about seven-eight treatments previously, spread out over 2-3 years(2006-2007), always with reduction of pigmentation on skin and good result- 5/2008- power increased at this visit- performed on face and chest-Since last treatment: scarring on one cheek immediately- indentations a few minutes after procedure (thermal burns?) which enlarged over 5-6 months; 6 weeks after IPL-cheeks deflated, then indentations formed on both cheeks (ice-pick scars), also squiggly lines all over one cheek, indentations on forehead, lines on nose, indentations and lines between nose and lips, lines/indentations extending from side of mouth down sides of chin, small tears all over skin, pinpoint scarring all over skin, orange peel texture to skin, enlarged pores-wrinkles and thin skin over chest-if I have a blemish it leaves a scar. My skin has lost its former elasticity-I look as though I had severe acne as a child. Changing still....
Please read the stories of those damaged by government approved cosmetic devices at:
http://iplandlaserdamagesupport.prophpbb.com/
I had an IPL done on my chest 5 months ago. On the day it was done at 10:00 am I had severe severe burning which looked like dark purple blistered zebra stripes on my chest. I had to change from ice pack to ice pack one after another until 10:00pm, I just couldn't take the pain anymore and I took a bath and ran water over my chest. It was excruciating pain but, then the water somehow took the burning sensation away. I had to be put on an antibiotic so that my blisters would not become infected. Fast forward to five months later.... I have to wear crew neck tee shirts every day of my life because i have tiger stripes of alabaster white skin ( think Michael Jackson) that have NO PIGMENT left and no ability to gain pigment. It is the saddest thing. So sad and depressed.
ReplyDeletei have also experienced loss of pigmentation,on the face,in my case after laser hair removal on the upper and lower lip and chin.They have been 9 months.Do u know what can I do to check if there is no way to get it back?
DeleteThank you so much
Hypopigmentation (loss of pigment) is more difficult to overcome than hyperpigmentation. Other than time and waiting to see if you have return of pigment, I don't what can be done for this issue.
DeleteI have the very same thing! And almost 4 years later I still have scarring on my chest that makes me look like a leopard! Any replies on how we can restore the pigment?
DeleteI'm so sorry this happened to you. Please visit the IPL and Laser Damage support board.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure when all of this will ever end. It's sad that the reality of IPL and lasers cannot be exposed to the masses for what it can do to a person's life.
I wish you healing.
I had 5 IPL and 6 fractional Palomar laser treatments.
ReplyDeleteNear conclusion of treatment my face became thin and gaunt. I developed ocular irritation and my eyes hollowed out a few months later.
Then I had 17 useless appointments with 8 different doctors in our useless Canadian socialized medicine environment (thanks taxpayers). Last one diaganosed me with ocular rosacia (which I never had before).
Gave me dexamethazone drops that temporarily helped but he warned me that long term use could cause glaucoma.
Great system we have here. IPL caused ocular problems which helped a lot of other doctors make a lot of money mis diagnosing me. Now the drops could cause glacoma and then more doctors will make more money off of me.
i had the same problems with my eyes I also have headache frequently. fuck those doc just want to make money and now I am afraid of going blind
DeleteI had severe fat loss with Palomar ICON. Please contact me if you experienced fat loss/ volume loss from a Palomar laser. I am documenting these cases.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt's never ending! I'm sorry you've had to go through this. I wish I could say that I've not heard similar (although not ocular rosacea), but I have. Some people now have systemic health issues.
ReplyDeleteI hope things improve, eventually, on all levels for everyone.
I had IPL on my chest 10 days ago and it felt like I was being banded. When it was time for me to leave as my appointment had ended, the technician said "now, don't freak out". That should have been my first clue. I went home, my chest was on fire and I had to put ice packs on it all night. My chest was red, burned, striped and bubbling.
ReplyDeleteI have been taking over the counter pain medication (since they could not prescribe anything being that there is no doctor present on the premises) and went to my MD to get a prescription for anxiety and sleep as I was scared they ruined my skin and have been crying for days and days, and had trouble sleeping as a result. Now that it is the 10th day, I still have pain, striping, peeeling, and it still hurts when fabric of any kind touches the skin on my chest. I have consulted with a dermatologist and an MD and I am told I suffered 1st degree burns and would need further IPL's and perhaps even Fraxels to correct the pigment damage and eventual striping across my chest. I need to have my chest greasy with Vaseline or Aquaphor at al times and I am not putting plastic of it because I have ruined many shirts. All I went in for was to have some freckles removed!!! I am now forced to wear shirts that stop at my neck and can no longer wear nice summery shirts that show any skin whatsoever.
