My experience with Medical IPL at Institut Doctora Natalia Ribé: how it works and what results to expect

Last Wednesday, January 14th, I went back to Institut Doctora Natalia Ribé, my trusted aesthetic medicine clinic, to undergo a medical IPL treatment for pigmentation and redness, with Dr. Lidia Lazareva, with the aim of improving the overall quality of my skin. Over the past year, with perimenopause and hormonal changes, I had noticed my skin looked duller. Also with redness, visible capillaries and some pigmentation. And with a fairly constant feeling of dehydration.

There were moments when my skin looked better —especially after having Profhilo (bioremodelling), which worked very well for me— but even so, I felt I still needed to work on other aspects. In particular, uneven tone and redness, which had become more noticeable with hormonal changes.

What the doctor saw in my skin

After assessing my skin, Dr. Lidia explained that what I needed most at this moment was deep hydration and to focus on two very specific issues: superficial capillaries and sun pigmentation. In my case, those small vessels react strongly to cold, heat or stress. That is why diffuse redness appears, which is often difficult to correct with skincare alone.

Over time, pigmentation had also become more visible and my skin looked duller, with less natural glow. All of this meant that my tone did not look even, even though the texture of my skin was well cared for.

How IPL works on the skin

But that’s not all. The heat generated by the light also stimulates cellular renewal, helps to refine the appearance of pores and encourages the natural production of collagen, so the skin gradually looks smoother, more even and more luminous. When pigmentation and redness are reduced, the complexion becomes more uniform and the face regains that rested, healthy-skin look that we all appreciate so much.

She also shared something that felt especially relevant to what many of us are experiencing: IPL is one of the most recommended treatments for women in perimenopause or menopause, because at this stage it is very common to develop capillary fragility, redness, pigmentation and a general loss of radiance.

Why it is a good treatment during perimenopause

In these cases, IPL helps treat the visible signs of hormonal changes, but ideally —and this is key— the skin should be approached from several angles at once. That’s why many protocols combine IPL with skin boosters, vitamin revitalisation treatments or other injectables, to improve skin quality from within, achieve deeper hydration and enhance overall results.

All of this in-clinic work is also always supported by nutricosmetics and targeted home-care products, because in the end, skin is cared for as a whole, not only on treatment days.

Results: what you can really expect

When it comes to results, something I found important to understand —and I think this is key if you are considering this treatment— is that IPL does not offer a single, permanent result, but rather progressive and cumulative improvement. This means that results build over time and, with an annual maintenance session, they can be kept quite stable.

The number of sessions is always prescribed individually, depending on each person’s skin needs. In some cases, several sessions are recommended close together, while in others —like mine, at least for now— one session may be enough until the following yearly review. In general, many people start noticing brighter and more even skin from the first session, and see more stable improvements as the protocol is repeated year after year.

Maintenance and long-term care

After that, many people choose to do maintenance sessions once a year, especially if there is a tendency to develop pigmentation or redness, or simply as part of a deeper skin-care routine.

In my case, what I appreciated most about the whole approach is that it is not about “erasing” the skin or changing features, but about helping it function better and look more balanced. For me, that is what makes the difference between a well-indicated treatment and one that only looks for a quick result.

At this stage of my life, what I value most is feeling that my skin is cared for, that it responds better, feels calmer and gradually regains the glow that, with hormonal changes and a busy lifestyle, can fade without us even realising it.

Many of us are at a moment in life when the approach to skin care changes. It is no longer just about covering or correcting, but about supporting the body’s natural processes with respectful, personalised and medically sound treatments. And on that path, medical IPL, when properly indicated and as part of a complete protocol, can be a great ally.

Clinic photography: Patricia Bonet. Treatment photography: Gorka González.

Institut Dra. Natalia Ribé
Passeig de Gràcia, 60, 3-A, Barcelona — Tel. +34 93 272 42 28