Beauty is pretty important to everyone, and today, it seems like we take care of our skin more than ever, so there are a lot of cosmetics and procedures that aim to maintain that beauty. Various creams keep the skin young, many hair preparations lush, and there are various diets for a slim body. However, nothing causes as much trouble as unwanted hair, which is sometimes not easy to remove.
Removing that thick and stubborn body hair is not very easy, and it sometimes seems like it grows back even faster every time. Also, there are side effects that we need to consider and which are something that can happen if we do not follow the instructions on the package or if we go with a technique that is not adequate (for those who decide to do it by themselves at their home). The hairs are persistent and return very quickly, so they need to be removed permanently. Fortunately, today there are solutions for that, but also several different methods. If you are interested in the differences between them, read more here. And if you are interested in whether the IPL method is effective, you will find out in this text.
What is it?
IPL actually means Intense Pulsed Light technology. Its usage is big, and it can be used not only for aesthetic but also for therapeutic procedures. With this technology, it is possible to remove unwanted hair but also cure acne, skin pigmentation, or photorejuvenation. Besides that, this method has its place in ophthalmology in the treatment of evaporative dry eye disease. The light is visible to an eye, it is very intense, and each beam has different wavelengths and directions. It is usually coming from a device like a flashgun that you can hold in your hand. IPLs emit a wider beam of light than any other medical laser, which makes treatments faster because it treats a larger area of skin. This fact says a lot about the quality of IPL laser treatment.
Before the treatment
There are several boxes to check before you start with the procedure, and no one should avoid or skip doing this because it can hurt our health. If you visited any type of tanning room, or if your skin was exposed to the sun for several hours a week before the treatment, you should wait for a week or two before you start with treatment. Also, 5 to 10 days before the procedure, you should completely stop the use of medicines, herbal and natural preparations that can cause photosensitization of the skin in order to avoid the formation of hyperpigmentation and serious changes in the skin, very similar to burns.
The treatment
The device is in control of the computer, and many filters are active, so the light is without ultraviolet and short wavelengths rays. The hair removal device is working with gentle pulses of light and applying them directly to the root.
Part of that emitted energy is converted into thermal energy that the hair conducts to the follicles, and that heat is enough to cause permanent damage to them. Since these follicles are the main reason and are responsible for hair growth, the result of this treatment is stopping the suspending hair growth.
IPL wavelengths are exceptional because they enable the treatment of hair of different colors. This is important because, depending on hair color and the depth of the follicles, we can determine whether there will be a need for more than one treatment. The darker the hairs or the closer the hair root is to the surface of the skin, the more energy they will receive, and the procedure will be more effective.
The time length of treatment is relatively short and varies from one treatment to another and the treated area. As an example, the armpit treatment lasts for 5 minutes, while for the bikini area, it is necessary to set aside 10 minutes.
It is causing the rest of the hair and its falling, so the body is producing less hair in the treated area after a few treatments. It is very important that you don’t skip the treatment, and the first two are the most significant for successful hair removal and long-lasting results.
After the treatment
Each treatment is followed by a period in which there is no hair on the treated skin surface. The length of that period also depends on the treated region. After some time and depending on the treated area, new small hairs will appear, so then it is necessary to repeat the treatment until the desired results are achieved. After the procedure, in order for the skin to regenerate as soon as possible, it is necessary to treat the skin in the right way – very carefully and following the doctor’s orders as they will prescribe the best moisturizer for your skin type, which you should apply several times a day. That will help in reducing the redness and inflammation of the skin.
Side effects
In some cases, slight or medium redness, similar to those after sunbathing, may appear on the treated area. If that happens, you can put cold compresses or ice, and if necessary, you can apply a cream prescribed by the doctor. Another thing that you can do if the redness appears is to apply sunscreen when you go outside, and you should definitely avoid going to the gym and avoid all kinds of workouts and activities that will cause you to sweat because that sweat can irritate the sensitive area.
Conclusion
The IPL laser works the best for people with a light skin tone and dark hair, with an average of four cycles of IPL laser hair removal to achieve the best results. The number of treatments could be higher because the hair needs to start growing in order to remove it effectively, and it is the most common reason why, sometimes, there need to be more than 4 treatments. In the end, the IPL laser treatments are very effective, and they drastically reduce the hair growth or even completely stop its growth from the hair root, which results in almost permanently smooth skin without unwanted hair.