In the wrong hands, this machine is a nightmare to say the least. The "fresh out of school" nurses should not be allowed to use these machines and this should be performed by an experienced doctor or dermatologist. These clinics and medical spas parade as medical offices with the staff wearing white coats and looking very professional. DO NOT BE FOOLED! SPEND THE MONEY TO GET IT DONE RIGHT! There is a reason these procedures cost more money at the dermatologist's office or a cosmetic surgeon's office, do not trust the specials advertised in your local paper. "Too good to be true, usually is". I am so angry about this that I want to expose the place that did this to me however I am waiting a little longer to see what kind of recovery I have. Someone will pay for this repair and in the end, and it is not going to be me. Lawsuit or no lawsuit! I have photos documenting every day. This is all so very embarassing!
I am sorry you have had to go through this. I know how difficult it must all be.
ReplyDeleteYou might want to post your experience on the IPL and Laser Damage support forum:
http://iplandlaserdamagesupport.prophpbb.com/index.php
I had 3 IPL treatments done on my face. The first two turned out fine,but the third oh my God what a nightmare. I burned for hours afterwords,I was purple,and blistered.two weeks later I noticed a horrible smell it smelled like something rotten. The lady that did the treatment said there was no way the IPL could do that. I proceeded to go to numerous Dr's they all said there was no damage done to my skin, there was no smell. They said it was an olfactory hallucination. the smell was real, it drove me crazy. I put up with it for a year. I could not take it no more, so I lit myself on fire, i wanted to die. I survived now I got even more problems. Im just wondering if you no what might have happened with the Ipl treatment.. It ruined my life.
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to you. I'm so very sorry you've had to suffer.
ReplyDeleteIt seems IPL procedures, on some people, causes nerve damage and possibly neurological problems based on what our support forum members have experienced. I don't know if this is what happened in your case or not. I'm not a medical professional
Please join our support forum. I'm very sorry for your pain:
http://iplandlaserdamagesupport.prophpbb.com/
yes, I had ipl around eyes area, now my temporal area always feel sour and my eyes hollow and tired so I said f the beautician and doc
DeleteI had three IPL treatments on my face to remove a ton of freckles. The results were amazing!!! I was so excited that I went on to do my chest and arms. These results were completely different. I am left with white scars and stripes. I've been trying to use tanning lotion to hide the discoloration. It has helped some. After a year of hoping my skin's pigment would recover, I have an appointment tomorrow to check out my options. I'll post if it works!
ReplyDeletePlease be careful in your selection of 'solutions'. This can be a slippery slope. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteDo not think you are safe from adversity by going to doctors and fancy clinics over salons/technicians. I can't speak to salon outcomes personally, but in the case of lasers, the hard truth is that when something goes wrong, if not immediately, then perhaps up to 6 or 16 months after...dr.'s don't know what to do either and may not help you because to admit that the laser caused your damage, they risk their ability to make a living in a field where they don't make money without doing procedures. In essence, for some, their whole career is built on procedures that are extremely risky to patients. Is that someone you really think is all that smart? Someone you want to spend one moment of time around? Open up your bank account to? Hand your soul over to?
ReplyDeleteI went to a board certified, "expert" in CA who charges more than any other office I've researched across the nation. My face was also destroyed. Do not think for one second that because you shell out more money or go to a place with a good "reputation" or a doctor who is "world renowned", an "ivy league grad"....blah blah blah. I lost my beautiful face over going to "the best". Even traveled out of state to have "the best"...Its all marketing lies. My pictures were altered, and thus I suspect the pictures shown to me beforehand were also doctored to show "results" that were not real. Several other patients of "the best" have been severely damaged. If I had it to do over, I would just maximize makeup, fillers, and botox before doing surgery/lasers and been patient while using topicals which are much safer for the skin. When I was doing that, I was a beautiful woman with a healthy face, albeit, not perfect. I am now disfigured, aged, and scarred and as the skin turns over I see more scars everyday.
Tell anyone you know who is considering lasers of any kind, to visit this website and others like it BEFORE they even go for a consult "just to get information". I wish I had. I would never have done this knowing what I know now. And if you read the stories and pay attention to patterns, every "laser" has caused tremendous suffering even in the "best" of hands and no matter what kind of laser it is.
