It’s not easy changing the way you do something, especially if it’s something new. For example, look at the way you remove the unwanted hair on your body: shaving, waxing, depilatory cream. These are some of the most widely practiced methods of removing hair and for good reason: they are cheap and easy. Substituting these methods for something like using Intense Pulsed Lights (IPLs) might be a hard transition. But it could help to know if the switch is worth it.

In you do not want to read the entire article here is the short version. You can achieve “permanent” IPL laser removal after 6 to 10 treatments; however, you may require a number of maintenance touchup every 6 to 12 months to keep stubborn regrowth away. 

IPL has grown in popularity over the past decade, boasting about its effectiveness, as well as its ability to leave you with smooth, hairless skin for long periods of time. But is it really true? Can IPLs really have you throw out your shavers and wax kits for a treatment that you only have to do once in a while? Here are all the things you need to know about what will come out of treatments using IPLs.

How Efficient Is IPL Hair Removal? Does It Get Rid Of Unwanted Hairs, Permanently?

Before you go making any big changes to your hair removal routine, you’re probably interested in learning what all the fuss is about, right? 

Well, here are the facts: if you complete an IPL treatment, you stand the chance of enjoying a 70-90% reduction in hair growth that is permanent. That is what IPL has to offer, but it’s not as simple as that. 

Everyone’s skin is different, and so is your hair. What could be an incredibly successful IPL treatment for one person is not guaranteed to work on you too? There are a few factors at play that determine how much hair growth is permanently reduced and for how long. 

These factors include whether or not you visit a professional for the treatment or you opted-out for a DIY IPL device that you can buy on the market for at-home use – the devices that professionals use for hair removal emit a more powerful light which could cause more damage to the hair follicle which is the ultimate goal. 

The results aren’t immediately effective either, nor are they noticeable. It doesn’t take one session for the magic to appear, but four to six sessions instead of over a period of months to complete a single treatment. Some people may see the results much sooner than others, depending on the cycle of their hair growth. 

How Long Does IPL Hair Removal Last? Do I Need To Do Regular Touch Ups?

So, you have learned that IPL hair removal is effective, but now you’re wondering how long the results will last. Once again, there is no single guaranteed answer – the results are different for each person.

 For some, a single completed IPL hair removal treatment allows them to enjoy silky smooth and hairless skin for years at a time, without needing any touch-ups, though many still come in once a year for a short maintenance session. 

Others still need to visit their clinic to remove those annoying hairs that grow back once or twice a year. But even if that’s the case, only around 10-30% of hair will grow back, meaning that you don’t have to go through the whole treatment again; you simply need to have a few touch-up sessions that will get rid of the stubborn hairs. 

Over time, you will need fewer and fewer touch-ups as the permanent reduction of hair growth increases. 

Basically, you can save a whole lot of time from your daily routine of shaving by switching over to IPL hair removal so that you can enjoy months, heck, even years of hairlessness at a time. Definitely sounds like it’s worth a try, don’t you think?

What Are Other Benefits Of IPL Hair Removal?

Permanent reduction of hair regrowth and long-lasting results are the only reasons why you should consider IPL – there are more benefits that could make your life simpler and your skin looking healthier.

Firstly, IPL is a very simple process so you don’t have to worry about any complications happening during a session. It is also a quick process that does not require you canceling a whole day for a session: depending on the size of the area being treated, you may only need to spend a few minutes for facial treatments and up to a couple of hours for removing hair on your back or legs. 

Since the light from IPL targets and damages the hair follicle, the chances of ingrown hairs is also reduced significantly, since they are often caused by the follicles growing a completely new hair after it was ripped out, or the cut hair was forced to grow in the wrong direction after being shaved. 

You also don’t have to wait at all for the hair to grow out of the skin in order for the IPL treatment to work, unlike when you wax or use a depilatory cream. The hair follicles can be targeted while they are still beneath the surface of the skin, and then the dead hair will shed on its own.

What Are The Side Effects IPL Hair Removal? Does It Work On Darker Skin?

Like most methods of hair removal, the skin will be a little more sensitive than usual afterward. You may even notice a bit of redness, irritation, and some swelling. These are all perfectly normal and they should go away after a few hours. 

If these side effects persist after a couple of days, you may need to visit a dermatologist just to be safe. You may also experience some pigment changes on your skin, either in the form of light or dark patches, but these should fade and eventually disappear after a few weeks.

One big downside of IPL is that it may be ineffective with darker skin tones. Since the IPL targets the darker pigmentation of the hair, dark skin tones may make it difficult to distinguish between the hair and the skin, which could result in the IPL damaging the skin instead of the hair follicle. 

No need to worry through – 21st-century technology has ensured the availability of IPL devices that don’t discriminate. 

While there are some professionals who specialize in the treatment of people with darker skin tones, there are at-home devices available on the market: Silk’n Infinity IPL device is the best choice for dark skin as it’s the most effective on even the darkest of skin tones.

IPL has very few downsides and plenty of reasons why you should give it a shot. The results will leave you hair and worry-free for so long that you won’t believe you ever doubted IPL in the first place. That is it for, how long does IPL hair removal last, hope you got the answer you were looking for.

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