Permanency and appropriate use of Intense Pulse Light treatment

Is Flashlamps/Intense Pulse Light (IPL) Permanent?

The results a person experiences with intense pulse light treatment for hair reduction will vary and depend upon the following factors:

• Skin pigmentation
• Amount of hair to be removed
• Color of the hair to be removed
• How frequent the IPL treatments will be
• Cost of the treatment

The difference between long-term hair removal versus permanent is that with long-term hair removal, the hair will grow back without continued treatment.  When hair is permanently removed it does not ever grow back again and there are no 100% treatment methods for permanent hair removal.

Who is the Perfect Candidate for IPL treatment?

IPL is a painless procedure that works well on most skin pigments and does not usually result in removing any pigmentation.  IPL is also safe and can be used to eliminate hair of any color white, black, red, blond and brown.

If a person is prone to keloids, hyper or hypo pigmentation, dark skinned or deeply tanned or does not respond well to burning (i.e. sun tanning), they may not be a good candidate for IPL treatment.  Certain ethnicities such as Greek, Italian or African American may not respond well to IPL treatment.  People who are insulin dependent cannot be treated, because of the risk of wound-healing difficulties and infection. 

What are the Results of IPL?

Results with IPL will vary from person to person; however, most people report a noticeable difference quickly after starting IPL.  For most people, several sessions are needed to optimize results.  However, some people feel a significant improvement and notice results with just a few treatments.

The following are the pros, cons and complications that can be experienced from an IPL procedure:

Pros:

• Some people have experienced permanent hair removal/reduction
• Hair re-growth that does come back will be a lighter shade and have a finer texture
• Non-invasive and safe when performed by a professionally trained practitioner
• Light-skinned (fair complexioned) people with darker hair color yield the best results
• Can be used for larger areas of the body like the back and legs

Cons:

• There is no long-term studies about the effectiveness or safety of Flashlamps/IPL
• Does not work as effectively on people with red and blonde hair
• Rates of response have not been documented
• Must be used with extreme caution on people with darker skin complexions or people who tan
• Users must wear protective eyewear
• Can be expensive
• If done by an untrained professional IPL can cause burns, skin damage, and patchy hair re-growth
• Some people find the treatment uncomfortable
• IPL regulations vary by state, there are inadequate controls in place to limit incompetent practitioners
• Some people do not respond well to treatment

Complications and Side Effects:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Hyper or hypo-pigmentation
• Blistering
• Redness
• Possible long-term or permanent epidermal damage (rare)
• Skin discoloration

FDA and Flashlamps/Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

During the 1980’s, laser treatments were used primarily for the treatment of eye and skin disorders.  A medical research study in 1990 found that flashlamps were effective in the treatment of vascular lesions.  With the promising results found in the research study, one manufacturer applied and received permission to use flashlamps for hair removal.

Approximate Cost of IPL Treatment

The price for an IPL session will vary according to the size to be treated, with the national average price begin in the range of $350-600 per treatment.  A consultation with an IPL specialist will determine the number of sessions needed and if the desired results can be achieved.

Overview

Hair removal is one of the most common non-invasive cosmetic procedures performed in the United States each year.  Individual outcomes vary and anytime a practitioner promises the procedure to be 100% effective and a person will experience 0% hair re-growth, the claims should not be taken seriously.  Certain people have limited response to IPL, whereas others have exceptional results.