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What is IPL and How Does IPL Work?
How does IPL technology work, what are its benefits and does IPL hair removal have any side effects? If you have ever wanted to raise these questions with an expert, you are in the right place. The Cosmetic Dermatologist Dr. Stefanie Williams is the founder and Medical Director of the skin care clinic Eudelo, in London’s esteemed Harley Street. As a consulting Dermatologist for IPL hair removal with Philips Lumea she answers some of your questions here. With the right advice you can administer IPL hair removal from the comfort of your own home.
How does the Intense Pulsed Light method with Philips Lumea Prestige work?
Philips Lumea offers hair removal via IPL. It uses the Intense Pulsed Light technology, also known as IPL. Essentially, the device utilises high-energy light to achieve long-term hair reduction. It works by progressively reducing the re-growth of hair by applying gentle pulses of light to heat to the hair root (i.e. hair follicle). This puts the hair into a resting phase.
Existing hair then sheds naturally and regrowth is greatly slowed down. You simply apply the IPL treatment on the desired area of the body every two weeks for a six week period, to reduce hair growth by up to 92%*. After this initial phase, you do the IPL hair removal at home every 6-8 weeks to maintain the results.
Why is hair removal with IPL your chosen method?
I like the IPL treatment, because Intense Pulsed Light is highly effective and achieves long-term hair-free skin on various parts of the body, without the need for daily shaving or other cumbersome hair removal methods. Also, when shaving the underarm area, you might still notice a ‘shadow’, as the hair shaft is still present under the skin in the hair follicle. After IPL hair removal however, the follicle is empty and there is less of a ‘shadow’ to see. Also, with waxing/epilating, you will have to wait for the hair to grow out before being able to wax/epilate again, which is not great either and needs planning ahead. Also, some hair removal methods will increase the risk of ingrown hairs with folliculitis. In my experience, this is not the case after IPL as the hair follicle remains empty if you use it as recommended. Lastly you can administer IPL at home so you get all the benefits of a salon IPL treatment at a lower price and from the convenience of your own home.
What about IPL side effects – does it hurt?
No. If you have experienced in-clinic IPL treatments you will know that most of these are not pain free, however, one of the great things about the Philips Lumea Prestige is that it is virtually pain free. If you have more pigment, or colour in your skin you may feel a faint flick, similar to that of a rubber band, but nothing more. The new inbuilt SmartSkin sensor featured on the device ensures the correct setting is selected according to the user’s individual skin tone, so women should not experience pain as IPL side effects when using the device.
In clinical studies the device has been shown to reduce hair growth up to 92%* in as little as three treatments, and I saw a noticeable difference in my own hair after just two!
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How long does it take to see results with IPL hair removal at home?
Results differ from person to person depending on their skin and hair type. Philips advise that you initially conduct four bi-weekly treatments on the desired area of the body to achieve optimum results. In my experience, you may start to see significant changes earlier. In clinical studies the device has been shown to reduce hair growth up to 92%* in as little as three treatments, and I saw a noticeable difference in my own hair after just two! After the initial four treatments, you can then top-up on treatments as and when necessary. This may be every 6-8 weeks, but some customers even report being able to reduce top-ups to twice a year with time.
See below ↓
Recommended
Lumea Prestige
IPL hair removal device
Enjoy 6 months of hair-free smooth skin*
Philips Lumea Prestige with SenseIQ technology is our most effective IPL. Designed for convenient treatment at home, Lumea's intelligent attachments perfectly fit every curve of your body and adapt programs tailored for each body area.
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Find similar productsAre the results of an IPL treatment permanent?
Unfortunately, no light-based hair removal method such as IPL and laser hair removal can provide permanent results, not even in-clinic treatments. You will always need top-ups to maintain the results. However, the Philips Lumea Prestige does allow women to be continually hair free for six months, if used as recommended. I found that after my initial four bi-weekly treatments I now only have to top-up about every eight weeks. This time frame between treatments is likely to even increase further with continued use
Does IPL hair removal bear risks? Is the Philips Lumea Prestige safe to use?
The device has been developed with leading skin scientists and dermatologists and was tested on over 2,000 women prior to launch. Used correctly, the Philips Lumea Prestige should not have any negative impact on your skin or body, neither short, nor long term.
It has a number of in-built safety features to make treatments as easy and effective as possible and minimise the risk of IPL hair removal at home. These include a sensor that ensures the light only flashes when the attachment is positioned correctly on the skin and has full contact, so no light can escape. In addition, a SmartSkin sensor enables women to measure their skin tone by simply pressing a button. The sensor advises the best setting to work most effectively for them based on their individual skin colour and ensures optimum results. The device will continue to measure the skin tone throughout the treatment and will not flash, if it’s not safe (i.e. the intensity is too high). If women are still concerned and fearing potential risks of IPL hair removal, the device allows them to reduce the level of intensity to something they are more comfortable with (maybe to start with) but will not allow the user to override the recommended intensity upwards in order to avoid any IPL hair removal risks and side effects. You also don’t need to use any gel and don’t have to wear goggles while using the Lumea.
What happens if I use the Philips Lumea Prestige more frequently than every two weeks?
It is not harmful, however it won’t improve the results due to the natural cycle of hair regrowth, and I therefore wouldn’t recommend it.
If you’re interested in more body hair removal methods, we review the best hair removal methods and weigh up the pros and cons to help you decide the best method for you. For more hair removal tips see our Philips beauty tips resource.
* Adherence to the treatment plan; detected at the legs after the third treatment. Individual results may vary.
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