Why I Don't Use IPL or BBL for Pigmentation (And What I Use Instead)
If you've ever Googled laser treatments for sun spots or pigmentation and come away more scared than informed, I don't blame you. There's a history of pigment-targeting devices going wrong on deeper and more richly pigmented skin, and a lot of that history involves one specific technology: IPL, or intense pulsed light. You may also know it by its most famous brand name, BBL.
I don't use IPL or BBL at Bare. I use the ClarityII, a true laser platform, and the difference isn't just marketing. It's the reason I can treat pigmentation on a much wider range of skin tones with real confidence, including on my Hispanic and Asian clients, even the ones whose skin reads lighter on a visual scale but still needs the same careful approach.
IPL vs. an Actual Laser
IPL is broadband light. It's not a single, focused wavelength, it's a spray of many wavelengths at once, which makes it harder to control exactly how much energy your skin's melanin ends up absorbing. That's part of why IPL has limits on which skin tones it can treat safely.
The ClarityII works differently. It's a true dual-wavelength laser, combining a 755nm Alexandrite wavelength with a 1064nm Nd:YAG wavelength. Because a laser fires a single, precise wavelength, it can be calibrated in a way broadband light simply can't.
Wait, Isn't BBL Different From IPL?
This is one of the most common questions I get, and I can understand why it is confusing. BBL is marketed as its own thing, but it's not really. BBL stands for BroadBand Light, and it's Sciton's branded version of intense pulsed light. It's a well-engineered device with filters that narrow the range of light it emits, but at its core it's still broadband light, not a laser. The name actually tells you that.
I want to be fair here, because BBL isn't a bad device. On fair skin, it has some genuinely impressive research behind it. A 2013 Stanford study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology found that repeated BBL treatments shifted the gene expression of older skin toward a more youthful pattern. Those are some impressive results and I respect it.
The catch is who that research applies to. BBL, like IPL in general, works best on lighter skin types, roughly Fitzpatrick I through III. Once you have more melanin in the epidermis, or a tan, or an undertone that's more reactive than your surface tone suggests, the same broadband energy that clears a sun spot can also be absorbed by the skin around it. That's where burns, blotchiness, and new pigmentation come from.
Here in the Valley, a lot of us fall right into that gray zone, between year-round sun exposure and a client base with a beautiful range of backgrounds. So rather than offering a device that works great for some of my clients and is a gamble for others, I chose a platform I can calibrate for nearly everyone who walks through my door.
Why the 1064nm Wavelength Is the Safety Route Here
The 1064nm Nd:YAG wavelength penetrates more deeply into the skin and largely bypasses the melanin sitting in your epidermis, the outer layer where excess pigment concentrates. That's important since the core risk with any pigment-targeting device is too much energy getting absorbed by surface melanin, which is what triggers burns or new discoloration. A longer wavelength that reaches past that layer significantly lowers that risk, which is exactly why it can be calibrated for deeper and more richly pigmented skin in a way shorter-wavelength or broadband devices like IPL and BBL can't.
This isn't just my opinion. A widely cited 2013 review in the British Journal of Dermatology, focused specifically on treating Fitzpatrick skin types V and VI, recommends longer-wavelength devices like 1064nm Nd:YAG lasers precisely because they carry a lower risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation than shorter-wavelength or broadband options. Laser safety expert Dr. Eliot Battle has made the same point publicly for years: the idea that lasers are inherently unsafe for skin of color is outdated. The 1064nm wavelength is considered one of the safest options available, provided it's used by a trained provider with appropriately conservative settings.
It’s important to note that the device is only half the equation. Tone on paper doesn't tell the whole story, undertone and melanin activity are what actually determine how your skin responds to light-based treatment, which is why I adjust settings to your skin specifically rather than running everyone through the same protocol. I may ask a lot of questions, but it’s for your own safety.
BBL vs. the ClarityII at a Glance
Type of light: BBL is filtered broadband light. The ClarityII is a true laser with two precise wavelengths (755nm and 1064nm).
Skin types: BBL is best suited to lighter skin, roughly Fitzpatrick I to III. The ClarityII's 1064nm wavelength can be calibrated for a much wider range, including deeper skin tones.
