I’ve always thought of my skin as the keeper of secrets. Sun-soaked summers, late-night indulgences, hormonal chapters, and a little stress - okay, sometimes a lot - they all eventually write themselves across your face, no matter how diligently you cleanse and exfoliate. As someone who wears SPF 50 religiously, I still found myself standing in front of the mirror lately, wondering when these dark spots and uneven patches showed up.

Cue the Lumecca IPL photo facial—a treatment I kept hearing about in glowing before-and-after reels online. Rumor has it that IPL is partly responsible for Lindsay Lohan’s recent glow-up as well. As I do with all my medical aesthetic needs, I visited the experts at Grace Aesthetics in Cool Springs for my IPL treatment.

 

IPL stands for “intense pulsed light,” and while it might sound like something from a sci-fi movie, it’s really just a smart way to say: they’re using light to undo some of the damage time (and the Tennessee sun) has done. Grace Aesthetics uses Lumecca because it’s one of the most powerful IPL treatments on the market. It’s designed to target pigmentation, sun spots, redness, broken capillaries, and even that subtle dullness that creeps in during midlife. At first, I thought it might be overkill—I don’t have “major” skin issues, just a few annoyances I wish would vanish. But that’s exactly the sweet spot for IPL: it’s not about looking different, it’s about looking refreshed.

 

As usual, I was a little nervous walking into the treatment room because I’m a wimp about pain. I’d also seen a video on YouTube of a woman with a red, swollen face who said IPL hurt pretty bad. But my provider, Lauren Moore, RN, explained everything clearly–including that I should feel no pain during the treatment. My nerves calmed, I slipped on protective goggles and took a deep breath.

 

The IPL device delivers short bursts of intense light to your skin—to my relief it wasn’t painful at all, and we didn’t even use numbing cream. The best way I can describe it is like a quick snap, followed by a flash of heat. No big deal. The treatment took about twenty minutes, and while I wouldn’t call it “relaxing,” it wasn’t uncomfortable either. We also treated my chest, which Lauren told me would help thicken the dermis and improve skin quality there as well (something I appreciate as a lifelong side-sleeper). 

 

Afterward, my skin felt warm—like a light sunburn—but there was no real downtime. I went about my day with just some tinted SPF. Over the next several days, my brown spots darkened slightly (which is normal) before flaking off, revealing brighter skin underneath.

 

If you’re in your 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond and are starting to notice sun damage or uneven skin tone, IPL could be a game changer. It’s especially helpful for people with fair to medium skin tones (though some providers can treat deeper skin tones with caution and customization). As Lauren put it, “It’s like applying an Instagram filter to your entire face.”

 

I think the best part of Lumecca is that it’s subtle yet effective. No one will ask, “What did you have done?” They’ll just wonder if you’ve been sleeping better, drinking more water, or maybe are in love. And isn’t that kind of the goal? According to Lauren, having three to four IPL treatments per year “stops the aging process.” Now, that’s something to get excited about!

 

As with all of my medical aesthetic treatments, choosing to get IPL wasn’t about chasing perfection. It was about looking in the mirror and seeing me—just a little brighter, and more like how I feel on the inside. And that kind of confidence boost is worth every flash.