Your suitability for IPL hair removal will of course change depending on the clinic you go to, so if you are unsure if you are suitable or not it may be best to book a consultation and discuss it with the practitioner. There are, however, some general guidelines to bear in mind. Not all skin and hair colours are suited for IPL, as fair hair may not respond to the light, and darker skin is prone to absorbing too much light due to the high concentration of pigment, making it unsuitable. If you have any history of bad reactions or sensitivity to light based treatments in the past, it is best to avoid IPL. If you are unsure how you will react, don’t worry, because your practitioner will always perform a test patch first. You should also avoid IPL if you are pregnant, breast feeding, menstruating, have tanned recently, or are on certain medications, including isotretinoin.
Many drugs can have a side effect of photosensitivity, so if you are on any medication at all it is very important to mention this to your practitioner. Some epilepsy sufferers are photosensitive, meaning they are prone to attacks when exposed to camera flashes, strobe lights, and so on. If you have photosensitive epilepsy, or are unsure how you would react to the bright lights, discuss this with your practitioner. Attacks can easily be avoided by wearing blackout goggles to shield your eyes from the light. This is also an option if your eyes are sensitive to light in any other way. The area you want treated with IPL should be healthy, clean, and have no broken skin or infection. If there is a mole somewhere on the area, this should be covered with a white adhesive before applying IPL; and do not use it on areas with scarring, burns, birthmarks, tattoos, or any area which has skin problems such as eczema or acne.
Which Hair and Skin Colours does IPL Hair Removal Work on?
Since IPL hair removal works by targeting the pigment in the hairs, it will work best on darker hair, as it contains a higher concentration of pigment. Blonde hair and red hair may not respond at all; if you have blonde or red hair, an alternative permanent hair reduction method such as electrolysis may be more suitable. If you have dark skin, your skin has a higher risk of absorbing too much light and overheating or causing complications, as it has a high concentration of pigment. Mediterranean and Middle and Far Eastern skin tones can usually be treated, but this will depend on the practitioner, the IPL machine being used, and how you respond to the test patch. If your skin is darker than that, unfortunately you may not be suitable for IPL hair removal as the risk of complications can be too high.
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