Everyone seeks a solution to remove unwanted body hair, spending as s high as hundreds to thousands of dollars. But, as tech advancements continue to rise, the term ‘IPL hair removal has become a buzzword from dermatologist clinics to the beautician’s parlor because it removes the never-ending chore of regrowth and re-shaving.
Today, people can even enjoy this treatment from the comfort of their homes since many at-home IPL devices are as advanced as those used by professional beauticians.
If laser hair removal at home is something you are considering, then you are in the right place. In this guide, we discuss everything you need to know about at-home laser hair removal treatment including:
- What is IPL?
- How does laser hair removal at home work?
- Who should try IPL treatment at home?
- How often should you IPL?
- Does IPL hurt?
- How long do results take?
- Tips for healthy skin with IPL treatment
IPL (Intense Pulse Light) works like laser technology. It is a type of light treatment that uses pulse lighting to treat various skin issues, including unwanted hair growth.
How Does Laser Hair Removal at Home Work?
The word laser would most certainly get you thinking of those high-powered light that shoots out of an object in sci-fi movies like Star Wars that instantly destroys anything it touches. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Then again, the good news is that it is a lot safer.
Rather than shoot out light, laser hair removal at-home devices work by emitting bright pulse lights. This light target only the treatment area. So, when placed over the targeted area with hair follicles, it transfers energy as heat, which the dark pigment of the hair absorbs. The heat moves down to the hair root, making them weak and fall off with ease.
The light treatment leaves your skin smooth and free of coarse hair you would normally find with methods like shaving, tweezing, and waxing. Hence, its results are permanent and long-lasting. In rare cases where you don’t get permanent results, you should only notice a subtle regrowth as light hairs replace the thick ones, almost going unnoticed.
Who Should Try IPL Treatment at Home?
We all have that part of the body with a frustrating amount of hair that brings us distress. But, there's a catch! This form of hair removal is selective. So, IPL handsets won’t work for everyone. So, how do you know you are a good candidate for IPL treatment at home? How well IPL works depends on your skin tone, hair color and thickness, and the treatment area.
1.Skin Tone
Generally, IPL treatment works better for people with a light skin tone. The simple reason is traced to the melanin properties of the hair.
As mentioned earlier, the pulse light targets the dark pigments of the hair. On dark color skin, this may take a while to achieve as the skin color and hair pigment both have melanin. So, the light won’t know which pigment to zap.
The case is reversed on people with light skin tones as it is easy for the light to accurately target the dark pigments and zap the hair follicles due to the contrasting color of their skin and hair.
Still, that does not mean at-home laser hair removal for Brazilian or dark colored skin won’t work. Brazilian skin color is light brown. Hence, there will be a significant difference between the melanin on the hair follicles and skin. The results are just far stretched with dark skin, depending on your consistency.
2.Hair Color and Thickness
While light skin tones benefit more from IPL treatment at home, this device loves people with dark and coarse hair better. The pulse light needs something dark to actually work. Hence, people with thin, wispy, blond hair won’t be good candidates for IPL treatment. Still, with consistent treatments, you can get satisfactory results.
3.Treatment Areas
Like skin and hair color, IPL favors more areas than most. Some parts of the body have more dense, thick, and dark hair than others.
The bikini area, legs, and underarms have thick and coarse hair follicles so the treatment will work effectively on them. Facial hairs are often light and thin, but if you have dark and coarse facial hair, IPL treatment will work on your face.
How Often Should You Use IPL?
Most professionals recommend you use laser hair removal at-home treatments three times a week or once every two weeks to get the best results.
So, don’t exceed this use duration. Once you start seeing results, lower the number of sessions you often do to once every few months.
Tips for a Healthy Skin With at-Home IPL Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is a preferred cosmetic treatment for most people. But, you want to be sure that it does not affect your skin. So, consider the following:
- Avoid tanning a month before the treatment so the laser device can easily pick on the hair pigments.
- Don’t wax or bleach the skin before the procedure so you reap the best results.
- Always shave hair a day before treatment so the pulse light can easily get to the roots of the hair follicles.
Is Laser Hair Removal Right for You?
Why not, if you have light skin and dark, thick hair? At-home laser hair removal for dark color skin may seem impossible, but with consistent use, results will improve. Follow the recommended use duration and care for the skin the right way, and you will be one step closer to getting rid of excess hair on your body.
