Difference Between Professional and Home IPL?

Question

Heard about Philips Lumea IPL home hair removal system. On their website it says that the machine makes hair follicle to go to resting phase. So unless the device is used frequently, the hair will eventually grow back. Was wondering if salon quality IPL and laser treatments do the same thing, or do they actually destroy the hair root completely, so it never grows back, even if no regular treatment are made? Thank you very much!

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Go to a medical advisor and have a professional treatment done. Home laser devices is low in energy so you will never see any result unless your zapping your skin day and night. You will see a much faster and longer lasting result doing an IPL /YAG/Laser hair removal when going to physicians office.

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hi Cinnan.  The first thing we would advise is never to have an IPL treatment if you want permanent hair removal.  It's called "laser hair removal" because lasers work best and an IPL is not a laser.  If you are lighter or medium skin tone, you should be searching for a Diode or Alexandrite laser and if you are African American then you should look for a Yag laser.

	A home based system is severely underpowered to produce permanent laser hair removal, which is what you should expect at a medical office.  The key is that the base of the hair follicle needs to achieve a high enough temperature to disable the small blood vessels that provide nutrients for the hair to grow.  With the high powered lasers used at medical offices, your practitioner will be able to achieve permanent closure of the small blood vessel and therefore permanent hair removal.  With a home based device this is unlikely to happen. Good luck.

Benjamin Barankin, MD, FRCPC · Answer

The home devices being marketed now as lasers, acne red light and other treatments are a huge joke and waste of your time, money and energy. The idea that people can "laser themselves" is absurd. They are weak and ineffective and not worth the bother. See a professional/physician's office for your treatment so that you get great results, lasting results, and so you don't hurt yourself. ~ Dr. Benjamin Barankin, Toronto Dermatology Centre.

Leyda Elizabeth Bowes, MD · Answer

Dear writer, Home-Use IPL devices may have a low-level beneficial application for hair reduction when used long term. You may also research the term 'low level energy paradoxical hair stimulation' which is a phenomenon that may happen at times when low energy devices are used for hair removal (unexpected increase in hair growth). If you desire more effective hair reduction in far fewer sessions, you may undergo IPL or Laser Hair Reduction at a local dermatologist or plastic surgeon's office.

F. Victor Rueckl, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

In very simple terms here's some info: One home unit has an energy output of 7 joules. My in-office unit has one up to 1000 joules. You can figure out which one is going to give you lasting, good results and has the potential to actually permanently destroy hairs.

Difference Between Professional and Home IPL?

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Answer: IPL hair reduction: Home Unit vs Doctor's Office Device

Answer: IPL hair reduction: Home Unit vs Doctor's Office Device

Answer: Home vs Office IPL devices

Answer: Home vs Office IPL devices

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Difference Between Professional and Home IPL?

Answers (5)

Answer: IPL hair reduction: Home Unit vs Doctor's Office Device

Answer: IPL hair reduction: Home Unit vs Doctor's Office Device

Answer: Home vs Office IPL devices

Answer: Home vs Office IPL devices

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about IPL

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.