If the past 20 months have taught us anything it’s that, surprisingly and reassuringly, a lot of fitness and beauty goals can be achieved from the comfort of our own homes. And long-term hair removal is no exception.
At-home IPL machines have come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with advancements in technology meaning you can now achieve results to rival in-salon treatments. But what exactly is IPL – and is it worth it? We ask expert Dr Anita Sturnham, a medical doctor specialising in dermatology, all of our burning questions.
How does IPL technology work?
Dr Sturnham: IPL stands for ‘intense pulsed light’, which emits broad spectrum and multiple wavelength lights that heat up the melanin (pigmentation molecules) in your hair, causing ‘controlled photo thermal disruption’ of the hair roots. It basically breaks down the hair follicle in a very gentle way – without damaging any surrounding tissue.
Is it painful?
Dr Sturnham: It isn’t painful but you will be aware of a warm sensation as you get near more intimate areas such as your bikini line and underarms. The nice thing about IPL devices such as the Braun Silk Expert Pro 5 IPL is that it features different modes, so you have a normal, gentle and an extra gentle setting. The best way to up your comfort is to make sure you don’t have visible hairs in the area because if you haven’t shaved the area properly, you’ll be frazzling any hairs on the surface, causing an unpleasant burning smell. Handily, the Braun Silk Expert Pro 5 IPL comes with a Venus razor included in the box.
How do I use an IPL device?
Braun
Dr Sturnham: You can treat both legs with the Braun Silk Expert Pro 5 IPL, using the standard head, in about five minutes, so it’s a very low-maintenance hair-removal option. Starting with a gliding method on the legs is a great way to get comfortable with the device because legs tend to be less sensitive than, say, the underarm or bikini area. When you move to these smaller areas, it’s good to switch to Braun’s smaller precision head for much more control. You can also use a stamping movement for more control and focus.
When will I see results?
BRAUN Silk Expert Pro 5 IPL
£760 at Boots
Dr Sturnham: Best results are seen with fair skin and dark hair, so I’ll share my own personal experience. I was doing my legs first and I noticed that the hair had significantly reduced by about 60-70% in about four weeks¹.
Obviously, that’s not the same for everyone, so what we recommend is that you use the IPL weekly for up to 12 weeks (or until you notice a significant reduction) and then you move to once a month for the maintenance protocol to make sure you’re suppressing any hair growth.
If I have fair skin and fair hair, can I use IPL?
Dr Sturnham: The bigger the contrast, the better the results – for example, dark brown or black hair and fair skin. If you’ve got red, grey or very blonde hair, then you won’t be a good candidate for IPL because you need to have some melanin pigment in the hair follicle to enable the IPL to target it, and fair hair doesn’t have as much melanin as darker shades.
How about if I have dark skin and dark hair?
Braun
Dr Sturnham: If you’ve got olive skin, you could still be a good candidate for IPL but in general, the darker your skin is, the less effective it may be – and the more gentle a mode you should use on the device.
If you have black skin, I wouldn’t recommend you use this device. Braun devices come with a skin-colour and hair chart that shows you which combinations will work best for this specific form of hair removal so it's important to check that first.
Can I use IPL on my face?
Dr Sturnham: You can use the precision head on your face, so you can treat anywhere from the cheekbones down – the upper lip, chin and jawline are popular areas – using the stamping action for safest results.
How can I best prep for using IPL?
Dr Sturnham: When you’re using any form of light or thermal energy, it’s always good to allow your skin to recover after you’ve done the hair removal part. So I recommend doing the hair removal the night before and the best method is actually to shave. Make sure you’re using a good quality razor. Single blade razors tend to cause irritation, so use a razor with multiple heads and apply a nice moisturiser afterwards. Your hair should be fully removed in the area that you’re going to use the IPL device on.
Braun
What are the benefits of Braun IPL technology?
Dr Sturnham: Firstly, its safety mode means the IPL will only release light energy when it’s in direct contact with your skin, which is really important. Also, its SensoAdapt technology means when you glide the device against your skin, it’s reading your skin tone in real time and adjusting the intensity of the IPL energy that is released. It also has different modes, so you can choose to select the strength of the treatment according to how sensitive your skin is and how sensitive the area is.
Try the Braun Silk Expert Pro 5 IPL - the safest, fastest and most efficient IPL² for visible hair reduction for up to six months³ - available now at boots.com
¹ Tested on lower legs, armpits & bikini, following the treatment schedule. Individual results may vary.
² Efficiency based on the combination of window size, speed and energy. Safety technology shared with Cyden.
³ Tested on lower legs, armpits & bikini, following the treatment schedule. Individual results may vary.
