How the photofacial works
Unlike a laser, which emits a single wavelength, IPL sends a filtered band of light. Filters select which targets absorb it: haemoglobin in dilated vessels, or melanin in superficial pigment. The absorbed energy collapses the vessel or breaks up the pigment cluster, and the body clears the debris over the following days. One pass can therefore treat redness and brown spots at the same time, which no single-wavelength device does as efficiently.
What it improves
Diffuse facial redness and the flushing of early rosacea. Broken capillaries around the nose and cheeks. Superficial sun spots and freckling. General unevenness of tone across face, neck and décolleté — the area that ages fastest in this climate and that most people forget to treat. It does not correct texture or deep lines; those belong to other treatments.
Session and recovery
Twenty to thirty minutes for a full face. The sensation is a bright flash with a quick sting, like a small rubber band; protective eyewear is worn throughout. Skin is pink and warm for a few hours. Pigmented spots darken to a coffee-ground look for three to seven days before flaking away — that darkening is the sign it worked. Make-up is fine the next day. A series of three to five sessions, three to four weeks apart, does what a single session cannot.
Photofacial at Coconut Botox Tulum
IPL is the treatment most affected by recent sun, and in Tulum that is not a footnote. Aurora checks your actual tan line rather than what you report, filters and fluence are chosen for the skin in front of her, and if you arrived three days ago from a week of beach she will schedule you rather than treat you. That caution is what keeps IPL from being the treatment that leaves marks.
- Session20–30 min, full face
- DowntimeHours of pinkness; spots darken 3–7 days
- ResultsProgressive across the series
- Protocol3–5 sessions, 3–4 weeks apart
Safety, side effects and aftercare
What to expect
Warmth and pinkness for a few hours, occasionally light swelling around treated vessels. Brown spots go darker before they clear, usually flaking off within a week. Treated capillaries may look more visible for a day before they fade.
When we don't treat
Not performed on tanned, freshly sun-exposed or sunburnt skin — this is the firmest rule of the treatment. Not during pregnancy, over active infection or cold sores, on skin taking photosensitising medication, or while on isotretinoin. Higher phototypes are assessed individually; IPL is not the right tool for every skin, and Pico often is.
Aftercare
SPF 50 daily and no direct sun for two weeks, before and after each session. Do not scrub or pick the darkened spots while they lift. Cool compresses help the first evening if the skin feels warm.
This page is general information, not a medical assessment. Your suitability is evaluated in person during your complimentary consultation, where we review your history and current medication. Anything requiring medical evaluation is referred to the appropriate healthcare professional.
Investment
PriceFrom $2,500 MXN per session (~$145 USD)
The final figure is set during your consultation, once the areas and quantities you actually need are assessed — the consultation itself is complimentary. Cash (MXN or USD) and card accepted. The USD figure is a reference and moves with the exchange rate.
Frequently asked questions
Is IPL the same as laser?
No. A laser emits one wavelength; IPL emits a filtered band, which lets it treat redness and pigment in the same pass. For a single, stubborn target — deep melasma, for instance — a dedicated laser is usually the better choice.
Can I have it during a beach holiday?
This is the treatment where sun matters most. Recently tanned skin is not treated, and two weeks of sun avoidance are needed on either side of each session. It fits a trip better at the very start or not at all.
Will it cure my rosacea?
It controls it. Rosacea is chronic, so IPL reduces the redness and vascular component substantially, and maintenance sessions keep it there. Anyone promising a cure is overselling.
Why do my spots look worse afterwards?
Because they are meant to. The pigment rises and darkens for three to seven days before it flakes away — that sequence is how you know the session reached its target.