Denver IPL doctors

An IPL, or intense pulsed light machine is essentially a very bright flashbulb. These machines are capable of producing a broad spectrum of light wavelengths, but more specific ranges of wavelengths can be chosen depending on the desired treatment.

In general, IPL works by targeting particular colors with specific wavelengths of light that correspond to these colors. When flashes of light are driven into tissue, the light is absorbed by the cells that contain the colors that correspond with these particular wavelengths. For laser hair removal, wavelengths are utilized that will target the hair color, which can range from light to dark brown. The surrounding skin tissue, being lighter in color, does not absorb very much of the heat, and therefore remains unharmed. It is for this reason that it is difficult to perform laser hair removal on persons with very light hair or very dark skin. The wavelengths of light must be specific enough to target the hair without affecting the skin. Some machines are capable of doing this safely, while others are not.

However, it will always be more difficult and require more treatments on these patients. When the IPL light is absorbed by the hairs, it is converted to heat, and destroys the hair. When the hair is in its active growth phase, it is attached to the base of the follicle with a blood supply. When we are able to destroy the hair in this growth phase, we also destroy the follicle itself, and render it incapable of producing future hair. However, in later phases of growth, when the hair is not attached, the follicle may not be destroyed, and will replace the destroyed hair some weeks later. This is why laser hair removal treatments must be repeated several times, and at specific time intervals. We are attempting to reach the maximum amount of hair follicles in their active growth phase in order to achieve the greatest percentage of long term hair reduction.