Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a mainstream non-invasive photoelectric cosmetic technology in clinical practice. At present, its mechanism of action remains controversial. The efffcacy of monotherapy varies greatly among different skin disorders and skin types, and the application specifications of various combined regimens have not been unified. Large-sample and long-term evidence-based researches are relatively scarce. To systematically sort out the development status of this technology and guide standardized clinical application, domestic and foreign literatures were reviewed in this paper. The core mechanisms of IPL were summarized, including selective photothermolysis and targeted absorption, dermal thermal injury and collagen remodeling, as well as photobiomodulation and regulation of gene expression. On this basis, the clinical effects of IPL in the treatment of pigmentary dermatoses, vascular dermatoses, photoaging and skin rejuvenation, acne sequelae and hair removal were reviewed. Meanwhile, this paper analyzed the latest research progress of IPL combined with mesotherapy, lasers and other photoelectric technologies, botulinum toxin and pharmacotherapy. Finally, the synergistic value of combined strategies was summarized, existing research deficiencies and future research directions were proposed, so as to provide references for individualized precise treatment and further scientiffc research of IPL in the ffeld of cosmetic dermatology.