IPL Hair Removal: Before, During and After the Treatment
Before the treatment:
The staff of the Intense Pulsed Light center of your choice will give you a brief description of what they're going to do and which results can be achieved according to your skin photo type and hair color density and thickness. Feel free to ask whichever question and concern you may have, it's your right to fully understand the whole process and to have an estimation of how many treatments you will need. Sometimes the staff will take pictures, to document better the result and have a visual comparison method. The wave length equipment will be trimmered to match the content in melanin of the targeted hair, considering also the color and the skin type. This is where IPL hair removal differs from laser hair removal, it's possible to vary the light color and target a wider range of hair. This is the most important technical part, optimal settings will increase the chances to have the best possible results, also ensuring that no other than the hair follicle will be damaged.
During the treatment:
You will be given safety glasses to protect your eyes from intense light and you will lay down on a couch, so you can relax and be comfortable. The light will be applied with a handheld exactly in the area that needs to be treated. At this point you may experience a little hot and /or a little tingle which generally perfectly tolerable. InIPL hair removal, part of the light is absorbed by the melanin present in the hair, while other part goes through the dermis and is absorbed directly by the bulb. This is anIPL exclusive way of working which provides great results because it destroys the germinating cells responsible of the hair growth.
After the treatment:
The removed excess hair is eliminated through a natural physiologic process, resulting in a long-term hair removal. The number of session depends on the area treated, and the type of hair and skin. An average of six sessions may be a rough estimate, each two months apart to give the hair time to regrow and to be into the growing (anagen) phase, which is the phase that responds better to the process of IPL hair removal.
Source: IPL Hair Removal Guide