IPL Hair Removal

The number of sessions a client will need to achieve a successful result is very individual. During the client's initial consultation, the therapist will be able to establish the type of hair growth, the colour of the hair, the colour of the skin and the area that the client wants to be treated. For example, underarm and bikini hair grows faster than the hairs on the legs. Facial hair also grows at a faster rate. This will also determine the frequency of the client's IPL treatments.

A minimum of 6 sessions, which will be spread over approximately seven months, is recommended to establish how the hair responds to the treatment. Further treatments will be required, but less frequent because the hairs left will be weaker and grow slower. However, they will still need to be treated. It is important to note that even a successful treatment will require a yearly session for the few hairs that continue to appear. This is normal and a very acceptable compromise for the client.

IPL Laser is a safe and effective method of hair removal. It is performed with a handpiece that flashes a light onto the hair. The pigment in the hair absorbs this light and converts it to heat. This heat destroys the hair cells that make the hairs grow.

Hairs on the face can be more sensitive to hormone stimulation. They may start as normal soft facial hair, but two powerful influencing factors that can change the hair type are:

1. Hormone stimulation (Puberty, Pregnancy Menopause, PCOS)

2. What the client does to remove the hair herself (Plucking, shaving) A hair will

only change its personality with one of the above-influencing factors.

In my experience, having treated thousands of clients during my career, I discovered that problematic hair growth began as one hair that the client plucked years ago. That one hair became two and eventually four and multiplied over the years until the client realised she had a problem that she couldn't control any longer.

Initially, hair regrowth is a normal part of your IPL laser treatment. A hair grows in three phases: Anagan (Growth Phase) (Catagen Transition Phase) and (Telogen, which is the resting phase). These stages are continuous and part of our biological makeup. Each time a hair is treated with an IPL laser, it is in one of these phases, and the hair cells become weakened or destroyed. It is common for a client to experience a growth spurt after the second or third session. This will make it look like the hair is worsening, but it is a positive sign. It means that the treatment is working as it should. It stimulates dormant hair cells. This is a good sign because it means we are treating all the hairs from the beginning and will get a successful result.

It is advisable not to:

Sunbath for 24 hours after your IPL treatment

•Take a hot bath

•Shave the area

Before your IPL Hair removal treatment, it is recommended that you

• Shave at least 3-4 days before your treatment

• Do not apply false tan

• If you have a natural tan from a prior holiday, you will need to call the salon

and reschedule.

• Exfoliate the area 24 hours before your treatment

• Do not sunbath 48 hours before your treatment

The most important consideration if you have a skin condition is the creams the client may use to treat the condition. Most anti-inflammatory creams are steroid-based, which steroid-based will intensify the heat of the laser light, leading to skin burning. During the client consultation, this will be discussed in detail to ensure a safe treatment.

For the treatment to work, the hair must be in the follicle. Waxing removes the entire hair from the follicle, making the treatment ineffective.

Yes. You can shave the hair in between sessions. The most important thing to remember is to make sure that you stop shaving at least 3-4 days before your next treatment.

Shaving has earned the reputation of making the hair thicker. This is not entirely true. It's an illusion. Natural hair has a soft, tapered tip and a thicker body. If you cut, shave, or use depilatory creams on the skin's surface, it breaks the hair mid-way down its shaft. This will make the hair feel thicker and abrasive. However, the hair has not physically changed.

Our face has a very fine hair growth called vellus hair. This hair is soft and invisible in most cases and an important part of protecting our skin from outside elements. Some hairs can be more noticeable because they have a little more pigment in them. The client will be more aware of them and be tempted to shave or use other methods of hair removal. This changes the growth pattern of the hair and can lead to the hairs growing in a different direction (Growing out for the skin instead of being flat on the skin) or the texture of the hair becoming thicker. Also, when we are tempted to shave the facial area because of a few hairs being a little darker or more obvious it is impossible to avoid hairs that are the normal soft downy hairs.

Yes. Hydrating skin care facials are a wonderful compliment to IPL Laser facial hair removal. The heat generated during the facial IPL Laser hair removal can be a little drying for some skin types.

Skin Care treatments that are more invasive such as Glycolic Acid, Microdermal Needling, Radio frequency or IPL Skin Rejuvenation we can plan your treatments so there is no overlap.

The cost of the IPL Laser treatment depends on the area being treated. Prices start at €23 for the Lip area. A package of six sessions can also be purchased giving the client a further 15% discount. Your therapist will discuss the cost of your treatment in more detail at the consultation.

No, it is recommended that you avoid sun exposure for at least 24 hours after your IPL Laser Hair Removal Treatment.

No it is not advisable to have a hot bath, steam or sauna for 24 hours after your IPL Laser treatment. Your IPL laser treatment creates heat in the skin, and it is important to allow the skin to rebalance before introducing any further heat to the skin. A shower is recommended.

It will take at least 2-3 treatments to begin to see changes in the hair growth. Typically, a client will notice a slowing down of the growth and less hairs growing back.

You can shave the area if you are having IPL Laser hair removal performed on the body.

Yes. You can apply false tan between your treatments, but there must be no traces of false tan when you attend your appointment.