Will IPL Work for Patient with PCOS?

Question

I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ) and I am worried that IPL will not work on me as I have a hormone problem.  Is this correct?

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Lasers (rather than IPL) are an excellent option for permanent hair removal for PCOS patients.  We do not use IPL for any hair removal.  Based on our research (and because we have spoken to hundreds of patients and practitioners) we do not believe it will lead to permanent removal of the hair.
Laser hair removal is very different than IPL. Lasers are much higher powered and much more specific (to skin and hair type) and the proper use of lasers (even in PCOS patients) will lead to permanent hair removal.  We have found that using IPL may lead to temporary hair removal but that it's not permanent.
Laser hair removal works when the small blood vessel that feeds the hair is closed during treatment.  Closing this small blood vessel requires that the hair be heated to a temperature high enough to cause it damage.  The problem with IPL is that it does not achieve the same peak energies that lasers do and is thus less effective at closing these small blood vessels. 
Finally, PCOS patients often think laser hair removal does not work for them because they continue to have hair growth.  With PCOS, hair that is very fine and colorless has the ability to change (via hormonal imbalances) over time to hair that is colored and coarse.  Because lasers are not able to effectively remove fine, colorless hair, the number of treatments required for PCOS patients increases because of the constant change in the makeup of the facial hair.

Don Mehrabi, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question.
From your question, I'm assuming you mean the excess hair growth that is seen in PCOS and the IPL hair removal procedure. Any other IPL procedure would work in patients with PCOS without any difficulty. In regards to the excess hair growth and the IPL procedure, you should have no problem with using the IPL, and in fact, it is an excellent treatment for the excess hair growth that most people get on the chin, cheeks, jawline, and neck areas.
The excess hair growth seen in PCOS is due to the production of excess androgens (male hormones) that then leads to excess growth in male-dependent hair growth areas (e.g. - the beard area). IPL hair removal is used to target the melanin in the hair and the hair bulb, thereby destroying the hair follicle. It doesn't matter what the cause of the hair growth is, where it is, or how much you have. If you have a hair that is dark, IPL will work on it.
Hope this helps!

Will IPL Work for Patient with PCOS?

Answers (2)

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.

Will IPL Work for Patient with PCOS?

Answers (2)

Browse related questions

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.