Initially, beauty salons were the only ones to offer IPL hair removal. With technological advances, it is now possible to do this at home. Nevertheless, it's important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations to the letter, especially as regards the spacing between pulsed-light sessions.
Spacing your sessions to protect your skin
It's important to remember that this hair removal method is only effective when the hair is in the regrowth phase, i.e. during the anagen stage. Consequently, once you've completed a session, you have no technical interest in repeating the process. Otherwise, there's a risk of undesirable skin effects in the form of redness and irritation. This is because the hair follicles have not had sufficient time to grow, and so the pulsed light will have no positive effect - quite the contrary.
Redness
If you don't respect the spacing between sessions, the successive aggression of Intense Pulsed Light will result in temporary redness. This is because the epidermis has not had time to regenerate, leading to greater aggression, with more or less severe epidermal reactions. To avoid these undesirable reactions, always refer to the appliance's instructions for use to ensure that the time between each session is respected.
Skin irritation
Excessive use of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), with irregular intervals between sessions, can lead to skin irritation in the form of rashes, burns and itching. The explanation remains the same: the skin undergoes excessive stress due to the absorption of light energy. Regeneration has not had time to take place, resulting in side effects on your epidermis.
Adjust frequency according to area
The face
Unsurprisingly, the face is a particularly sensitive area, so it's best to invest in a quality device with the right attachments for effective hair removal. As you'd expect, you'll need to respect the spacing between sessions, and more precisely an interval of between four and six weeks.
Underarms
Hair in this area is generally darker and thicker. So don't be surprised if more sessions are needed to achieve convincing results. On average, eight sessions are required, again at intervals of between four and six weeks.
Legs
The number of sessions varies from person to person, but for significant hair reduction, you should have at least six sessions, and in some cases up to eight. Depending on your hair color and skin type, results will vary. For spacing, we strongly advise you to refer to the indications provided directly by the manufacturer in the user manual.
Bikini line
Spacing remains the same, with a delay of six to eight weeks. Once again, this is a sensitive area, and you need to take the necessary time to wax the bikini line with the utmost care, as the skin remains sensitive and the hairs thick.
Respect the number of flashes
To get the results you want, and to protect your skin, it's essential to respect the number of flashes. All this information is provided in the manufacturer's instructions, according to body zone.
Various factors come into play, such as hair and skin color, hair density and the power of the device. It's not by using a higher number of flashes that efficiency is increased; on the contrary, you run the risk of being disappointed with undesirable skin reactions. For long-lasting hair removal, always follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Space out your sessions
Depending on the area of your body to be treated, the spacing between sessions is not the same. Even if you're in a hurry to get results, you'll need to be patient to avoid skin irritations that may delay the use of pulsed light hair removal, as well as many other inconveniences.