Tanned skin: Both require you to avoid recent sun, but broadband light is far less forgiving of a tan.
Best for: BBL shines on fair, sun-damaged skin. The ClarityII handles sun spots, age spots, and revitalization across the range of skin tones I actually see in Scottsdale.
What the ClarityII Actually Treats
At Bare, I use the ClarityII for benign pigmented concerns like sun spots and age spots, along with general skin revitalization. It's the reason I reach for the Clarity, and its sister device the Ultra, instead of IPL or BBL for pigmentation work of any kind.
What Your Laser Facial at Bare Actually Includes
This isn't a quick zap and out the door. A full laser facial at Bare includes:
A double cleanse to fully prep the skin.
Dermaplane, to buff away dead skin and peach fuzz so the laser can work on a clean surface.
The laser treatment itself.
A calming mask.
LED therapy to bring down any inflammation.
A finish of tranexamic acid and vitamin C serum, moisturizer, and SPF.
You leave with more protection on your skin than you walked in with, which matters just as much as the treatment itself.
How Many Sessions Does Pigmentation Actually Take to Fade?
Sun spots and age spots didn't show up overnight, and they don't leave that way either. Most clients need a series, typically three to six sessions spaced several weeks apart, depending on how much sun damage has accumulated and how your individual skin responds. You'll usually see the treated spots darken slightly before they flake off and fade, which is a normal part of the process, not a setback.
After the initial series, most people maintain results with a session or two a year, especially if they're consistent with SPF, which is genuinely the difference between pigmentation that stays gone and pigmentation that creeps back.
Common Questions I Get Before a First Laser Facial
I've done BBL before and liked it. Can I switch? Absolutely. If BBL worked well for you, that's great, and it tells me your skin responds well to light-based treatment. Bring your history to your consult, including how many sessions you had and how your skin reacted, and I'll build your ClarityII settings from there.
Will this work on melasma? Melasma is a different, hormonally-driven kind of pigmentation, and heat-based devices (BBL and IPL included) can actually make it worse if they're not approached carefully. If melasma is what you're dealing with, tell me before we book anything so we can talk through the right approach for that specifically, rather than assuming every dark spot responds the same way. But ultimately, the answer is yes, with the right approach.
Do I need to avoid the sun beforehand? Yes. Recent tanning or sun exposure changes how any laser interacts with your skin, so I'll always ask, and I may ask you to wait if you've had significant recent sun exposure.
Will it work on my skin tone? This is the exact question this post is meant to answer: the 1064nm wavelength was specifically chosen because it performs well across a wide range of skin tones when the settings are calibrated correctly. Bring your specific skin and history to a consult and we'll talk through it directly rather than guessing from a general chart.
How long is downtime? Most clients have some redness for the rest of the day, and any treated spots will look slightly darker for several days before flaking off. It's rarely disruptive enough to plan your week around.
If You Want to Go Down the Research Rabbit Hole
I'd rather you verify this than just trust me, so here's where it comes from:
Cynosure / Lutronic, the ClarityII's manufacturer, on the dual-wavelength design: cynosure.com/product/clarity-ii
Alexis AF. "Lasers and light-based therapies in ethnic skin: treatment options and recommendations for Fitzpatrick skin types V and VI." British Journal of Dermatology. 2013;169(Suppl 3):91-97. Read it here
Chang ALS, Bitter PH Jr, Qu K, et al. "Rejuvenation of gene expression pattern of aged human skin by broadband light treatment: a pilot study." Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2013;133(2):394-402. (The Stanford BBL study)
Dermatology Times, featuring Dr. Eliot Battle on debunking the "lasers aren't safe for skin of color" myth: dermatologytimes.com
If pigmentation has been bothering you but a bad laser story (yours or someone else's) has kept you on the sidelines, that's completely reasonable. We can talk about it. Come ask me about your specific skin before you rule anything out. I'd rather walk you through it than have you skip a treatment that's actually one of the safest options I have.
Ready to talk pigmentation? Book a consult at Bare and let's look at your skin specifically, not just a general skin-tone chart.