Melanin
Intensive pulsed light (IPL) laser hair removal works through a process called photothermolysis. Photothermolysis in IPL hair removal is the process of destroying hair follicles by targeting and directing specific wavelengths of light energy towards matter in the skin called melanin. Melanin gives your skin its pigment (color). Produced by the melanocytes of the body, the more melanin there is present in one area, the darker that part of the body will be. Because darker colors attract light, IPL lasers can target the melanin of the hair, which allows the laser to selectively target hair follicles.
Spectrum
IPL hair removal uses a wide beam of pulsed light on the area of skin that hair removal is desired. Regular laser hair removal lasers only use one specific wavelength of light to target hair follicles. With IPL lasers, each pulse of light produce a spectrum of multiple different wavelengths of light. IPL lasers can be used for multiple types of treatments, such as for rosacea or spider veins, by changing the filters used on the laser. Each filter allows specific wavelengths of light through, including filters that create the right wavelengths for hair removal.
Hair Root
When pulsed light wavelengths are aimed at the treatment area, they zero in on the dark melanin of the hair shaft to target your hair follicles. Once the melanin has been located, the intense beam of light travels down the hair shaft to the hair root. The root is the structure that grows the hair shaft. The intensity of the light heats up the root, and damages the cells responsible for growing the hair. This causes the active hair to fall out, and prevents the affected hair follicle from producing any further hair shafts.
Treatments
According to the Mayo Clinic, as many as eight treatments spaced six to eight weeks apart are needed for adequate hair removal. This is because IPL hair removal is most effective when the hair is in the early stages of its growth (anagen) phase. Your hair is constantly going through phases of growth and rest as old hair strands fall out and new hair strands grow. During the resting (telogen) phase, the hair strand is not connected to the base of the follicle, making the laser less effective at targeting the root.
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