Understand the Real Differences Between IPL and Laser Hair Removal Devices
It’s not uncommon for people to mistakenly refer to IPL hair removal devices as ‘lasers’, but the reality is that there are many key differences between these two types of hair removal solutions.
If you’ve ever been a bit confused as to whether or not ‘laser hair removal’ and ‘IPL hair removal’ is the same thing, then you’ve come to the right place! We’re here to explain exactly how light-based hair removal works, and how it’s able to quickly and easily achieve the permanent hair removal results that you’ve always wanted, right in the comfort of your own home. We will also provide clear explanations on how laser and IPL hair removal methods are similar, but more importantly, how the technology is different between lasers and IPL hair removal devices.
Both IPL and laser hair removal are great options for permanently removing unwanted hair from your underarms, legs, bikini zone, cheeks, chin, upper lip, and many other areas. However, there are distinct differences in the science behind each device. Let’s start with a look at the general process of light-based hair removal, and how it works to produce permanent results.
How does light-based hair removal work?
Most of the common hair removal methods that are available on store shelves work by altering the individual hair strands in some way. For example, shaving cuts the hairs off very close to the skin, waxing and sugaring pull the entire hair out of the follicle, and depilatory creams use chemicals to dissolve the hairs and cause them to fall out. However, the major shortcoming of all of these methods is that they are only temporary. No matter how many times you wax or shave, the hair will inevitably grow back, every time.
Light-based hair removal differs from these other methods by affecting the actual follicles themselves, thereby preventing them from re-growing hair. Light-based hair removal does this with a simple but amazingly effective approach. As the hair removal device is passed over the area to be treated, it generates a high-intensity light that is absorbed by the hair strand.
As this light is absorbed, it becomes transformed from light energy in to heat energy. This heat travels down the strand of the hair, all the way to the deep root of the hair inside the follicle. The surrounding cells in the follicle react to this heat energy, reducing their ability to generate new hairs. With each subsequent light-based hair removal treatment, the effects of the heat energy compound and hair grows back slower and slower, eventually leading to permanent results.
By using light as the energy source to achieve hair removal effects, IPL and laser hair removal avoid the many common problems associated with other hair removal methods. There are no harsh, smelly chemicals to irritate the skin like those used in depilatory creams, you won’t get nicks, cuts, or razor burn that often happens with shaving, and you won’t have the pain and soreness that are common with waxing, sugaring, or epilators.
In short, light-based hair removal methods like laser and IPL are pain-free, permanent hair removal solutions that really work. So, does it really matter which one you choose? According to the science behind each device, YES! It sure does matter.
Why do people confuse the terms laser hair removal and IPL hair removal?
It’s easy to understand why it’s so common for people to confuse laser hair removal with IPL. Both use intense bursts of light, both affect the hair growth within the follicles, and both produce permanent results. In fact, many types of products that have been marketed to us over the years have simply used the term ‘laser’, when in fact they don’t actually use true lasers. Optical mice for computers are one great example that we are all familiar with. Plenty of people refer to them as ‘laser mice’, but very few models actually use a true laser in them. Most models of optical mice simply use a basic light sensor and an LED light emitter to work.
True lasers, however, are a very specific type of technology that use only one particular portion of the light spectrum. Most lasers use either red, green, or blue light in their high-intensity beams. Intense pulsed light (IPL) however, uses a much wider range of visible light in its light pulses, and does not restrict the light to just one narrow portion of color.
What does this difference in light color mean when it comes to hair removal? Well, depending on the tone of your hair and the tone of your skin, it can mean that true laser hair removal that uses just one color of light will either work really well, or really poorly for you. In fact, for some people, using a laser for hair removal can actually be dangerous. If the tone of skin is such that it absorbs too much laser light, and the hair absorbs too little, not only will you end up with ineffective hair removal treatments, but you could also experience varying degrees of skin irritation and damage.
IPL, on the other hand, doesn’t have these same limitations. Because it uses a broad spectrum of light in each pulse, IPL is much more effective than lasers at treating a diverse range of skin and hair tone combinations. IPL hair removal devices use adjustable power settings, in combination with their wide light spectrum pulses, to effectively produce permanent hair removal results for virtually all skin tones and hair tones.
This difference between IPL hair removal devices and those that use lasers means that IPL offers a major advantage that laser hair removal just can’t match. It also means that IPL devices are much more versatile in treating areas of the body where the hair grows in with a different tone. For example, an IPL device is just as effective at treating lighter leg or arm hair as it is at treating darker hairs on the underarms or the bikini area. IPL has the advantage of being your all-in-one hair removal solution.
Silk’n has been leading the way in at-home IPL hair removal devices for many years. Our range of Flash&Go hair removal devices offers comfort, convenience, and amazing results that countless satisfied users all around the world can attest to. Our team of IPL engineers and designers are committed to constant innovation and improvement. This is a fact that shines through bright and clear with the latest advancement in at-home permanent hair removal technology; the Silk’n Infinity.
Meet the Silk’n Infinity Hair Removal Device
Building on the incredibly effective at-home IPL technology that made the Silk’n Flash&Go famous, the Silk’n Infinity incorporates new features to reduce treatment timelines, increase comfort, and improve the overall results of your treatments. As the Infinity passes over the treatment area, a specialized electrode on the tip of the device emits warming galvanic energy on to the skin. This energy stimulates the circulation under the skin, boosting the natural rejuvenation and repair processes.
This galvanic energy stimulation also encourages the pores of the skin to open, thereby allowing the light pulses generated by the Infinity to penetrate deeper and more efficiently down to the base root of the hairs, speeding up treatment times and providing faster results than ever before. With the Silk’n Infinity, you can quickly and easily get the beautiful, silky-smooth hair-free skin you’ve always wanted, right in the comfort of your own home.
Experience the Difference of Silk’n IPL Hair Removal Devices
Now that you know the truth about laser hair removal vs. IPL hair removal, the choice is clear. There’s no hair removal method available that can match the comfort, convenience, and effectiveness of the Silk’n Infinity at-home IPL hair removal device. All you have to do is experience it for yourself, and we’re confident that you’ll feel exactly the same way!
