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IPL Treatments

Written by Advice Team on February 3, 2016

Wouldn’t being able to remove unwanted hair with no re-growth be a dream? As women who shave various parts of their bodies with the hope of being free of the unwanted stubble, we want realistic solutions that work! Shaving with your standard razor will do the job, but only for a day or two until the stubble begins to show again. As for waxing and epilating, you can have a hair-free body for up to 4 weeks - it’s an improvement. But what if there was a solution to be hairless month after month?

IPL Explained IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light and is an advanced light-based technology that is on everyone’s radar right now. This is a hair removal treatment which is used in professional beauty salons, but has since been adapted for safe and effective use in the comfort of your own home. Better yet, as opposed to waxing and epilating, IPL treatments are a painless solution to unwanted hair with even better lasting results.

Our current best selling home-use IPL

No suitable products are currently available.

There are a number of IPL hair removal systems available to choose from, with the Philips Lumea being on top for one of the most talked about systems available on the market today. In comparison to waxing, epilating, shaving and hair removals creams, the Lumea has two treatment modes:

  1. Slide and Flash is ideal for fast treatment of larger surface areas, such as legs. It’s a simple mode to use for simply gliding the device over the area you want to treat for an efficient, quick and smooth treatment.
  2. Step/Stamp and Flash on the other hand is the mode you want to select for the curvier parts of your body such as the bikini line, where you will simply hold the device on targeted areas and move along like so.

The biggest question you may have on your mind right now is, how does this treatment prevent hair growth? The melanin in the hair and roots absorbs the gentle light pulses that are applied directly to the hair. This causes the follicle to go into a resting phase, at which point the hair sheds naturally and regrowth is inhibited. Following this process once every two to four weeks will prevent hair roots from becoming active, preventing new hair from growing back.

Is this treatment suitable for your skin type and hair?

Unfortunately, IPL treatments are not suitable for everyone and it’s best to understand this from the beginning before committing yourself to purchasing one of the systems. The Philips Lumea works effectively on naturally dark blonde, brown and black hairs, but is NOT suitable for red, light-blonde or white/grey hair. In addition, it is not suitable for very dark skin. Suitability may vary according to the device you choose, but it is always advised to read up on the specifications prior to buying.

With the range of Lumea by Philips, you can enjoy over 75% hair reduction after only four bi-weekly treatments. After these four treatments you can benefit from the freedom of smooth skin for up to two months between treatments. The treatment is simple and straightforward and can easily be done anytime of the day; morning, after work or even on your lunch break if you have the time! It’s that quick and effective that you only need a couple minutes spare for each area you wish to treat.

How to use

The following is a general summary, although specifically references the Philips Lumea range.

  1. Remove excess hair from the areas you wish to treat by shaving, epilating or waxing before the first treatment.
  2. On the Philips Lumea, select the correct intensity level for your skin tone using the provided skin chart. Skin Colour Chart
  3. Turn the device on and press it to your skin. Wait for the ‘flash light’ to turn on and press the button.
  4. Slowly slide the Lumea across the treatment area, but make sure to avoid flashing the same spot.

The use of this device really is as simple as the above steps. Depending on the area of the body you wish to treat, there are a number of attachments to switch between; the body attachment is for use on large areas below the neckline. The facial attachment comes with the following models; SC1995, SC1997 and SC2005 and has a special filter which makes treating the face safe. Lastly, the smaller attachment is for use on curvier areas of the body such as the bikini line.

In order to remove all hair successfully and to prevent the hair follicle from becoming active again, the treatment should be repeated once every two weeks for the first two months. Optimal results are generally achieved after four to five treatments. To maintain results, repeat the treatments every four to eight weeks. If you interrupt the treatment at any point, the hair follicle will re-activate and hair will start growing back.

Safe and correct use

There are a few safety issues to be aware of when using an IPL system at home, so please read carefully;

  1. If you have moles or freckles in the area you wish to treat, flash around them and not directly over them.
  2. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should not use an IPL hair removal system. This has not been designed or tested for these cases and therefore should not be used.
  3. We advise not using the device if under the age of 15.
  4. Do not use the Lumea on wet skin or in the shower/bath.

 

Sounds good, discover a full range of IPL products in the BeautyKit store.