IPL hair removal is considered a form of laser hair removal. It uses what is known as a flash lamp to remove unwanted hair. Any areas of the skin containing unwanted hair are subjected to the intense pulses of light. The light destroys the hair, removing it from the skin.
Function
With intense pulsed light therapy, flashes of intense light are administered to areas of the skin growing unwanted hair. The light penetrates the epidermal layers until it comes into contact with the hair. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it is then absorbed by the melanin, a polymer responsible for your hair's color, or pigmentation. As the melanin takes in the light, the internal temperature of your hair rises to a point that causes it to vaporize.
Significance
Besides removing the hair from the skin, the intense pulses of light damage the follicle. This damage can either destroy the follicle itself or essentially send it into dormancy, so that it no longer grows hair. The length of time that the follicle remains in this dormant state varies from person to person.
Time Frame
For most people, it will take a series of IPL sessions to provide a hair-free appearance to the skin. On average, you can expect anywhere between three and eight sessions. According to the Mayo Clinic, sessions are typically administered every six to eight weeks, since the only hairs affected by the pulses of light are those currently in the anagen phase, or actively growing. You may then need periodic sessions to remove hair regrowth.
Features
Not everyone is able to receive IPL therapy for hair removal. Your dermatologist should assess your skin type, hair color, hair density, medical history and other factors prior to treatment. People with darker skin tones or tanned skin may not be able to use this form of hair removal. Since darker skin tones tend to contain more melanin than lighter complexions, the intense pulses of light may be absorbed by the skin before ever reaching the hair.
Effects
Besides removing unwanted hair, intense pulsed light therapy may affect your skin in other ways. It is possible to experience some redness, pain, blistering and even burning as the flash lamp is used on the skin. There is also the potential for some level of skin discoloration. In darker skin tones, it may cause a lightening or darkening of patches of skin.
Misconceptions
To say that intense pulsed light therapy removes hair is actually a misnomer. A truer statement is that IPL therapy is a form of hair reduction. This is largely due to the fact that hair removed by a flash lamp will eventually grow back. As of 2010, the only method of permanent hair removal is electrolysis.
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