IPL Hair Removal Treatments Explained
Everyone has their own personal preferences when it comes to the multitude of hair removal treatments out there, and we often become accustomed to the one that gives us the best balance of effectiveness, convenience, and simplicity. Because of this, many people may resist adopting new methods or changing habits if they’re not sure that there are better options to choose from.
However, there are many excellent reasons to change up your hair removal routine with a different method, especially if you’ve been relying on shaving, waxing, or hair removal creams. Here, we’re going to explain how light-based hair removal treatments with an IPL device work and highlight the many advantages that this treatment method provides.
But first, let’s do a quick run through of the limitations that many common hair removal methods have in terms of effectiveness and convenience, and why many people are eager to try something different in an effort to find the treatment that works best for them.
Hair Removal Limitations
The most common method of hair removal, and often the approach that we first learn about, is shaving. While certainly simple, and effective at achieving smooth, hair-free skin, it’s effects are the shortest lived of all hair removal methods. As hair grows back, the feel of rough stubble on the skin is very apparent to the touch, requiring shaving to be done again and again in order to maintain the desired look and feel.
It can also be a bit of a hassle, since you need some kind of lotion or cream to reduce the friction of the razor on the skin, and water for rinsing away the excess. And of course, let’s not forget the potential for razor burn, cuts, and irritation. Shaving may be the first method we try, but it’s certainly got its disadvantages.
Depilatory creams may seem like a great alternative to shaving, since the chemicals remove a larger portion of the hair and achieve longer lasting results, but they can be just as messy and inconvenient to use. Plus, people with sensitive skin may find the chemicals used to dissolve the hair to be quite harsh, and may have a negative reaction to them.
Waxing & sugaring are also very popular methods for achieving hair removal results that last a lot longer than shaving, but many people find the process to be uncomfortable, or even painful. Even though methods such as waxing can easily be done at home, the multi-step process can be quite time consuming, with some kits also generating a lot of mess and waste.
If you’ve tried any or all of these hair removal methods, you may be asking yourself, “Isn’t there a way to get smooth, hair-free skin without all the hassle?”. And, indeed, there is! IPL treatment. Today’s light-based hair removal, also known as laser hair removal or IPL hair removal, offers a solution with many advantages over all other hair removal methods.
So how do IPL hair removal treatments work?
The reason light-based hair removal treatments are so effective is because it addresses the one problem that none of the other common hair removal methods are able to address; hair regrowth. Light-based hair removal technology slows down the regrowth of hair with each successive treatment, often leading to several weeks before another treatment is needed. It’s easy to see why this would be considered to be a major advantage. That hair is gone for a very long time!
To achieve these results, IPL light-based hair removal works by focusing an intense beam of light on the treatment area which causes the pigment within the hair itself to heat up. This heat, which goes all the way down to the root of the hair, affects the cells surrounding the follicle which are responsible for the growth of the hair, ultimately destroying the cells responsible for hair growth. With each treatment, the speed of hair regrowth is reduced, eventually reaching the point where the intervals between treatments can be as long as 8 weeks.
Laser Hair Removal vs. IPL Technology
You may be wondering what, if any, is the difference between laser hair removal and IPL hair removal, and that’s a very good question. While both methods use the same underlying principle and processes, the big difference between laser and IPL is in the light beams themselves.
True laser hair removal uses a light beam that is highly focused, and consists of a very narrow color range of light from within the visible spectrum. Intense pulsed light hair removal, on the other hand, uses the entire visible light spectrum in its light beams.
This difference means that hair removal using true lasers is most effective on hair and skin tones that have a strong contrast between them. Laser treatments work well on light skin and dark hair combinations, but not as well on skin and hair that are closer in tone, although progress is being made to address this issue.
IPL treatments are effective on a much broader range of skin and hair tones, making them far more viable as a treatment method for a wider variety of individuals.
Professional Treatments or At-Home Hair Removal Devices?
While many people opt to have their treatments done by professionals at dermatologist clinics or certified aesthetician offices, at-home IPL hair removal devices offer greater convenience and ease of use with similar results. Professional IPL treatments make use of more powerful equipment, allowing for faster results in fewer treatments, but at substantially higher cost and the need to coordinate appointments around your schedule.
Personal IPL devices, such as the Silk’n Infinity or Silk’n Flash & Go Express, are compact, handheld units that can easily be used in the comfort of your own home. For a fraction of the cost of professional hair removal treatments, you can perform the same task at home at any time, allowing you to quickly and easily achieve soft, smooth, and supple skin that lasts for weeks.
Differences Between IPL Hair Removal Devices
As you may suspect, there are many different at-home IPL devices to choose from, each with a unique set of features and capabilities. When researching which device is right for you, there are a few key factors to keep in mind.
You’ll definitely want to make sure that you’re getting a device that uses true IPL technology for the best results across the widest range of skin and hair tones. This will help ensure that you get great performance out of your treatments, even if your skin or hair tones vary.
In addition, you’ll want to check the typical lifespan of the light emitter or bulb of the devices. These are usually measured in ‘pulses’, and can vary significantly between device models and manufacturers. A good IPL device will have at least a 5,000-pulse rating per bulb, at which time a new bulb is needed. These are usually changed using a replaceable cartridge, so you’ll need to purchase a replacement when the bulb has reached its limit.
Some IPL hair removal devices offer a much larger number of pulses out of their light emitters, which adds to the convenience by not having to replace the bulbs as often. The Silk’n Infinity Hair Removal Device takes this to a whole new level by delivering an amazing 400,000 pulses of high-intensity light, in conjunction with galvanic energy technology, providing a lifetime of effective hair removal treatments. With the Infinity, you’ll have the amazing results you desire, with unequaled comfort and convenience right at your fingertips.
IPL Treatment Success Stories
We recently interviewed four of our IPL hair removal device customers to help illustrate the effectiveness of our light based hair removal products – and hopefully provide inspiration to people that are on the fence with what treatment methods they should invest in.
Watch the videos, read the full article and all our reviews and decide for yourself.
See the Light & Feel the Difference with IPL Hair Removal Technology
We hope that this information has helped shed some light on the amazing results that can be achieved with at-home IPL hair removal devices. We’re confident that once you experience the difference that devices such as the Silk’n Infinity can make to your personal hair removal routine and how wonderfully soft and smooth your hair-free skin will feel, you’ll be a believer in IPL.
Ditch the razor, skip the hot wax, and enjoy the comfort and convenience that intense pulsed light hair removal has to offer.
Shop all Silk’n Hair Removal Devices now, or learn more in our hair removal Resource Center.