Also think about how it came to be that so many women are in a position to be posting on boards like these. Most laser survivors I have met are intelligent, vibrant women who simply were not told the truth about risks. What makes you think you will be told the truth? Protect yourself by keeping your hopes, dreams, wishes and prayers in check. Think. Be realistic. Be skeptical. Be ready to walk away from any dream that some magic cure exists out there to cure all that bothers you. Your face and life depend on it.
Consider that the way to being your most beautiful and joyful self, may actually mean staying OUT of a laser doctor or plastic surgeons office. Consider that if you look closely you are probably beautiful in some way already and that is enough. You are enough. Just the way you are. And when you feel age starts to change that, go to one of many non-surgical derms who specialize in fillers, and noninvasive options that have low risk and resolvable consequences. I would take minor blemishes and fine lines, even wrinkles, any day over laser damage. The former is at least natural, a part of life, expected, you're friends will understand.... The latter can make people stare in pity, you feel and look damaged, disfigured, isolated, alone because those who haven't been through it are scared away by it, your fair weathered friends (and doctor) may disappear, your true friends will be devastated, for you and with you, which is painful in and of itself...this all disrupts your life, health, finances, relationships, and self image. Is it worth the risks?
Beautifully said. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI had 3 IPL treatments done on my back, I hoped it would remove dark spots left by a rash, but it made it worse. The "professional" that performed the treatments started with very low setting and I saw great results and on my last treatment she decided to up my setting and burned my skin. This happened in April and I've just started to use peels and microdermabration treatments to lighten the scars. I'm sorry to hear that this has happened to so many people when I googled it and I just want to reverse it so I can move on. Please share good reverse treatment stories, I'm sure we can all beat this.
ReplyDeleteI had iPl done on 06 and the amount of damage is horrifying
ReplyDeleteDr Carruthers is a FRAUD in Vancouver who will LIE to anyone to make a buck
To this day he Denies that Ipl sucked the fat out of my face and pretends that it's my imagination
Please stay away from Dr. Carruthers in Vancouver Bc
I'm going to sue and make sure he gets put away for life
In prison where he belongs
Hi have you seen any Dr. in Vancouver to replace the fat loss from your face, have you tried any filler such as juvederm or are you doing something else or nothing. I have had almost identicle problems only my fat loss and loss of elasticity happened after severe inflammation and internal heat from mixing erythromycin and herbs not knowing the kind of side effects and aftermath- fat loss, loss of elasticity texture changes indentations etc. Do you know any good dermatologists in Vancouver, has anyone helped you since this happened.
DeleteHello. I do not know of any specific docs in Canada who have treated those harmed. I'm sorry. There are several doctors on the west coast who have treated cosmetic device victims. Dr. Timothy Marten in San Francisco comes to mind. He does not have a website, or at least no your typical full feature plastic surgeon's website. He is better known by being referred, word of mouth than loads of flashy advertising on a website. He's quite expensive however.
DeleteIt is interesting that you've had similar damage from an internal chemical reaction. The heat must be the common thread.
I'm sorry you're going through this. Please join the support forum. Here is the URL:
http://iplandlaserdamagesupport.prophpbb.com/
I had a laser rejuve treatment on 7/14/2006. I know the brand, I believe it was an IPL because I ended up with fat loss, scars, and hypopigmentation. After the treatment the technician said that I had a "mosquito bite" look that would go down in about an hour. It took 24-48 hours for the swelling to go down and when it did some of the wounds were blisters and some wounds bled as the was no skin left any longer. I ended up going to a Derm to get looked at and he was afraid to say anything other than a few of the spots had eroded and I would have a good result. Unfortunatley this Dr seemed afraid to be truthful with me and get involved in a situation that would criticize another institution. I so wanted to believe that was the truth, so did not seek any other avenues with a lawyer. I went back to where I received the treatment to show them my face. They assured me I would be fine in 6 weeks. After 6 weeks had passed the wounds healed and I asked when the dents would go away. They took some pictures of me and I was told they would send them to the laser company for some answers, but I was told in 6 months everything would be fine. At that time I was given a refund for my treatment. After 6 months there was no improvement and when I went back, none of the people I had seen worked there any longer. I spoke with the new people, one of which was a Dr and was told again the laser they use cannot cause any permanent damage and in a year I would be better. After 1 year I was not better and the medical spa had closed. The only thing that kept me going that year was the false hope that I would return to normal on my own.
