You need to know about IPL hair removal

The term 'IPL hair removal' has become one which is regularly bandied around, but few people know what it is or how it works. It is available in clinics across the country, and some home IPL devices are now advanced enough to compete with professional therapy devices.

What is the IPL?
IPL, which stands for Intense Pulsed Light, is a type of light therapy that uses intense pulses of light to stimulate or treat various problems within the skin. Some people think that IPLs are lasers because they can do something similar, but they are not the same. However, they work similarly: both shine light directly on the pigmentation in the hair, creating a burst of heat that destroys or kills the follicle cells that cause hair growth.

How does the IPL work?
The light from the IPL device is absorbed by the pigments in the hair, causing energy to build up and turn into heat, which travels down the hair, incapacitating or destroying the cells that make new cells.

Does the IPL hurt?

You may have heard different answers to this question, as the answer only depends on your pain threshold. The sensation is generally compared to that of an elastic-band flick – but the best IPL devices out their work so quickly, you’ll barely have time to feel it.

How long does the IPL take?

Some people may see results in as little as three weeks - but again, the exact time varies from person to person, depending on various factors.

Your hair has a growth cycle just like your skin. Your hair has a growth period, a rest period, and a recession period. One of the main reasons you need to repeat the IPL or even laser treatment is that your hair is not at the same stage of the cycle at the same time. So to catch them and get rid of them permanently, you have to chase almost every cycle. This is why home IPL treatment is usually repeated every 4 weeks after the initial weekly treatment period.

Who is suitable for an IPL treatment?

First, not every skin tone is suitable for IPL. Since the technique works by targeting the pigment in your hair, there needs to be a noticeable difference between your skin tone and hair color. Most experts advise against using an IPL machine on dark skin because of the risk of damage and discoloration, and people with light blonde and red hair should also forgo the treatment.

The quickest and best results may be seen in people with fine, dark hair and relatively light skin.. If you’ve got underlying skin or medical issues, you may find the treatment takes longer. So there are a lot of personal factors to consider.

There are certain conditions that prevent clients from receiving treatment with light-based technology. For example, patients with light sensitivity and pregnant women should not use it

When used as hair removal methods, both lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL) uses light to heat hair follicles and prevent regrowth. While it may sound similar, everyone does use a different technique, the main difference being the light source used.

Typically, IPL techniques require more treatment and may produce less effective hair loss results. The new laser techniques we use in the clinic are more advanced, more effective, and less uncomfortable than IPL techniques (because they are equipped with the integrated cooling system). Additionally, this means that our machines can treat a wider range of skin and hair types than IPL devices.

If you prefer the convenience (and cost-effectiveness) of at-home hair removal, you have plenty of powerful options. There are a large number of IPL devices for home use on the market today, many of which can provide excellent results. However, they also vary widely in price, performance, and availability, so it's worth doing your research beforehand.

Here are the key things to consider when choosing the best IPL equipment to invest in:

life. First, it's important to check how many "flashes" your device will emit. The cheapest models on the market may only last a few years before needing a replacement, but a good IPL unit will last for decades.

power. Many IPL devices come in varying degrees of strength, which means you can effectively treat hair on all parts of your body. The best, like Braun's Silk-Expert model, even feature smart sensors that automatically adjust to the correct intensity based on your skin tone and hair color on contact.

speed. It may sound redundant considering the speed between each flash, but slow IPL equipment can cause laborious treatments, meaning you're unlikely to use it very often.

treatment head. The best IPL machines will come with a variety of heads to fit your underarms, legs, and even your upper lip.