IPL Photofacial in NYC on the Lumenis Stellar M22

Four light and laser tools on one platform, matched to each spot, vessel or patch of texture.

Medically reviewed by Doris Day, MD, FAAD · Last reviewed October 11, 2026

Most people want three things at once: fewer brown spots, less redness and smoother skin, and that's a completely fair thing to want. The Stellar M22 can help with each of them. I'm Dr. Doris Day, a board-certified dermatologist with an office at 10 East 70th Street, in the heart of the Upper East Side. I teach residents as a Clinical Professor in NYU Grossman School of Medicine's dermatology department. It has tools for all three on one platform.

• Board-certified in dermatology since 1998
• Clinical Professor, NYU Grossman School of Medicine dermatology
• IPL, ResurFX and two Nd:YAG lasers on one platform

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Sun spots and broken vessels can pull attention away from the things I'd rather people noticed, like your bone structure or the warmth of your coloring. My aim is to clear that noise so your skin looks even, rested and like yours, and to keep it that way with a plan you can live with.

At a glance

• Tools: IPL, ResurFX 1565 nm, Multi-Spot Nd:YAG and Q-switched Nd:YAG
• IPL: Sun spots and redness. Each pulse typically feels like a light snap
• ResurFX: Texture and fine lines. Numbing cream when helpful
• Nd:YAG modules: Leg veins, and pigment or dark tattoos, each on its own timeline
• Downtime: Typically pinkness the same day. Brown spots darken, then flake or fade within the first week
• IPL with ResurFX: About a day and a half of social downtime in the study on this page
• Days to plan in New York: IPL fits a short stay. With ResurFX, plan a day or two of quiet time

One platform, four tools

The Stellar M22 from Lumenis holds four separate technologies:

• IPL (intense pulsed light), which Lumenis calls Expert Pulsed Light. A broad band of light, shaped by interchangeable filters, for brown spots and redness. Lumenis lists 9 filters and a gliding mode that fires up to 4 pulses a second across larger areas such as the chest.
• Multi-Spot Nd:YAG, 1064 nm. A laser that reaches deeper vessels, such as small leg veins.
• Q-switched Nd:YAG, 1064 nm. A very short, high-power pulse aimed at pigment.
• ResurFX, 1565 nm. A non-ablative fractional laser for texture, with its own page: ResurFX in NYC.

Because they share one console, I can move from light to laser in a single visit when that makes sense for you. That can mean fewer trips and a simpler plan for you.

The physics behind choosing a tool

Put simply, each target in your skin soaks up certain colors of light. Pigment in a sun spot and hemoglobin in a small vessel take in light differently from the skin around them. With the right wavelength and pulse length, light can warm the target while leaving its surroundings largely undisturbed. This principle, selective photothermolysis, was described in 1983 and still guides how lasers and IPL are set.

• IPL filters cut off shorter wavelengths so the light suits your concern and your skin tone. In an early study, 49 people had four or more full-face sessions 3 weeks apart, and more than 90% showed improvement in pigment, redness and texture.
• The 1064 nm Nd:YAG travels deeper, which is why it suits leg veins. In one study, 64% of patients had 75% or more clearing of leg veins.
• Q-switched pulses last nanoseconds, short enough to shatter pigment particles. An early controlled study found black ink responded better than other colors.
• IPL plus ResurFX on the same day was studied in 30 people with skin types II to IV over 3 sessions. Social downtime averaged about a day and a half.

Results, and what patients say

Patients rate our practice 4.7 on Google from 140 reviews (as of October 2026).

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Choosing among four tools

Four technologies only help you if someone knows when to reach for each one. A flat brown spot may call for IPL, a stubborn darker spot for the Q-switched laser, and a leg vein for the Nd:YAG. I pick the filter, the energy, the pulse and the order of treatment. I've been in practice since 1998, and I've used lasers since those first years. That experience is what I bring to your skin.

Home care that supports light and laser

For a little while after light treatments, your skin is more sensitive. What you do at home affects how evenly it heals, and I'll show you each step. My approach is to protect the skin before treatment, keep it calm while darkened spots lift, and then use a routine that helps hold the clearer tone. My aim is an easier recovery and a more even result. This is my clinical approach rather than a studied result.

