Which is better IPL or Laser Hair Removal?

As a clinic owner and laser technician I often get asked which method of hair removal is best. Is IPL or Laser Hair Removal better? What is the difference and is it really important to know? Since I have carried out both of these treatments thousands of times I’m in a good position to tell you honestly.

What is the difference between IPL and Laser Hair Removal?

Firstly most people don’t realise there is a difference between these two types of treatment, and in fact salons and clinics themselves often refer to them as the same thing! There are many similarities but the technologies are different, and that means quite a big difference for you. I will try to explain and keep things as jargon free as possible. IPL or Laser hair removal….

The Difference

Lasers produce a beam of light which is just one colour. That light goes in one direction only, and is very focused, and therefore very effective. It goes into the skin/hair follicle where you point it! Mostly a particular shade of red light works best to destroy hair. Some Lasers can be safely used on all skin types from the lightest to the darkest skin. (In general IPLs are not safe to use on dark skin types as they will burn the skin) A Laser beam will tend to go deeper into the skin and hair than IPL.

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light. This technology is a mix of many colours of light, so it looks very much like ‘white light’. However it doesn’t go in one direction – it’s scattered a bit like a powerful camera flash. Plenty will go into the skin, and plenty will also fill the room, so it looks very bright. It’s not as focused as laser and generally should not be used on dark skins, as it will burn them.

The Similarity

Both IPL and Laser will reduce the amount of hair growing.  The way they do this is by generating light, which is flashed into the skin and hair follicle.  As long as the hair has colour (so it’s not blonde, grey or very pale) it will absorb the light and this causes heating. It is the heat created in this reaction which destroys the cells so the hair does not grow back.

Is IPL or Laser Hair Removal better?

In general Lasers perform better than IPL at reducing hair growth. This tends to be because the light penetrates better and is exactly the right colour to be absorbed by the colour in the hair.

However some IPLs can perform as well as Lasers, which is more down to the quality of the IPL and also down to the Laser/IPL technician.

If you have a great Laser and a poor Laser technician, then you’ll get poor results. Whereas, if you have a good IPL and a good technician then your results will be good!  If you have a good Laser and a good Laser technician then you’ll get even better results.

Clinical trials have shown that the results of an average laser will be better than the results of an average IPL.  So if you have 6 sessions of Laser, you’ll need approximately 8 sessions of IPL to get the same result.  Saying that I have personally experienced an exceptional IPL which is as effective as your average Laser.

So why do clinics offer IPL and not just Laser for hair removal?

The answer for this is quite simple, it’s down to cost and the multi-functional capabilities of an IPL.  Since an IPL produces many colours of light, it can be used to treat other things.  The investment to purchase a good Laser or IPL is a big one!  So if that machine can also be used to not only get rid of hair but also improve the skin, it becomes more attractive to buy.  That’s why many salons and clinics will opt to invest in an IPL instead of a Laser.  They can use the IPL machine for hair removal, plus treatments like red veins and pigmentation removal.  Whereas a hair removal Laser is used primarily for hair removal, as that’s what it’s designed for.  (There are a few exceptions, but not for this blog!)

In summary Lasers:

• effectively destroy hair by the absorption of light, causing heat
• produce a single beam of red light that goes straight to its target
• go a bit deeper than IPL to get the hair
• can be used on all skin colours (if the correct laser)
• usually get better results than IPLs (although the operator is a major factor)
• primarily used for hair removal

IPLs:

• effectively destroy hair by the absorption of light, causing heat
• produce a mixture of light colours
• scatter light in every direction, so not as focused as laser
• generally not safe to use on dark skin, but fine for fair skin
• can get very good results if a good IPL and a good operator
• used for hair removal as well as skin treatments

I hope this guide helps in your IPL or Laser hair removal decision! If you’d like any more information feel free to contact me at rach@radiantliving.co.uk

_____________________________________________________________________

If you’re in my area of Lancashire, you may with to view our laser hair removal page here.