The ultimate guide and review of IPL hair removal machines

For men and women who find shaving a tiring and tedious exercise, there are modern day options that are quicker and easier. IPL or intense pulsed light is among the modern technologies that take the pain out of regular shaving.

This technology was originally evolved for use by medical and cosmetic practitioners to carry out a variety of skin treatments for therapeutic and aesthetic purposes including photo rejuvenation and hair removal.  Photo rejuvenation is a method of addressing skin pigmentation, thread veins and sun damage, apart from alleviating other skin diseases.

It is important that you understand the suitability of a particular device that you choose to your skin tone. To make the task lighter for you, we have reviewed multiple brands.

Before we move to the brands, it is essential to understand that IPL hair removal gadgets are small handheld contraptions, but with enormous power to remove your natural hair permanently. The thought of acquiring one such gadget for your needs need not be daunting since the product offerings have continuously evolved to be more effective in eliminating or reducing facial and body hair. What is more desirable is that the prices have also been dropping consistently over a period of time.

How Do IPL Machines Work

IPL works by manipulating light that gets absorbed by the melanin in hairs which damage the follicle. Over a period of time, the hair gets weaker and stops growing eventually.  However, it is essential that you do not confuse between laser and IPL. While IPL uses intense pulsed light, it does not constitute laser and instead emits a spectrum of wavelengths and colours to reduce hair growth.

Laser, on the other hand delivers a singular red light wave to remove the hair follicle permanently.  Most hair removal machines for domestic use employ IPL. If you are using an IPL machine, it is likely that you will see some regrowth and therefore need to repeat the hair removal process once every 6 or 12 months. More importantly, you should also check the hair and skin chart of the particular brand to confirm whether the machine is well suited to your skin tone. An ideal combination however, would be fair skin and dark sin. On the other side, laser devices are generally not effective for people with dark or very light hair (white, grey, red or blonde).

Is Your Skin Tone Right For the Machine?

For individuals with very light or very dark skin, some of these devices may simply not work because by design, the machine locks itself when it is unsafe for you to use. Nevertheless, most machines come with a minimum of 3 levels of intensity giving you the option to choose depending on the pain threshold you can endure. Some devices also sport power setting to choose on the basis of your skin tone. Experts suggest starting with a low power setting and gradually work the way up.

Before you start using the device, the skin should be shaved fresh and should not be waxed since the follicle needs to remain under the skin. Likewise, you are better off not using these devices for intimate areas like the nipples, upper lip and the genitals.

Leading dermatologists also suggest that people with darker skin need to exercise more caution since pigmentation and discoloration may occur. If you have doubts about the effectiveness of a particular device, you can approach a trained specialist who can carry out the task tailoring the settings to suit your individual circumstances. Such an option can also be more effective and comparatively cheaper.

On that note, here are reviews after testing the machines for more than 3 months on women and men in the age profile of 20 to 50 years. All the machines reviewed by us resulted in significant hair reduction.

Iluminage Touch

This was the first among home IPL devices approved on the basis of results for all hair colours and skin tones. It is pretty easy to use and effective. You can merely plug in and choose from 3 different intensity settings. Once the choice is made you can select the start button and slowly glide over the desired area, 2 to 3 times. This is also the singular device where you are not required to hold the button down and therefore frees you from potential finger ache.

This handheld device emits flashes of light that won’t hurt you and instead provides a warming sensation. The device also includes protection glasses. By repeating every week, you can experience significant reduction by the 4^thsession. We also noticed that there was virtually no regrowth of hair in areas like arms, the legs showed tiny patches coming on medium, dark and light skin tones.

Universal IPL

Universal offers the ultimate in hair removal gadgets for clinics that love efficiency and versatility. Operators can access a range of treatments with a singular system and that is not limited to only hair removal. Global as well as Australian professionals praise the IPL machines offered by Universal Medical Aesthetics.

The machine offers quick and painless treatments that can be administered with ease and comfort making it very convenient for the patients. For optimal results, regular treatment is recommended. However, many clients experience marked improvement from a single session. Company also offers marketing resources, technical and treatment support.

Philips Lumea Prestige

This comes with 4 curved heads that are detachable, making it very convenient for different areas.  The device is simple to use and a smart skin sensor identifies the power setting that is just right for the skin tone of the user. The device locks itself when very light or very dark skin is encountered. You also have the advantage of keeping the device plugged in for use on larger areas, while going cordless for smaller patches. With a bi-weekly use, it was noticed that the hair nearly disappeared after 4 to 5 treatments.

Braun Silk

This is particularly suitable for individuals with sensitive skin. It comes with ‘gentle’ as well as ‘extra gentle’ settings and makes it very comfortable to use. Another desirable feature is that the power setting adapts itself to the skin tone as you use it. Therefore, you are free from the bother of more or less power and don’t need to do anything manually. Noticeable improvement can be experienced in about 5 weeks with weekly use and by about the 12^thweek any remaining stray hair will also become practically invisible.

You can now make an informed choice on what works best for you.