Whether its home based or salon based, choosing the best method of hair removal is a bit tough. All methods promise that they will leave your skin smooth and hair-free, but how exactly do you make the right decision? Waxing and shaving are two of the most common forms of hair removal but they are only temporary, so which is best between laser hair removal or intense pulsed laser (IPL) hair removal?
The biggest difference between laser hair removal and IPL hair removal is the kind of light that is being used to remove the hair. IPL is a broadband pulsing source of light whereas the lase hair removal utilises a monochromatic light source. Both of these methods target the melanin deep within the hair follicle and permanent hair loss results can be expected from both methods.
What’s the deal with IPL then?
IPL kills the hairs to stop them from coming back, but unlike laser hair removal the IPL light source is emitted at multiple different wavelengths. The big selling point for IPL is that it works best for those who have darker hair as this kind of hair can absorb the light a lot better and the results will show much better.
It has many pro’s, including the following;
- IPL is far less painful than other methods of hair removal
- The strong wavelengths are powerful enough to quickly destroy the root of the hair
- You don’t need to worry about the timing of your treatments and your hair growing back
- IPL treatments are incredibly precise and only affect the hair rather than the skin
- They’re very quick treatments and don’t take long at all
- It’s much more affordable than laser hair removal as it can be done at home
On the flipside though, it does have a few cons;
- IPL isn’t effective on lighter hair, including white and grey hairs
- It can be expensive if done professionally
What about laser hair removal?
Laser hair removal also kills the hairs and stops them from ever growing back, but only utilises a single and precise wavelength of light that targets a deeper level of the skin and kill the hair follicles at the base. Unlike IPL, laser hair removal machines send out small zaps to target individual and specific hairs rather than aiming them at a large group in one go.
Laser hair removal has multiple pro’s including;
- Often has permanent removal after just a few treatments
- Laser hair removal is an incredibly fast treatment and can be performed by trained aestheticians in very little time
- It’s an incredibly precise treatment and can remove large amount of individual hair
- Can be a lot more suitable for people with darker skin than IPL
Again though, it does have some drawbacks;
- It doesn’t work as well on peple who have thinner hair
- It can be pricey depending on the number of treatments needed
Both treatments have similar results and use similar concepts with slightly differing technologies, but many argue that laser hair removal is the better of the two treatments!