Ever wondered about #IPL laser hair removal or skin rejuvenation but never knew exactly how it works?  Or Maybe you even tried it and was miss informed and never received the desired results?

Well at #fabwomen we strive to educate, help and get the best possible results for our clients!

Lets focus a little bit on IPL laser hair removal.

First things first, you need to understand that laser hair removal is a cosmetic procedure and therefore no machine can claim a 100% guaranteed hair free results!  It is designed for cosmetic hair reduction and therefore a good result in less hair to almost hair free can be achieved.  Results are also based on various factors that can have influence on it, and can also be caused by hormonal or medical factors.

How safe is IPL laser?

Based on published studies done by H. Chan, MD, performed over a 6-month period with different types of lasers and IPL systems no evidence was found of any skin cancers or skin toxicity.

It is very important to remember that that there is a wide variety of lasers and each laser machine has it is own main functions and what it is specifically designed for!  A “soft laser” treatment is NOT laser – it is only light therapy and must never be confused for laser like IPL or YAG lasers!  Please make sure you familiarise yourself with the exact treatment and machine that is being done.

How does IPL laser hair removal work on the hair?

To understand how the laser work for hair removal you need to understand the hair growth cycle.The hair follicle moves through different stages during growth. 

1) the anagen phase – active growth,

2) catagen phase – between active and dormant and

3) telogen phase – resting phase as the shaft becomes detached and falls out.  this then means that hair will be treated at different intervals and phases.

Eg.  Hair on the face will initially be scheduled 3-6 weeks apart due to the beard and upper lip hair having a telogen (resting phase) of only 6-10 weeks. 

This means that you will definitely catch the next active phase in time with each session.  Eventually treatments will be scheduled according to the resting phase cycle length.

Below the neck (underarms, arms, tummy, back, bikini ect) however the hairs are primarily composed of dormant hair, with a 70% of the hair falling into the resting phase for a 12-week period.  Therefore, treatments are scheduled at intervals of 6-8weeks and eventually extended to a 12-week period.

If intervals are too short – you WILL see dramatic reduction of hair but as the months advance you could have up to a 70% regrowth

Research have shown that with 4-6 laser treatments, one can obtain a 50-90% long-term clearance rate

Brown, dark brown and black hairs are best targets with highest efficiency of clearance, where blond, white, red and grey hairs were more difficult to treat and took longerIt is important to understand that the laser treatment will need to be maintained of a period of time to get long term effects

In preparation of treatment:

No shaving, plucking waxing or using depilatories for up to 4 weeks prior to treatment

No active tanning up to 4 weeks prior to treatment

No artificial tanning products should be applied for 2 weeks before treatment

Hair should be shaved 24-48 hours before session

Info references – milady’s aesthetician seriesIf you have any questions or need any more information regarding the treatments please don’t hesitate to contact us any time