• Before. No tanning or self-tanner.
• While spots darken and flake. Let them shed on their own. No scrubbing or picking.
• After ResurFX. Follow the aftercare on my ResurFX page.
• Between sessions. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen and a routine aimed at pigment, designed for you.

Who the Stellar M22 suits

It's a good match if you have sun damage, freckling, rosacea-type redness or broken vessels, or if you'd like one plan for color and texture together. I can also use it for hair reduction and dark tattoos.

Your skin tone shapes every setting I choose. With IPL, deeper skin tones carry a higher risk of burns and pigment changes, so I choose filters and energy with care, and sometimes a different tool is the safer choice. The same-day IPL and ResurFX study enrolled skin types II to IV only.

You may need to wait if you have a tan, a current cold sore, an infection, or a skin condition flaring in the area. Tell me about pregnancy, any medicines that make you sensitive to light, and a history of keloids.

What happens at your visit

• First, I examine the spots, vessels or texture you'd like to change, and decide which of the four tools to use.
• Protection. You'll wear eye shields, since light and lasers can harm the eyes.
• IPL. A cool gel goes on, and the light guide rests on your skin. Each pulse feels like a quick snap, and you'll know before each new area starts.
• Laser modules. The Nd:YAG and ResurFX handpieces feel different, and we can talk about numbing cream when it's helpful.
• After. We go over sun protection and skin care for the days ahead, so you leave knowing exactly what to do.

Downtime and results

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Leg veins and tattoos follow their own timelines, and we'll map those out at your consultation.

Pairing the Stellar M22 with other care

For deeper lines or scarring, UltraClear and UltraPulse CO2 go further than ResurFX. Persistent redness may call for Vbeam. When the concern is firmness, Sofwave and Ultherapy lift from below the surface. Neuromodulators soften movement lines, and Radiesse can restore support. A gentle routine at home keeps the gains. Compare all my devices side by side.

Your Stellar M22 questions

How do I compare IPL providers on the Upper East Side?

Ask who examines you and sets the filter, whether the device is right for your concern, how skin tone changes the plan, and whether you can see photos shared with consent.

What's the difference between IPL and a laser?

A laser uses one wavelength. IPL uses a broad band of light, trimmed by filters, so one handpiece can address both pigment and redness.

Is IPL the same as BBL?

Both are intense pulsed light. BBL is Sciton's version, which I use on the Sciton mJOULE. The Stellar's IPL is Lumenis's version, with its own filters.

How is ResurFX related to the Stellar M22?

ResurFX is one of the platform's four modules. Its page covers texture and recovery: ResurFX.

Can IPL help rosacea?

Yes. IPL calms rosacea redness and broken vessels beautifully. Rosacea also needs a daily skin care plan, since light treats the redness and not the cause.

Can I have IPL with darker skin?

Often, yes, with careful filter and energy choices. In some deeper skin tones, a laser is the safer route, and I'll tell you honestly which fits you.

Does IPL help melasma?

It can, but heat can also stir melasma up. Melasma calls for gentle settings and a home routine alongside any light, as explained on my melasma page.

How many IPL sessions are typical?

Studies of full-face IPL used four or more sessions about 3 weeks apart. I'll recommend a count once I've examined you.

Can the Stellar M22 treat leg veins?

Yes. I use the Multi-Spot Nd:YAG for spider veins and small reticular veins of the legs, up to 4 mm.

Can we plan this by video first?

Yes. Photos and a video visit let us talk through goals, and the in-person visit confirms the plan.

Traveling for treatment

If you're traveling in, a virtual consultation lets us decide which tools fit before you fly in. IPL fits well into a short stay, and if we combine it with ResurFX, plan a day or two of quiet time. Leave room in your schedule for sun protection afterward, especially before a beach trip. The Surrey, The Carlyle, The Mark and The Lowell are within about a 10-minute walk.

Let's look at your skin together

Tell me what you love about your skin, and show me the spots you'd like to change. We'll choose the tools together. Call the office at (212) 772-0740 to book your consultation, in person or virtual.

Related treatments: Vbeam · ResurFX · Sciton BBL and MOXI