ReplyDeleteI am fortunate to have found a Doctor who is paid to write the usage guidlines in the manuals for some of the lasers. I have had laser done there to help my damage. I agree it is a slippery slope as I am scared to death anytime I do something to try to improve the appearance of the damage. I am afraid I won't live through it if something else happens. The mental and emotional pain of having had something like this done to you is unbelievable. It has been very difficult.
So far I have had good experiences with the new Doctor. It is natural to want to get rid of the reminders of such a painful experience. Who wants to look in the mirror every day and relive the horror of what was done to you? I have had fractionated CO2 laser that worked very well with the dents and divots. Some of the larger divots are from fat loss and I have had Sculptra to help fill these in. Some of the areas that were hypopigmented but not scared have naturally regained some pigment, especially in the center of the laser strike. Disguising the fat loss will be a life long maintenance issue, fortunatley it is not severe, but I wonder if it is looking worse as time goes on? I still have a blotchy look from the hypopigmentation where on my cheeks I can see the trail the laser took and each laser strikes. I would like to see this evened out. As I said earlier, the fractionated CO2 has helped some of the scars, before I could see almost every laser strike with a dent and now it is minimal. I can still see some, but it is not evident to everyone else. I think I will have to do that procedure some more as time goes buy. I am very lucky to have been able to get some of my issues to a better place, but caution anyone on laser proceedures. Lasers are very dangerous in the wrong over-confident hands. Just because someone is a Doctor or there are Doctors managing a spa does not mean they have the knowlede to be doing these procedures.
I wish I had documented everything and gotten a lawyer. You can imagine the amount of money I have spent over the last six years and will spend in the future trying to disguise the damage. I was 34 years old and single when this happened to me. This experience has altered my life. I wonder if I will ever completely get over this? I still have hope.
I had several IPL's by a surgeon that worked out fine 10 years ago. Afterwards there was some blotchy pink areas on my skin that were gone in a half hour or so.
ReplyDeleteI had another IPL at a Medical Spa (Big mistake, Medical Spa means some doc has leant his name and can reap the rewards. In my case, it was an ex-anesthesiologist who had a Traumatic Brain Injury so could no longer practice, so leant his name to the Spa)
I had a bad feeling while waiting in the waiting room for the gel he put on my face to finish. It was a new spa where I had actually gone and interviewed the man doing the treatment beforehand. He told me he's worked directly with a plastic surgeon for years, which later I found out was not true.
7 hours after the treatment I saw welts had formed down my cheeks and under my eyes. I immediately went back to the spa and asked him in the waiting room, what's going on with my face? He asked who I was and when he worked on me! The held my face up toward the light by the window we were standing near and said "I usually don't get this intense the first time and how this was "great" as lots of collagen would be growing in???!!!!!! So it's a year and half later and I have nerve damage on the right side of my face, fat loss from the nose down to the chin which created a large indent/wrinkle from nose to mouth, the welt/puffiness under my eye never completely went away and is worst on the left side and seems to have pulled the delicate skin under my eye down a bit, eyes are hollowed out and and 14 months later the cheeks - where there had been welts look orange peel and like someone put pin pricks in them. I am 51 years old and used to look a good 7 to 10 years younger than my age. Now I look at least my age but with bad skin. I am not as depressed about it as I used to be as I am trying to focus on inner beauty, meditate and pray a lot. It was very difficult to have my physical beauty snatched away. And many people don't understand, feel uncomfortable hearing about it or both. I am more worried about the nerve pain after 18 months than how I look. My face is often hot, tingly or sore. I have thought about fat transfer, face lift and am very afraid of these procedures. I am not really sure what I will do. I have researched lots of surgeons in case I go that route. I like what I have learned about Dr. Jacono in New York. He is an amazing reconstructive and facial plastic surgeon. On the IPL laser support forum I learned of a plastic surgeon in Florida who was one of the first and best trained in fat transfer. He also keeps your fat and can shoot more in, if it does not take in surgery, which for some people it doesn't. The benefit to this is you would not need a second surgery.
Good Luck Ladies. Remember you all have an inner beauty and are spiritual beings having a human experience!
i am afraid of going blind i have severe headache at times and eyes hollow out also ,pain and dry
DeleteI am also so depressed with fat loss and worse skin than before!!! Profractional, laser lift Schaumburg is horrible!!!!
ReplyDeletePittsburgh's "The Skin Center" promotes lies.
ReplyDelete