IPL Permanent Hair Removal

A goggle will be given to protect your eyes from bright flash of light emitted from the IPL handpiece. During the procedure, IPL gel will be applied on the treatment areas, then the handpiece will be gently placed on the skin. The handpiece will be moved around until all the areas are treated.

Laser hair removal is permanent hair reduction, not permanent hair removal. It’s not uncommon for patients to require maintenance treatments once a year, even after the area has been fully treated. The reason: The laser targets and destroys your current hair follicles, but new follicles can develop due to hormonal changes or shifts in weight.

The sensation of the procedure is universally described as a rubber band snapping against your skin. This feeling will only last for a millisecond – the time it takes for the laser to target your hair follicle and zap it away. While your skin may be a little red and puffy after the procedure, you shouldn’t feel any pain in the area by the time you leave the clinic.

Laser hair reduction works on almost every skin type-from very light-skinned people to people with darker skin tones. Our therapist at ADDC Total Cosmetic Care is highly trained and knowledgeable enough to decide if the type IPL permanent hair removal is suitable for your skin type and hair color

The procedure time depends on the area being treated. Each hair follicle is zapped in a millisecond, so a small area (such as the armpits) will take less than five minutes to complete. Larger areas (such as the legs) might take half an hour to 1 hour or more.

Most patients need between 6 to 10 treatments to achieved 85% hair reduction; these treatments should be performed every 4 to 6 weeks. As hair grows in cycles, several sessions are necessary in order to affect all hair on any given area. Treatments are scheduled based on the average length of hair growth cycles; hair cycle length varies depending on the body part. The face usually has a shorter treatment cycle and therefore more frequent treatments (about 3 to 4 weeks apart) whereas legs and back need less frequent treatments (closer to 4 to 8 weeks apart).

All of the treated hair should be expected to shed out within 2 weeks of each treatment. Exfoliating gently in the shower with a loofa can help speed up the shedding process.

Once the hair sheds; you will experience a hair-free period for several weeks. Once new hair comes in again, usually within the 4-8-week interval, you should come in for your next session.

Prior to your IPL hair reduction treatment, you should stop plucking or waxing at least four weeks before your treatment. The light targets the hairs’ roots, which are temporarily removed by waxing or plucking and will thereby render treatment ineffective. You may shave as often as you’d like leading up to your treatment date.

You should also avoid sun exposure in the treatment area for six weeks before and after treatment whenever possible. Sun exposure makes IPL hair reduction less effective and makes complications after treatment more likely.

For a day or two afterward, the treated area of your skin may look and feel like it’s sunburned. Cool compresses and moisturizers can help.

Over the next month, your treated hair will fall out. Wear sunscreen for the following month to help prevent temporary changes in the colour of the treated skin.

Some people may experience the following potential temporary side effects:

• Itching
• Redness for up to 3 days
• Swelling around the follicle for up to 3 days

Tingling or feeling of numbness

While the vast majority of patients achieve outstanding results from IPL hair reduction, people with excessive hair growth particularly in unusual areas may want to explore any possible underlying medical conditions prior to receiving IPL hair reduction. Men may experience excessive growth due to undiagnosed insulin resistance whereas women with male-pattern facial hair may want to see an endocrinologist to rule out any possibility of PCOS, Hirsutism, or elevated testosterone levels.

IPL hair reduction can only destroy hair that’s currently growing. For example, you may have an area treated and effectively destroy all of the hair that was growing at the time of treatment, yet you­­­­ may grow new hair (though this is usually just a few strands) due to hormonal changes that trigger new growth from previously dormant follicles such as pregnancy and menopause. IPL hair reduction does not stop your body from developing new hair from dormant follicles due to medical conditions after treatments are completed.