How does Hair Removal with IPL work?
Intense
Pulsed Light Therapy, or better known as IPL Therapy is used for Hair
Removal, but can also be used for Facial and Body Vein removal, Vascular
Birthmarks, Pimples, Facial Rejuvination and Collagen Stimulation.
How does the hair removal system work?
The
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light Therapy) hair removal procedure produces a
high intensity flash of filtered light from the applicator head, which
has been placed in contact with the skin. The energy from the light
source is absorbed by the pigment melanin, which is the chromophore,
which gives hair its colour. The hair rapidly absorbs this filtered
light and transfers it to the surrounding cells that in turn are
converted into heat raising them to a temperature of 70 degree
Centigrade or more. The heating denatures the cells making them
incapable of producing further hair growth.
How is the treatment carried out?
The
glass applicator is placed in contact with skin surface and the light
is pulsed through it onto the skin. The applicator is then moved to the
neighbouring area and the process is repeated.
Who can be treated?
Dark
hairs are most easily treated due to the high concentration of melanin
that gives maximum absorption and conversion of light energy into heat.
Very fair hair has less melanin and consequently less heat is produced,
simply raising the fluence output from the IPL treats such hair. White
hair has no melanin and cannot be efficiently treated by most IPL
machines. Our Adena IPL machine at Bliss Beauty however CAN treat white
hair with a secondary applicator head using new technology!
The
upper skin layer of the epidermis also contains melanin and the
concentration increases when the skin is exposed to UV light. It is
therefore necessary to treat dark skin with less energy to avoid
generation of excess heat and pain in the skin. The IPL software allows
you to adjust the treatment parameters for different hair and pigment
type.
SUITABLE FOR ANY SKIN COLOUR & HAIR TYPE
Does it hurt?
As
the light energy is absorbed by the pigment melanin, the discomfort
depends upon the concentration of melanin in the epidermis and the hairs
combined. Consequently it hurts more in dark skinned people and those
with dense dark hair hairs. No anaesthesia is required and most patients
describe the pain as moderate and acceptable (as if an elastic band has been flicked against the skin)
Does you need to shave prior to the treatment?
Ideally,
hairs should be 1 to 2mm long when you come in for the treatment so it
is possible to mark out the treatment area. Long hairs take up the
energy and prevent all of it reaching to the hair root. Therefore hair
is trimmed just before for maximum transmission of the energy. If the
hair is normally shaved and can be seen when shaven then you can shave
right up to the day of treatment. Although waxing, plucking and
bleaching should not be done. By avoiding any other form of epilating
and waxing 4 weeks before the treatment it ensures as many follicles as
possible contain hair thus can be destroyed by the light
Why do hairs "grow" after treatment?
Unlike
other light depilation treatments, hairs are not vaporised by the IPL
treatment. The heat kills the hair roots but the hairs remain in the
skin and often become attached to the epidermis. They will fall out
after 1 to 3 weeks as the epidermis renews itself. During this period it
will seem that the hairs are growing a little faster as the epidermis
pushes them out.
How can you tell if the treatment has worked when the hairs are not removed immediately?
Various
Indications such as colour of Hair becoming charcoal black and
expanding in size or a Red ring around each follicle is often seen a few
minutes after the treatment. These are good indications that sufficient
heating of the follicles has taken place. Unfortunately this is not
always seen and we have seen many patients with successful treatments
results without the post treatment signs.
What are the side effects?
The
visible light should be completely safe, so no special precautions are
needed apart from glasses for the brightness generated from flash lamp.
The skin of some people can be quite red immediately after treatment and
very rarely small blisters as from excessive sun exposure can occur.
However, most people experience no side effects at all and the described
skin reactions as above usually disappear within hours to few days.
Unlike electrolysis the IPL treatment is non-invasive
How many treatments are necessary?
Only
hair in the growth phase can be treated. The number of hairs in this
phase varies from 20% to 90% depending on the body site. The lengths of
the growth cycles also vary from 6 to 24 weeks depending on the body
site. For most people three to five treatments are sufficient to clear
an area of hair. After the first treatment most patients get a
significant reduction in hair density also new grown hairs tend to
become finer. It is important to know that the first treatment is
believed to synchronise the anagen (growth) phase of the non-anagen
hairs. This may cause what seems to be regrowth but actually just
sleeping hairs starting to grow at the same time (new growth) This in
turn makes next treatment(s) more effective
How do I prepare for treatment?
Avoid
tanning 1 month ahead of the treatment and immediately after treatment
the skin is particularly sensitive to UV light and strong sunlight
should be avoided for 4-5 days.
How Long Does The Treatment Take?
The Facial treatment usually takes 10 minutes whereas both legs and an entire back take approximately 1hour
Is It Permanent?
Most
authorities would agree that using current laser and IPL technology it
is possible to permanently remove hair. Histology studies have found
destroyed and denatured hair follicles cells in post treatment. A recent
study showed that the percentage reduction in hairs after treatment
using IPL systems are well above 80%.
