Laser hair removal can be a personal decision; however, there are some considerations you should keep in mind before opting for treatment.
Prior to your laser appointment, it is recommended to shave because long hairs can absorb some of the light energy generated from the laser and prevent it from reaching your skin.
Cost
Diode laser hair removal tends to be more costly than IPL due to the more sophisticated technologies and expertise required. However, diode hair removal tends to be more efficient than IPL in terms of results achieved and requires fewer sessions, making it the more cost-effective choice in the long run.
Although laser treatments may appear to cost more initially, their long-term savings in shaving or waxing expenses often more than offset any additional expenditures. Furthermore, many clients report permanent results after participating in multiple sessions of diode laser hair removal treatments.
Diode laser hair removal sessions use pulses of light energy delivered via a handheld device and applied against the skin, to penetrate deeply into your pores and target active hair follicles that produce hair growth, heating them to such an extent that they cannot survive and eventually destroying them, stopping their production altogether resulting in a more polished, hairless surface.
Diode laser hair removal sessions vary in duration depending on the size and thickness of treatment areas; most patients can be in and out within an hour. Prior to your session, it is important to shave the area and refrain from applying makeup, deodorant or spray tanning products on your skin; waxing, threading or tweezing the area in order to ensure an efficient experience.
Though both IPL and diode laser hair removal treatments are effective at eliminating hair follicles, IPL may be less successful on some hair and skin types than laser treatments due to IPL emitting multiple wavelengths that cover visible and infrared energies; this allows more selective absorption into hair follicles leading to less effective destruction of them.
MeDioStar diode laser treatments do not suffer from this limitation and can treat all skin tones and hair colors effectively, therefore we highly suggest scheduling a free consultation to see if MeDioStar is right for you.
Effectiveness
Have you tried IPL or diode laser hair removal devices at home? While they’re certainly less effective than professional treatments sessions, many still find them preferable to daily shaving or waxing and often achieve desired results after just a few treatments.
At each treatment session, IPL or diode laser energy is absorbed by melanin in the hair follicle and transformed into heat, damaging its structure and stopping future hair growth. For optimal results it is therefore essential that a regular schedule of sessions be maintained.
Home IPL or diode laser devices are rarely operated by trained aestheticians, meaning users must take frequent breaks in between treatments to maintain consistent or patchy results. Furthermore, these devices don’t offer as many comfort features (like cooling mist) than clinic devices and may not be safe to use on certain skin types or hair colors.
Medical aesthetics practitioners are specially trained to safely perform IPL or diode laser treatments on all types of skin and hair colors – as well as all areas of the body – using cooling gel for your comfort during treatment. Furthermore, they will provide pre-treatment instructions as well as maintenance plans to help ensure lasting results.
Laser treatments offer safe, non-invasive, permanent hair removal without anesthesia or sutures – making them an excellent option for both women and men alike.
Though IPL is technically a type of laser, its broad spectrum of wavelengths creates unfocused energy around the area being treated, meaning much of its energy may not reach hair follicles for absorption resulting in less-than-effective results. Furthermore, IPL increases risks such as burns and pigmentation especially if devices do not feature built-in cooling capabilities.
Discomfort
If you’re seeking ways to remove unwanted hair, there are various approaches available. While some methods require frequent upkeep and require ongoing maintenance, others such as laser hair removal may be permanent and painless solutions. Laser hair removal is one such permanent and painless solution available, but may cause discomfort for those with sensitive skin; in these instances it’s wise to consult a dermatologist or have other professional assist you before undertaking this procedure.
Laser energy used for IPL hair removal absorbs melanin pigment present in hair follicles, turning it into heat that causes them to die off and prevent further hair growth. Furthermore, this heat reduction helps reduce wrinkles and sun damage as well as improving skin tone and texture.
Laser hair removal is a safe and effective treatment option suitable for all types of skin. However, it may be less successful on patients with dark or tanned complexions as melanin absorbs light energy to render this method ineffective. Your individual results may require multiple sessions.
IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light and uses broad spectrum light that penetrates the skin to stimulate or treat various issues. Due to its non-selective nature, diode laser hair removal may cause less discomfort compared to IPL treatments; tanning should be avoided prior and after IPL sessions for even skin tone.
IPL devices offer several advantages for all skin types. To maximize comfort during treatment, it is recommended that the area be shaved prior to beginning an IPL session, and any makeup, deodorant or spray products be kept out of the treatment area altogether. Also avoid tweezing, shaving or waxing of this area prior to your session with IPL.
While both IPL and diode laser hair removal treatments are safe, they may cause side effects for people with darker skin that include nausea or vomiting during treatment or reddened patches on their skin that should subside over time. These side effects should only last temporarily; after a few days.
Side Effects
IPL hair removal is generally safe and produces few side effects; however, it is essential that treatment follow guidelines, including not tanning before or after sessions and applying sun protection afterward. Also avoid shaving or waxing prior to IPL treatments as some individuals may experience temporary discomfort that can be relieved with topical pain relief products.
Home IPL hair removal can be completed from the comfort of your own home, but keep in mind that these machines require regular maintenance to function optimally. Maintenance frequency and duration depends on the specific machine; some require replacing flash lamps while others might require changing handpieces or filters more regularly than others. To lower maintenance costs further, choose devices with long warranties to minimize replacement parts costs.
If IPL hair removal is something you are considering, take note of all its potential advantages. Not only can it improve the way you look and save money in the long run by eliminating the need for shaving or waxing, it may also decrease the risk of ingrown hairs – studies have proven its efficacy as an effective and safe hair reduction treatment method.
However, IPLs do not qualify as true laser treatments as their light output contains multiple wavelengths that cannot be focused directly onto hair follicles; thus leading to less effective destruction of hair follicles than with true laser devices. Furthermore, these devices do not work well on darker skin tones (i.e. those above Fitzpatrick tone III).
IPL devices may cause unpleasant side effects such as redness or inflammation if the area being treated has been tanned, as well as burns or pigmentation if not used with an integrated cooling system. Therefore, it is vital to use only high-quality, FDA-cleared technology devices with user manuals that include skin tone guidance, contraindications, and tanning guidance.
Though both IPL and diode laser hair removal carry risks, both treatments remain immensely popular among women and men alike. Though there have been some negative comments online regarding IPL or diode laser devices for hair removal, most users have found the results life-changing due to being more efficient and permanent than other techniques such as shaving or waxing.
