IPL treatment in Rotterdam
IPL is a treatment with intense pulsed light that seeks out pigment and small vessels in the skin, so that spots fade and redness clears. At Diba Clinics in Rotterdam we work with the Nordlys by Candela. A treatment takes 30 minutes and costs € 75 for the nose up to € 250 for the whole face, and you are usually red for a few hours.
- Duration
- 30 minutes
- Rate
- € 75 to € 250
- Recovery time
- A few hours red
- Device
- Nordlys, Candela
What IPL
does to your skin
The light seeks out colour. In a pigment spot that is melanin, in a vessel it is blood, and that is where the energy goes.
IPL sends not a single wavelength into the skin but a band, with a filter that takes out the coarsest part. So that band hits several things at once: surface pigment, visible vessels and skin that is structurally red. On average the light goes less deep than a laser, and that is exactly what surface concerns need.
With pigment the spot takes up the energy, turns grainy and works its way to the surface. In the days that follow the spot first gets darker and then fades. That darkening is part of it and does not mean it is getting worse.
With redness the light aims at the blood in the vessels. That heats up, the vessel closes and is cleared away by your body. With rosacea it is less about a single vessel and more about an area that is structurally red; then the light works across the whole surface.
It is worked out separately per concern: IPL for sun spots, for thread veins and for rosacea. If you would rather start from the concern, look at pigment spots. What part your skin type plays in this is on the Fitzpatrick skin type.
IPL is not a laser
The two are often confused. The difference decides which device you choose for what.
A laser emits one wavelength and is therefore very precise. IPL emits a band, so it hits several targets at once and covers a larger area. For one specific spot a laser is more precise; for sun damage spread across your cheeks IPL is faster and more even.
We work with the Nordlys by Candela. Candela calls its variant Selective Waveband Technology: two filters cut the top and bottom off the spectrum, leaving a narrower band than ordinary IPL, with pulses shorter than a millisecond.
Which band comes out depends on the handpiece the therapist chooses. For pigment that is a different one from vessels, because each band is chosen around what it has to hit.
About the Nordlys
What IPL costs with us
The rate depends on the area and is the same for pigment and redness. The intake arrangement is set out in full.
- Nose€ 75
- Cheeks€ 150
- Cheeks, nose and chin€ 200
- Whole face€ 250
IPL works in a series of three to six treatments, with four weeks in between. With rosacea, maintenance follows, because the redness can come back.
All the clinic's ratesIs this your first visit
Then you book a treatment on advice. We reserve at most two hours for that: the intake, and then at least an hour to treat. If treating is safe at that moment and you want it, we do the first IPL treatment in the same appointment.
What the intake costs
If you are treated in the same appointment, the intake fee is waived and you pay only for the treatment. If the treatment does not go ahead, the intake costs € 50. A separate intake without treatment lasts at most 30 minutes and always costs € 50.
Have you been here before
Then you book the IPL treatment directly in the calendar. Count on 30 minutes. If anything has changed since your last visit in your skin, your medication or your expectation, say so when you arrive.
What helps and what we advise against
IPL works on what sits near the surface and has colour. For melasma, for what sits deep and in summer we choose something else or wait.
This works
- Sun damage and sharply defined pigment spots, across a large area too
- Separate visible vessels, around the nostrils for instance
- An area that is structurally red, as with rosacea
- Little recovery time: usually you are presentable again the same day
We advise against this
- Melasma. That pigment often reacts to heat, and IPL is not the first choice there
- Pigment in the summer months. Between May and August we do not treat pigment
- Curing rosacea. IPL takes the visible redness away, and it can come back
- Every skin type. On darker skin the chance of new pigment spots is higher, and then we choose a different treatment
IPL alongside
the alternatives
For pigment and redness there are several routes. This is what they do, what you notice afterwards and what they cost.
| Treatment | Where it differs | Recovery time | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nordlys IPL for pigmentation | Light on sharply defined spots and sun damage. The spot first gets darker and then fades. | Usually a few hours red. | € 75 |
| Nordlys IPL for redness and vessels | Light on the blood in the vessels. For couperose, separate vessels and rosacea. | A few hours red, and the treated vessels are darker at first before they fade. | € 75 |
| Cosmelan | A six-month programme that slows pigment production, for stubborn pigment that single treatments fail on. | Peeling and redness in the first days, and months of strict sun protection. | € 720 |
| Medical peels | An acid on the top layer. Works on surface discolouration, without heat. | Two to five days dry and flaky, depending on the strength. | € 140 |
| LED therapy | Light that calms the skin, without heat and without recovery time. Often alongside another treatment for redness. | None. | € 30 |
Where to find us
in Rotterdam
On the north side of the city, in a residential area and not on a shopping street. That helps with parking and it is quieter when you have just been treated.
3054 LS Rotterdam
You park in the street. The route from the ring road and by public transport is on the contact page.
Route and contact- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 10:00 to 18:00
- Wednesday
- 10:00 to 21:00
- Thursday
- 10:00 to 21:00
- Friday
- 10:00 to 18:00
- Saturday
- 10:00 to 18:00
- Sunday
- Closed
The calendar is more up to date than this list: within opening hours not every hour has a therapist free.
IPL is done here by a skin therapist or a laser specialist. They choose the handpiece and the setting per area, and adjust them to your skin type.
Who works here, with what title and what that title means exactly, is on the team page with photos and all.
Frequently asked questions
What does an IPL treatment cost in Rotterdam?
At Diba Clinics IPL costs € 75 for the nose, € 150 for the cheeks and € 250 for the whole face; cheeks, nose and chin together cost € 200. That applies to pigment and to redness. If it is your first visit, your appointment starts with a € 50 intake, which is waived if we treat in the same appointment.
Is IPL the same as laser?
No. A laser emits one wavelength, IPL a band. So that band hits several things at once, such as redness, vessels and surface pigment, and on average goes less deep.
Why does my pigment spot get darker first?
That is part of it. The pigment comes to the surface before it fades, and that takes a number of days. It does not mean it is getting worse.
Does IPL hurt?
With every flash of light you feel a short, warm snap, often compared to an elastic band against your skin. It is brief and manageable.
How many IPL treatments do I need?
Usually three to six, with four weeks in between. With rosacea, maintenance follows, because the redness can come back.
Can I have IPL in summer?
Not for pigment. Between May and August we do not treat pigment, because freshly treated skin reacts especially sharply to sun. For redness and vessels it is different; we discuss that case by case.
Does IPL help against couperose and rosacea?
It removes separate vessels and calms an area that is structurally red. It does not cure rosacea: the visible redness goes, and it can come back. That is why maintenance belongs with rosacea.
Is IPL possible on darker skin?
Not with every skin type. On darker skin the skin itself takes up more light, and the chance of new pigment spots is higher. We establish your skin type beforehand and choose the treatment that suits your skin.
Where in Rotterdam are you?
At Weissenbruchlaan 166 in Rotterdam, on the north side of the city in a residential area. You park in the street. The route and the opening hours are on our contact page.
Not sure whether it is pigment or redness is
You do not have to know that before you come. The measurement shows what it is and how deep it sits, and after that you hear whether IPL is the right answer. If it is melasma, we choose something else.
If you know what you are after but are unsure about the timing or the combination with something else, ask via WhatsApp. There is a therapist on the other end and not a form.
Last updated on 11 September 2026 . Rates and treatment times are checked at every change.
IPL in Rotterdam to book
We measure your skin and determine whether it is pigment or redness, and how deep it sits. If IPL fits, the first treatment can often be done in the same appointment.
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