IPL

Skin quality

Clearer, more even-looking skin

IPL skin rejuvenation in Hale, Altrincham

Sun spots, patchy redness and little visible veins can make your skin look less even than you'd like. IPL uses pulses of light to help fade sun spots and reduce visible redness, leaving your complexion looking clearer and brighter.

Perhaps you're happy with your skin until you take your makeup off. Or you're using more concealer for colour that skincare hasn't shifted. IPL photofacials and BBL treatments are both used to improve uneven skin tone without injections or the recovery of a resurfacing laser. At SONÜ, the starting point is finding out what's causing the marks you can see.

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Skin assessment and treatment planning with Dr Alex at SONÜ.

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Treatment cost
£150 for the face
Downtime
Usually little time off
Course
Usually a series
Appointment time
Around 30 minutes

What are you noticing?

When your skin looks a bit patchy

It may be a few obvious marks, or simply that your face doesn't look as even as it used to.

Brown marks that have added up

Brown marks across your cheeks seem to have multiplied over the years. They catch your eye even when the rest of your skin feels good.

Redness you keep covering

Little veins around the nose or persistent red areas can show through makeup. You'd like a more even base, with less covering up.

Skincare only gets you so far

Your routine keeps your skin comfortable, but it hasn't done much for the blotchy colour. You're ready to look at a treatment that targets it more directly.

At a glance

IPL without clearing your diary

The plan depends on your skin, the marks being treated and how it responds.

Treatment cost
£150 for the face
Packages are £360 for three treatments or £630 for six.
Downtime
Usually little time off
Temporary redness and darker-looking treated spots can still be noticeable.
Course
Usually a series
Sessions are spaced several weeks apart, with the number tailored to your concerns.
Appointment time
Around 30 minutes
A separate assessment and patch test are arranged beforehand.
Results
Develop over the following weeks
A course can gradually improve overall clarity and evenness.

What could change?

Clearer skin that needs less covering

IPL can help when blotchy colour is the thing you notice most about your skin.

Suitable brown marks can fade, small visible vessels can become less noticeable and the complexion can look more even overall. Some people also notice a subtle improvement in skin texture. The biggest change is often in how clear the skin looks, rather than a dramatic change in lines or facial shape.

✓

✓

Soften the appearance of sun spots and suitable superficial pigmentation.

✓

Reduce the look of small visible blood vessels and appropriate areas of redness.

✓

Create a brighter, more even-looking complexion.

✓

Feel happier with a lighter layer of makeup, or none at all.

Is IPL right for you?

The type of mark matters

Two brown patches can look similar and need quite different treatment. Dr Alex will assess your skin before recommending IPL.

Sun spots and uneven colour
IPL can be a good option for suitable superficial sun-related marks and visible vessels. An assessment helps establish which changes are likely to respond.
Melasma or easily marked skin
Melasma needs particular care because heat and light treatments can make it worse or lead to recurrence. If your skin readily develops dark marks after irritation, that also affects the plan.
Deeper lines, scars or loose skin
If texture, scarring or laxity is your main concern, a different treatment may give you more of the change you're after. Dr Alex can discuss resurfacing or other skin treatments.

Before treatment

A patch test helps guide the plan

A small test area allows the team to check your skin's response before treating more widely. Recent tanning, your natural skin colour, medicines and skin history all affect suitability. The team will explain preparation and when your full treatment can take place.

How it works

Light that targets red and brown colour

IPL stands for intense pulsed light. Unlike a laser, which uses a specific wavelength, IPL delivers a range of filtered light wavelengths. This light is absorbed by targets such as pigment and small blood vessels.

IPL and BBL work by producing controlled heat in targeted pigment and small blood vessels, helping the body clear or reduce their appearance over time. IPL treats suitable colour changes while leaving the skin surface intact; protective eyewear and settings chosen for your skin are part of every session.

Your appointment

From patch test to clearer skin

Tell the team what bothers you most and whether you have a holiday or event coming up, so treatment can be timed sensibly.

Before your course

Assess your skin

Discuss the marks, your skincare, medicines and sun exposure. The team will arrange a patch test and explain what to pause or avoid before treatment.
At your appointment

Prepare the area

Your skin is cleansed and your eyes are protected. The treatment area and settings are checked before the flashes begin.
During the session

Treat the skin

The handpiece delivers pulses across the agreed area. You may feel quick hot flicks against the skin. Tell the team how it feels so they can keep you comfortable.
After treatment

Let your skin settle

Follow the aftercare advice and protect your skin from the sun. Treated brown marks may darken before fading or flaking away; leave them alone and let that happen naturally.

Why Dr Alex

Choosing the treatment that suits your skin

Dr Alex is a medical doctor and founder of SONÜ. His approach starts with what you want to improve, whether that's patchy colour, rough texture or a mixture of both. With IPL, peels and CO2 resurfacing among the clinic's options, he can explain which approach is most relevant to your skin, your goals and the recovery time you can manage.

GMC-registered doctor · 7072776

Full Member of BCAM

International toxin trainer

Aesthetics Awards winner 2021

Safety and aftercare

A little preparation makes a difference

Skin can feel warm and look pink after treatment, with some temporary swelling. Brown spots may become more obvious before they improve.

