Jul 02, 2026

Can You Really Get IPL in Summer?

Summer is here. Time to ditch the IPL?

Every summer, we get asked the same question at the Institute of Dermatologists: is it actually safe to have IPL during the summer months?

The answer is simple: It is completely safe to have IPL in summer. You just need to protect your skin using the same advice we give for all skin in sunny months. Wear a high factor SPF every day, and protect your face and head with a hat and sunglasses when appropriate.

What IPL is doing under the skin

Intense Pulsed Light uses broad-spectrum light to break down pigment and shrink visible blood vessels. Think sun spots, redness, that patchy, uneven tone that builds up over years of exposure. The light targets what is happening below the surface, which is exactly why the season outside has so little bearing on the treatment itself.

So where does the summer myth come from?

Most of the caution around IPL and sun gets borrowed from laser hair removal, which works very differently. With IPL, the real issue is not the sun overhead, it is whether your skin has a recent tan. Freshly tanned or sun-exposed skin changes how the light is absorbed, and that is what a consultation is for, not the calendar on the wall.

The only real rules

Avoid sun exposure on the treated area in the days before and after your appointment, and wear SPF every single day, treatment or not. Sunbeds are never recommended under any circumstances. Give saunas and steam rooms a miss straight afterwards, and keep the treated area shaded while it heals.

None of this is summer-specific advice, it is just good skin sense, made easier to forget when the days are longer and the SPF habit slips.

Why summer might actually be the better time

Sun damage shows up in summer. Pigmentation, broken capillaries, that dull, uneven finish, it is all more visible when skin is bare and the light is brighter. Treating now, with SPF doing its job alongside it, means walking into autumn with clearer skin instead of carrying the same concerns through to next year.

Waiting until winter: there is no clinical reason to. Done properly, IPL is just as safe in July as it is in January.

Getting ready for an autumn wedding?

This comes up constantly in consultations through the summer. If September is the date, now is the time to start. Results build gradually over a course of sessions, so booking in over the coming weeks leaves enough runway for your skin to settle and glow before the big day.

The earlier you come in for a consultation, the more flexibility you have to plan sessions around your timeline.

Thinking about IPL and PhilArt Eyes this summer?

Every treatment plan starts with an assessment of your skin, so the team can talk you through whether this combination is the right fit, and what timing works for you.

✨ Summer Offer: 10% off IPL + PhilArt Eyes 40mg throughout July and August.

Appointments must be booked in July/ August 2026 and completed within 12 months of booking.