Laser and IPL treatments are a genuine investment — in time, in cost, and in trust in your dermatology team. That investment is only ever as good as the care that surrounds it. At ADC, every laser patient across our Dublin, Limerick and London clinics starts with a proper dermatology consultation and patch test, and every treatment plan is followed by specific aftercare designed to protect and extend the results. Here's what that actually looks like, device by device.

Matching the Device to the Problem

We use a range of devices across our clinics, and each one is chosen for a specific job. IPL — including our Laser Limelight — is an excellent workhorse for overall skin rejuvenation across the face, neck, hands and décolletage. Lasers, by contrast, tend to be far more targeted to a specific concern.

For rosacea, we often recommend a course of Laser Limelight or IPL. This helps with generalised redness, but it also coagulates the Demodex mite, which occurs far more frequently in rosacea patients. Reducing the mite population can genuinely contribute to long-term remission of the rosacea itself, not just a cosmetic improvement in colour.

When Redness Isn't Rosacea

We also see many younger patients with visibly red faces but no sensitivity, who are often told — incorrectly — that they have rosacea. Without sensitivity, that diagnosis simply doesn't hold up. These patients are more likely to have facial keratosis pilaris, and they also benefit from IPL, which reduces redness. There's a useful crossover here with hair removal too: clearing hair from the blocked follicle can improve the condition over the long term, since the trapped hair is part of what's driving the follicular inflammation.

Where hair itself is the primary concern, we may recommend a dedicated hair removal laser, particularly where the hair is darker and clearly visible on dermoscopy.

Vascular Lasers for Visible Thread Veins

Larger, visible thread veins need a dedicated vascular laser rather than IPL. Across our clinics we have the pulsed dye laser, the N-Lite, the V-Beam Perfecta, and the Cutera Nd:YAG — so whatever form the redness or vessels take, we have a device suited to treating it.

Aftercare for Tattoo Removal

For tattoo removal using our Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers, the treated area should be physically covered at all times during healing, or protected with REFORM SPF 50+ sunscreen. This is a very high level of sun protection and it is genuinely necessary — the treated skin is particularly vulnerable to pigment changes if exposed to UV during the healing process.

Aftercare for CO2 Laser Resurfacing

With CO2 laser, very high sun protection is required throughout healing. Once the skin has fully re-epithelialised, the anti-ageing routine can resume — and maintaining it properly is what allows the results of the treatment to last over the long term.

The specific skincare routine that follows CO2 laser depends on what the treatment was for. For severe acne scarring, we recommend an anti-acne skincare routine alongside eight weeks of oral antibiotics, since CO2 laser itself can trigger acne flares during healing. For severe photoageing, we recommend a strict anti-ageing skincare routine once the patient has recovered, typically after 7 to 10 days. Where pigmentation is the primary concern, we build a bespoke skincare routine depending on the underlying cause.

Why Daily Skincare Matters So Much for Rosacea

We know that UV radiation and pollution trigger the inflammatory cascade in rosacea, and once that cascade starts, it can be difficult to bring back under control. This is why we always recommend a consistent daily routine, not just around a laser treatment but as an ongoing habit:

• Morning: gentle hydrating cleanser, vitamin C serum, intensive moisturiser, then REFORM SPF 50+ sunscreen

• Evening: a barrier-restoring step — either vitamin B5 gel or REFORM's phytobotanical gel — followed by intensive moisturiser

The phytobotanical gel is particularly well suited to rosacea and reactive skin — green is, in effect, the natural antidote to red, and the formulation is calming and soothing on inflamed skin. The intensive moisturiser contains hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, which hydrates the skin while helping to calm inflammation. Getting this daily regimen right isn't a nice-to-have alongside laser treatment for rosacea — it's part of what makes the treatment durable.

Skincare Comes Before and After, Not Instead Of

Every patient having laser treatment at ADC will already have had a dermatology skin consultation and a patch test, and specific aftercare advice will have been given at that appointment. Some patients choose to start their skincare routine first and book in for laser treatment afterwards, but this isn't strictly necessary — the two can begin together, guided by what your dermatologist recommends for your particular skin and concern.

Not Sure Which Treatment You Need? Start with a Virtual Consultation

If you're not sure what type of laser, IPL, or other treatment would actually address your specific concern, a virtual consultation is often a very good first step — particularly if you're travelling from a distance to see us. Skincare advice can be given at the same appointment, so you leave with a clear plan rather than just a diagnosis.

We have a wide range of lasers and devices across our clinics, but the advice you receive is built around what your skin actually needs, not around what happens to be available in a particular clinic. Even where the specific device best suited to your concern isn't one we have on site, our specialists can still give confident, informed advice on a broad range of treatments — including realistic downtime, likely cost, expected results, and how much discomfort to expect — so you can make the right decision for you, wherever you ultimately have it done.

A Word on Tanned Skin

We can't safely treat patients who present with a tan, whether natural or applied. This is always discussed during the initial dermatology consultation, so there are no surprises on the day of treatment — timing your laser course around sun exposure and self-tanning is part of the plan from the outset.

Book a Consultation

Whatever the concern — redness, thread veins, pigmentation, scarring, unwanted hair, or a tattoo you'd like removed — our dermatology specialists across Dublin, Limerick, or London can match the right device to your skin, and make sure your pre- and post-care protects the results for the long term.