Aftercare

Skincare after Lumecca IPL or laser

Reviewed by Dr Shahe Boghossian, GMC 5204600, last reviewed 12 Jun 2026

Lumecca IPL and laser treatments work by delivering concentrated light energy into the skin to target pigmentation and vascular concerns. The treated skin is temporarily more reactive and more prone to marking in the sun.

Pigmented lesions commonly darken in the days immediately after, before clearing. This is expected, not a complication. The job of your at-home routine is to support recovery and protect the result, not to accelerate it. This guidance is reviewed by Dr Shahe Boghossian, Medical Consultant at The London Road Clinic, a Glo Skin Beauty stockist in Newark, Nottinghamshire.

Recommended for recovery

The recovery window

What to support, what to pause, and for how long.

Days 1–3

Support with

A gentle, non-foaming cleanser and a simple soothing moisturiser. Nothing fragrant, nothing active. Keep it short.

Glo: Hydrate + Restore · Calm + Soothe

Pause

All actives: retinol, vitamin C, AHAs, BHAs. Makeup for the first 24 hours. Saunas, steam, sunbeds and any source of significant heat.

Days 4–7

Support with

Continue gentle cleansing and hydration. Reintroduce a broad-spectrum SPF from day 4, worn every morning and reapplied through the day if going outside.

Glo: Protect + Prevent

Pause

Retinol and acids for at least another week. Avoid exercise that generates significant heat. No direct sun exposure, even briefly.

Week 2+

Support with

Once redness has fully settled, reintroduce antioxidants and a gentle brightening routine to maintain the evenness the treatment reveals.

Glo: Brighten + Glow · Firm + Repair

Pause

If any area still feels tender or reactive, give it more time. Don't rush back to your full active routine.

Avoid this mistake

After Lumecca IPL, pigmented spots often darken before they clear. This is how the treatment works: the melanin absorbs the light energy, darkens and sheds as the skin renews. The mistake is picking or rubbing those darkened spots to speed things up. Almost every case of prolonged pigmentation after IPL traces back to interference, not the treatment itself. Leave them alone and they clear. Pick at them and they don't.

What this routine can and can't do

A good at-home routine after IPL or laser does two things: it supports the barrier while it recovers, and it prevents new pigmentation forming during the window when the skin is most vulnerable to UV. What it can't do is influence the chromophore response, the mechanism by which IPL clears pigmentation or redness. If you're not seeing the result you expected after the recommended course, that's a conversation for a clinician, not an invitation to buy more products.

Lumecca IPL at The London Road Clinic is a clinical treatment carried out by trained practitioners. This page covers what to use at home to protect and extend the result, not a guide to anything attempted without clinical assessment.

Treatments at the clinic

What to reach for

Glo Skin Beauty categories that suit recovering skin after a light-based treatment. Browse the range, not a single product.

Hydrate + Restore

Gentle barrier hydration for the first few days while the skin is reactive.

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Calm + Soothe

Fragrance-free, soothing formulas for the immediate recovery window.

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Protect + Prevent

Daily broad-spectrum SPF, the most important step after any light-based treatment.

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Brighten + Glow

Once recovered, to help maintain the evenness IPL reveals.

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Frequently asked

Why do the pigment spots darken after IPL?

Darkening is a sign the treatment has worked. The IPL energy is absorbed by melanin in the pigmented spots, which causes them to oxidise, darken and rise to the surface. Over the following one to two weeks they shed as the skin renews. Do not pick or rub them. They clear faster when left alone than when interfered with.

How long does the sun sensitivity last after Lumecca IPL?

The heightened sun sensitivity from IPL typically lasts around two weeks, though new skin is always more vulnerable than usual. Daily broad-spectrum SPF should remain part of the morning routine as an ongoing step. After IPL, reapplying through the day matters more than it normally does, especially in summer.

When can I exercise after IPL?

Gentle walking is usually fine within 24 hours, once the initial redness and heat have settled. Avoid anything that generates significant heat or sweat, including saunas, steam rooms and hot yoga, for the first 48 hours. Heat on compromised skin prolongs redness and can disrupt the shedding process.

Can I wear makeup after IPL?

Usually after the first 24 hours, provided the skin isn't broken or weeping, a light mineral makeup is fine. Avoid heavy, long-wear formulas while the skin is still reactive, and remove gently with a non-abrasive cleanser. Heavy application over shedding pigment spots can delay the clearing process.

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