IPL and laser are two methods of permanent hair removal. Prices, results, number of sessions… Here are their similarities and differences.
Are IPL and laser hair removal permanent?
Shaving, waxing, and depilatory cream are very popular hair removal methods, but they can be time-consuming.
Tired of spending hours removing hair every month? Permanent hair removal may be for you.
Today, you can use laser or IPL to permanently remove hair. This trend has become very popular in recent years.
IPL or laser for the bikini area?
With these two cutting-edge technologies, you can remove hair from your bikini line to your calves, including sensitive facial areas. Convenient! But which technique should you choose? Laser or IPL? We’ll help you see everything more clearly.
What is more effective: pulsed light or laser?
What do pulsed light and laser have in common?
1/ Clear effect and long treatment time
Regardless of whether you choose one method or the other, the end result is the same: no hair regrowth in the treated area. Both techniques therefore have the same goal: freeing you from the need for hair removal. Achieving this goal takes one to two years. “Sessions are spaced approximately two months apart, and waxing is not permitted between sessions,” explains Manon Fuertes, training manager at Body Minute. Tip: Be patient, and you’ll be pleased with the results.
2/ Same number of sessions
Both methods are based on the same principle of destroying the hair follicle. Optimal results require an average of 6 to 10 sessions. This number varies depending on the patient’s age, hair growth, and skin type.
3/ The same contraindications
Regardless of whether laser or pulsed light is used, “exposure to sunlight during the treatment should be avoided” to avoid the risk of burns. Other contraindications common to both permanent hair removal methods include “taking certain photosensitizing medications, using certain essential oils, or certain dietary supplements that accelerate tanning or hair growth (brewer’s yeast, etc.).”
Regarding the sensations, the expert explains that “both methods can be painful; it’s a matter of individual sensitivity.” Some people may have difficulty with these treatments, while others tolerate them very well.
Differences between intense pulsed light and laser hair removal
1/ Treatment
“Intense pulsed light works by applying a gel to the skin, which often allows patients to distinguish between the two techniques. It uses a broad spectrum of wavelengths from 400 to 1200 nanometers. It is effective on certain skin tones and hair types. It often requires multiple sessions to achieve optimal results. It is ideal for hair removal in the intimate areas and underarms, for example,” explains Dr. Streel, a specialist in aesthetic medicine, in a TikTok video.
“The laser (the alexandrite laser, one of the most well-known, editor’s note) is a laser, so it emits a specific wavelength, specifically 755 nanometers. This wavelength is absorbed by the melanin in hair and slightly less by water, so it’s ideal because the surrounding tissues will react less to it, and the hair will react very well. It’s very fast, we can treat larger areas, and often fewer sessions are needed to achieve optimal results. For now, it’s the most effective hair removal technique,” the specialist continues.
However, a laser must be “performed by a dermatologist, a certified specialist,” while a pulsed light session can be performed by a previously trained cosmetologist. The reason? “With pulsed light, we penetrate less deeply, staying between the dermis and the subcutaneous tissue: we’re only looking for the hair bulb,” explains Manon Fuertes, so the effect is less aggressive than with a laser.
“The light photocoagulates the hair bulb with heat, melting it and preventing it from growing back,” while the laser “performs photothermolysis, bursting the hair bulb,” the expert explains.
2/What are the disadvantages of laser hair removal? Skin type treated
Pulsed light can be used on dark skin, “up to phototype 5, but with a gentler setting,” explains Manon Fuertes. “On light skin, we set it to around 20 joules because the skin reflects light.” The darker the light, the more light it absorbs: “it becomes difficult to distinguish between skin color and hair color, and there’s a risk of burns.”
Laser, on the other hand, can be used on light or dark skin, depending on the type of device used. Unlike pulsed light, lasers send a specific wavelength to a specific location – the hair follicle. In the case of dark skin, the device disperses a specific wavelength, allowing the hair to be distinguished from the skin.
3/ Cena
Laser is more expensive than pulsed light treatment. Underarm treatments cost an average of €80 for a laser session and €50 for a pulsed light treatment. Prices vary depending on the doctor and facility and may be higher.