IPL Hair Removal Effectiveness

The most effective hair removal occurs with lasers not IPL. In addition, IPL is least effective and has the most side effects for darker skin types because it does not have the correct wavelength range (1064 nm) to effectively treat this skin. The most effective types of lasers for permanent hair removal are: Diode and Alexandrite (light skinned patients) Long Pulsed Nd:Yg (dark skinned patients) If you are in Stockholm your best bet is going to be the Lumenis Lightsheer... more

Without a doubt, laser is more effective for the treatment of excessive hair, or hypertrichosis. The laser can be modulated with pulse width, power, and treatment size to improve absorption by hair follicles. I have personally performed thousands of hair removal treatments with the laser systems in all skin types, including African American and Hispanic skin, with great efficacy.

Nancy, Most laser hair removal studies show that for permanent "Hair Reduction" 755nm or 810nm Lasers work the best. Dark hair responds the best and blond hair has the poorest response. Many treatments will cause the hairs to enter telogen, but don't offer good hair reduction when patients are followed long term.

IPL and lasers can both be used for laser hair removal. IPL is safer for darker skin types but it takes longer to achieve permanent results. Diode lasers are usually very effective and work best on light skin and dark hair. They also require less treatments.

Both lasers and ipl can be effective. For an understanding of which modality is right for you, visit an experienced practitioner.

There are many good systems out there today. The 1064 laser is a good system for darker skin and dark hair. But to get lighter hair you will need the 755 or 810 diode. The diode with RF can be used on skin types from I-VI, but the hand piece is heavier and more cumbersome. There is no 1 perfect laser hair removal system. There are also combination systems with both 1064 and 755, which are individualized to the patient.

There are many devices out there for laser hair removal.  We have always considered lasers to be the gold standard for hair removal but I am not so sure that is always the case with some of the newer IPL systems.  In my office, we have excellent success with the BBL for our hair removal patients, we also have a long pulsed NdYag but this is used less often now that we have such success with the BBL.  The limitations of IPL/BBL is that they cannot be used at high... more

I use both. The lasers work better and are safer for darker skinned patients. But, I feel that alternating the two during alternate treatment sessions is more effective than one alone.