Q: After the completion of a series of acne treatments, how long should the patient expect to remain clear?
A: Clinical studies have shown that patients remain acne-free for at least 3-6 months post treatment. However, in a few individual cases, acne might return after several months due to the continuous surge in hormonal levels, since IPL targets P.acnes and not hormonal changes.
Q: Is it possible to continue treating acne with medications while undergoing IPL treatment?
A: Medications that do not cause an increase skin photosensitivity may be used during IPL treatment.
Q: What about Accutane?
A: Accutane increases photosensitivity and may not be taken while undergoing IPL treatments. You need to be off Accutane for at least 6 months before any treatment can be carried out.
Q: What if the patient experiences significant improvement before the 8th treatment session?
A: It is vitally important to fully comply with the recommended treatment course. Therefore, even if acne should disappear completely, do not discontinue treatment before completing 8 full treatment sessions.
Q: Is it possible to treat patients who suffer from herpes around the lips?
A: Patients with a history of herpes may be treated with IPL after completing a course of Zovirax, and only with physician consent.
