Can I Use my Home IPL Hair Removal System on my Scar?

Question

Can I use my IPL at home hair removal system on a scar? Is the IPL used for hair removal the same IPL used to remove scars? I know that this machine would be nowhere near as good as a salon type machine but if it would help my scar a little I would use it.

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hi Kaitlyn. We would not expect a home based IPL device to help you with permanent hair removal or a scar based treatment. The machines we have seen are so underpowered (for safety reasons) as to make them ineffective.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

Just a couple of points without directly answering the question. First is that there is no "scar removal" option ever available. All you can do with scars is either let them evolve over time or revise them to make them look less obvious. The other is that the best IPL machines will be found in medical offices, not salons or spas.

Can I Use my Home IPL Hair Removal System on my Scar?

Answers (2)