Possible side effects

Less common risks include burns, blisters, changes in skin colour and scarring. Follow your individual aftercare, use daily sun protection and avoid tanning. Tell the team about light sensitivity, cold sores, prescription medicines and recent skin treatments before your patch test.

When to get urgent help

Contact the clinic promptly for blistering, worsening pain, spreading redness or signs of infection. Eye pain or any change in vision needs urgent medical assessment. If the clinic is closed and you're concerned, contact NHS 111.

When treatment needs to wait

A recent tan, sunburn, active infection or inflamed skin may mean postponing treatment. Some medicines and medical conditions also affect suitability. New, changing, bleeding or unusual skin marks need assessment by your GP or a dermatologist before any cosmetic treatment; SONÜ doesn't provide a mole or skin-lesion diagnosis service.

Skin assessment, a patch test and appropriate eye protection are essential parts of the plan.

Treatment costs

IPL skin rejuvenation prices

IPL treatment for the face costs £150 per session. A package of three treatments costs £360, and a package of six costs £630.

Face
£150per session
Three facial sessions
£360per package
Six facial sessions
£630per package
The recommended course and any consultation or patch-test charges are confirmed before booking. Other areas and combinations are quoted separately.
A consultation with Dr Alex costs £75. If you choose to have treatment within 3 months of your consultation, you can put this fee towards it, including at a later appointment. It cannot be used towards skincare products. If you decide not to have treatment, the fee covers your consultation.
Book a consultation
Your recommended course and any assessment or patch-test charges will be confirmed before booking. Other areas and combination treatments are quoted separately.

Your questions

Before your first IPL treatment

The practical details, including those darker spots that can appear before your skin looks clearer.

Is IPL the same as BBL (BroadBand Light)?
BBL stands for BroadBand Light and is Sciton's branded form of IPL. Both use pulses of light to target concerns such as sun spots, redness and uneven skin tone. If those are the changes you'd like to make, Dr Alex can assess your skin and explain what IPL could achieve.
Does IPL hurt?
The flashes can feel like quick, hot flicks or a brief elastic-band snap. Sensitivity varies by area and settings. Let the team know if you're uncomfortable; they can pause and assess how your skin is responding.
Why can brown spots look darker afterwards?
Targeted pigment can darken before it lifts away or fades, so a mark may temporarily look more obvious. Don't scrub or pick it. The team will explain the changes expected for your treatment and when to get in touch if the skin isn't settling as advised.
How many IPL sessions will I need?
A series is commonly recommended, with appointments several weeks apart. Some marks respond sooner than others. The three- and six-session packages offer different course lengths. Your skin assessment and response guide which is most useful for you.
Can IPL help with rosacea redness?
It can help reduce persistent redness and visible vessels in suitable skin. Rosacea can also need skincare, trigger management or prescribed treatment, particularly for spots or irritation. IPL doesn't cure rosacea, so the plan should address the parts that bother you.
Can darker skin have IPL, and what if I have a tan?
Suitability needs individual assessment because light can also be absorbed by pigment in the surrounding skin. That can increase the risk of burns or unwanted colour changes. A tan can change an otherwise suitable plan, so tell the team about recent sun exposure or fake tan before booking.
Will IPL remove wrinkles or acne scars?
Those aren't its main strengths. IPL is usually chosen for uneven colour and can offer a subtler improvement in texture. If lines, pores or acne scars are the main concern, Dr Alex can talk you through treatments such as CO2 resurfacing.
Can I wear makeup and go back to work?
Most people can return to everyday activities, although redness or darkened spots may be visible. The team will advise when makeup is appropriate for your skin after treatment. Keep the routine gentle and avoid applying products to irritated or broken skin.
How long do IPL results last?
Improvement can last beyond the course, especially with good sun protection, but new pigmentation and vessels can develop over time. Maintenance is based on what returns and what you want to improve, rather than a fixed schedule everyone must follow.
Can IPL be combined with a peel?
Yes, when the combination is appropriate for your skin. SONÜ's Glass Skin treatment pairs IPL with a gentle chemical peel to work on tone and the feel of the skin's surface together. Dr Alex can explain whether the combination adds something useful for you.

Related treatments

Looking at tone, texture or both?

Explore Glass Skin for the peel and IPL combination, or CO2 resurfacing if texture, lines or scars are your priority. More focused IPL options address individual concerns such as pigmentation and visible vessels.

Glass Skin treatment in Hale, Altrincham

A gentle peel and IPL combination for smoother-feeling, brighter, more even-looking skin.

Your next step

Let's look at the marks you'd like to change

Book a skin assessment at SONÜ in Hale, Altrincham. Dr Alex will explain whether IPL is right for your skin and help you plan treatment around your diary.

Book a consultation Contact the clinic
SONÜ Medical Aesthetics

34 Hale Road, Hale, Altrincham, WA14 2EX

Doctor-led treatment in a relaxed, private clinic

Close to Hale station and easy to reach from Altrincham, Manchester and Cheshire