My IPL Hair Removal Experience

While laser hair removal is one of the most well-known and effective methods of hair removal, intense pulsed light hair removal (IPL) is a newer technology that is believed to offer better long-term results. Below is my IPL hair removal experience.

Like most of the laser hair removal options, intense pulsed light hair removal also works best on people who have light colored skin and darker hair.

Also, people who have tanned their skin will find results aren’t as good as if their skin was untanned. This includes the use of self tanning products.

An intense pulsed light hair removal hair removal system is a non-surgical process that utilizes controlled flashes of light to treat the affected area.

The flash of light is absorbed by the hair and heats the hair which ideally results in the ability of the hair to regrow being disabled or completely eliminated.

In other words, the once the hair is treated, it falls out and doesn’t grow back. This is the ideal result.

I used intense pulsed light hair removal to get rid of some excess hair on my shoulders and back.

I found a local clinic run by a doctor who offered an intense pulsed light hair removal system in his practice so I set up an initial appointment to meet with their nurse to discuss the procedure face to face.

In this case, the clinic’s intense pulsed light hair removal hair removal system was operated by a trained nurse who also worked at the local hospital.

I felt safe working with a nurse and with her in particular since she fully explained the system to me and also explained what I should expect in terms of results and possible side effects.

During the initial meeting, she performed a test patch on me to see what the results would be like and also to ensure there would be no damage to my skin. Before she tried the test patch, she commented that I should basically feel a slight snapping feeling on my skin when the light hit my skin.

She commented that the feeling should be like a rubber band snapping against my skin and that the feeling should go away quickly. In other words, there should be no lingering stinging or unbearable pain.

She would then adjust the strength of the light based on what I told her ie. whether or not I felt the light pulse and whether or not it hurt more than it should.

I had these procedures done years ago and the results (ie. less hair) have remained although as hair grows in cycles, it’s always possible previously dormant hair could grow.

Interestingly, the clinic I went to no longer offers IPL hair removal and has switched to offering laser hair removal instead.

Bottom Line Results

The intense pulsed light hair removal system certainly removed a large amount of the hair that I wanted removed. I didn’t achieve 100% removal of all hair but it’s certainly a big and noticeable improvement.

I ended up going for a total of about 16 visits so it was not an absolute or quick fix. It wasn’t cheap either. On average I paid around $300 per visit.

Am I glad that I did it?

Yes, I have to say that my results have been an improvement and the experience was certainly beneficial but again, it was been costly and time consuming.

Also, to be honest I didn’t exactly follow the suggestions of the nurse related to my treatment schedule.

Specifically, she recommended that as soon as I saw hair starting to grow back in the area that was being treated, I should schedule another appointment with her to hit the new hairs as their were growing.

Given the cost of each treatment and the fact that I had to take time off work to travel to her clinic, I didn’t always schedule my appointments exactly as she’d recommended. I found myself visiting her 3-4 times per year initially and later on as the amount of hair decreased, 2-3 times per year.

Currently, the hair that remains is much thinner and much less dense than it was before I started the intense pulsed light hair removal treatments. I had a fair amount of hair too so I’d say the treatments have certainly produced positive results for me.

What You Can Expect

At the end of the day, your specific situation will depend on a number of factors such as how much hair you need removed and how much money and time you are willing to spend.

Also important is the color of your skin and color of the hair to be removed. Some hair removal methods work better with certain skin and hair colors than others.

The skill of the practitioner and the method you choose for hair removal also applies.

Your success with IPL or laser hair removal is going to depend on a few factors:

The pigmentation of your skin.
The color of the hair that you want removed.
The amount of hair you want removed.
How frequently you choose to receive the laser hair removal.
The cost of the treatment.

My IPL Hair Removal Experience