Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), also known as strong light, has brightness closely related to its wavelength and energy level. Generally, it is an extremely bright light—bright enough to “blind your eyes”. Therefore, we must pay full attention to the safety of IPL, with a focus on the following two aspects:
(1) Eye Damage Caused by Intense Light
Adequate eye protection is required for both patients and operating doctors. Typically, before performing IPL, doctors wear specialized goggles, and patients are provided with eye shields. For patients, eye shields often do not fit perfectly; thus, it is advisable to use larger, better-fitting shields whenever possible. Additionally, cotton pads can be used to further protect patients’ eyes, and patients must be instructed to keep their eyes closed throughout the procedure.
Doctors should attach greater importance to protecting their own eyes, as they may perform IPL dozens of times a day. The goggles worn by doctors must fully block IPL and should only be removed after the light emission is completely finished.
It is important to note that IPL is non-focused light (it diverges in all directions) and has high intensity. Other doctors in the IPL treatment room must leave immediately after completing their own treatments. They should not stay in the room without protective measures while another doctor is operating IPL. Although occasional unprotected exposure may not cause direct eye damage, the long-term cumulative negative effects on the eyes should not be underestimated.
(2) Overlooked Adverse Reactions of IPL on the Skin
In 2024, doctors from Taiwan, China, published a review article on the overlooked safety issues of IPL. In this paper, the authors pointed out that IPL can induce oxidative stress in the skin, leading to increased levels of p53 and p16 proteins—marker proteins associated with skin cancer. It can also cause inflammaging (inflammatory aging) and thermal aging. This article is the first comprehensive review summarizing the risks of IPL.
It should be noted that the safety of IPL has received widespread attention overseas. For example, the book Application of Intense Pulsed Light in Medical Aesthetics includes a dedicated chapter on the safety of IPL. Even with proper protective measures in place, we still need to emphasize the long-term cumulative damage that repeated IPL exposure can cause to the skin.
Key Reminders:
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When using IPL for patient treatment, the number of sessions should generally not exceed 6 consecutively. Once 6 sessions are completed, treatment should be paused or the interval between sessions should be extended (e.g., once every 2–3 months), regardless of treatment effectiveness. If a long interval (e.g., 6–12 months or more) has passed, monthly treatments can be resumed.
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Doctors must pay special attention to the cumulative negative effects of IPL. Due to China’s large population and relatively limited number of medical professionals, IPL doctors often treat numerous patients and deliver countless light pulses every day. Even when wearing goggles, unshielded parts of their skin (such as exposed areas of the face, chest, hands, and forearms) are still exposed to IPL, which may lead to long-term cumulative side effects. These potential side effects include the “photoaging”, “inflammation”, “skin cancer”, and “thermal aging” summarized by Taiwanese doctors, as well as many other unknown harms.
This reminds us that doctors should have a strong sense of self-protection, and hospitals should attach great importance to the safety and health of IPL doctors.
