Illuminate your natural beauty by erasing the unwanted reminders of sun exposure and environmental stress. Our Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatments provide a sophisticated, no-downtime solution to restore your skin's vibrant clarity.
While Intense Pulsed Light is widely available, the best results are achieved through the strategic clinical oversight provided by De La Cruz Plastic Surgery. Dr. De La Cruz ensures every IPL treatment is calibrated to the patient’s skin type and pigment depth. By performing these treatments in our AAAA-certified facility, we provide a level of safety and medical expertise that far exceeds a standard med-spa environment, tailoring light energy to protect surrounding tissue.
Correcting sun damage, age spots, rosacea, and broken capillaries.
High-intensity pulses of broad-spectrum light.
Zero; patients can return to daily activities immediately.
20–45 minutes per session.
Significant reduction in redness and brown spots with no recovery time.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), often referred to as a "PhotoFacial," is not a laser. While a laser treatment uses a single wavelength of light, IPL utilizes a broad spectrum of light energy. This allows the device to target multiple concerns simultaneously, such as the red of a broken capillary and the brown of a sunspot, without damaging the outer layer of the skin. It is the gold standard for achieving a naturally "airbrushed" complexion.
Your session begins with the application of a cool gel to the treatment area and the use of protective eyewear. As the IPL handpiece moves across your skin, it emits concentrated, pulsed light. Most patients describe the sensation as a quick, mild snap of a rubber band. Because IPL is a non-ablative laser technology, skin cells are not removed, so there is no raw or open skin during the healing process.
IPL is exceptionally effective at treating "pigment and plumbing" issues that affect overall skin quality:
IPL is highly versatile and is frequently used on the chest (décolletage), shoulders, and hands—areas where sun-damaged skin is most prominent and often shows signs of aging.
The primary advantage of IPL is its ability to provide dramatic skin rejuvenation with absolutely no downtime.
It is a "lunchtime" procedure that allows you to immediately apply makeup and return to your routine. Unlike more aggressive resurfacing lasers, IPL works beneath the surface to clear the complexion while keeping the outer layer intact, making it an ideal maintenance treatment for the busy Houston professional.
The best candidates for IPL are individuals with light to medium skin tones seeking to correct redness or brown spots. Because IPL targets pigment, those with very dark skin or darker skin tones may be better suited for our Erbium laser resurfacing or Morpheus8 treatments to avoid the risk of hyperpigmentation.
During your consultation, we will review your medical history to determine whether IPL is the safest option for your skin laxity and tone.
There is no formal recovery period. Immediately after the laser procedure, your skin may feel slightly warm, and dark spots may temporarily appear darker (resembling coffee grounds) before naturally sloughing off within a week. The most critical step is applying a high sun protection factor (SPF), as your treated skin will be temporarily more sensitive to the Houston sun.
Most patients see significant improvement in skin appearance after just one session, though a series of 3 to 5 treatments is typically recommended for complete clearance of sun damage. Your results will include a brighter, more even-toned complexion that appears refreshed and youthful.
At De La Cruz Plastic Surgery, we don't treat skin rejuvenation as a mere commodity. We view it as a crucial investment in your long-term aesthetic health and confidence. By choosing a plastic surgeon's office for your IPL treatment, you ensure your skin is treated with medical-grade technology, administered by experts with a deep, physician-level understanding of dermatologic safety and the intricacies of skin structure. This specialized approach at De La Cruz Plastic Surgery provides superior results and peace of mind.
No. Laser skin resurfacing uses ablative lasers to remove skin layers, while IPL uses broad-spectrum light to treat pigment beneath the skin without peeling.
IPL can help reduce the redness associated with active acne and help kill certain bacteria, though we often combine it with other laser skin resurfacing treatments for deeper acne scarring.
For most patients with moderate sun-damaged skin, we recommend an initial series of 3 sessions, followed by annual maintenance.
No. It is vital to avoid sun exposure and tanning beds for at least 4 weeks prior to treatment, as the light targets pigment and could cause a burn on tanned skin.
