You would be surprised to learn that one of the trendiest methods of hair removal that is taking the world by storm has actually been around for quite some time – almost 30 years. Intense Pulsed Light, or IPL for short, was first used by dermatologists to improve the appearance of the skin and to treat certain conditions. Today it is one of the leading hair removal methods.
The effectiveness of IPL is one of the many reasons why men and women all around the world are starting to prefer this method of hair removal above others. The bonus fact that the intense light also benefits your skin in other ways, not just removing your ever-growing unwanted hair, is making these devices grow with popularity. But just how effective are IPLs really?
The answer to the questions Does IPL remove hair permanently is as follows. IPL hair removal treatments will reduce the total number of body hairs but will not permanently get rid of all hairs and you may need yearly maintenance touch up. In addition, certain skin conditions, health irregularities, and medications may impact whether or not it is safe for you to receive a light-based hair removal treatment.
How Does IPL Differ from Laser Hair Removal?
To be honest, there isn’t that much of a difference between laser hair removal and Intense Pulsed Light treatments. Both methods emit powerful beams of light that heat up the hair follicle, damaging it in the process in order to prevent hair growth.
However, where lasers use a monochromatic light that is focused, pinpointing the hair follicle directly, the IPL uses light with a wider range of wavelengths, which means that it looks more like natural light.
Both methods target the melanin in the hair, which means that the contrasting dark color of the hair is the target for the absorption of light. Only when the dark hairs absorb all the light do they heat up, eventually interrupting the hair growth.
If you’re worried about how intense the heating light is, there is no need to fear. It might sound like the procedures will burn your skin, but both methods don’t use that much heat.
Also, they both emit the light in short bursts, so they won’t be focused on one area long enough to cause too much damage to the skin, just enough damage to the hair follicle.
Does IPL Remove Hair Permanently?
Everyone grows hair on their body – there is nothing more common and more natural than that fact. Another common thing is the incredibly strong desire to remove the unnecessary hair that ruins our self-confidence and appearance.
Both you and I might be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve the goal of smooth, hairless skin that gives us pride in our image. So, if there is a way to achieve hairlessness without the need to repeat a process over and over again, we will grab that opportunity as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, while many claim that IPL offers a solution for hair removal with permanent results, this is not entirely true. But don’t let this discourage you from giving IPL a shot. The process might not offer a permanent solution, but it’s the closest you’re going to get.
When you use IPL to remove unwanted hair, you are looking at a chance to permanently reduce hair growth by 70-90% in the areas that have been treated. But don’t expect to see the results immediately after the first session.
It’s going to take a few more sessions to obtain optimal results, and even after you have completed a full treatment, results are not guaranteed.
Different people will experience different results. The fortunate few with the best results will notice less hair growth after long periods of time. It may even take fewer sessions than others.
Those who are not so lucky can still walk away with permanently reduced hair growth, but maybe only around 50-80%. Those folks will have to pop in for more regular maintenance sessions to get rid of those stubborn hairs that continue to grow.
How Long Do The Results Last?
There are so many factors that affect the outcome of an IPL treatment that there is no single concrete answer of how long the results will last.
The life cycle of hair is different for each person, with their genetics, habits, and general health play a role in hair growth. The type of IPL device can also play a role in the results, seeing as different devices each have a different design.
Once again, it comes down to the lucky and unlucky few. But it doesn’t matter which you are, you will experience long periods of hairlessness. It’s just a question of how long. The lucky will be those whose hair follicles were damaged so much that the chance of hair regrowth is very unlikely.
These people can go years without ever needing to go in for maintenance treatments. The unlucky will be those with more radical hair growth and will need to repeat the treatment after 6-12 months, with some only needing touch-ups after a year or two.
At the end of the day, you won’t know which category you fall into. It takes a few months to complete a full treatment, and then you would have to wait a few more months to find out if you will need some touch-ups or if you can walk around for a couple of years before finally needing to go back to a clinic.
You will just have to wait and see.
Should You Visit A Professional Or Use A DIY At-Home Device?
If you’ve never done something before, do you really want to take the risk of something going wrong? I strongly recommend that if you are a first-timer, it would be best if you visited a professional who has years of experience.
Not only can they walk you through the procedure, but they can bestow plenty of wisdom regarding what you should do before and after each session.
The IPL that professionals use has a much more powerful light for better results, and these devices are not sold in stores as a DIY at-home device.
Plus, it might be uncomfortable trying to reach certain areas of your body where you’re trying to get rid of hair. So, you might need a hand.
Lastly, if you’re going to buy a DIY IPL device, you would have to read all the precautions carefully, and you would have to follow the instructions word for word in order to successfully do it yourself.
Wouldn’t you prefer to just sit back, relax, and let someone else worry about removing all your unwanted hair?
The chance to go months or even years without worrying about getting rid of all your unwanted hair is an opportunity you can’t pass up. IPL is definitely worth a try – if you can afford it.
Does IPL Remove Hair Permanently? Now you know the answer. Let us get rid of those unwanted hairs together. Visit the main hair removal page for as much on hair removal. You can also visit the main IPL hair removal page. Thank for visiting the lovely skin stuff site.
