Questions & Answers: IPL hair removal

Permanent hair removal is only possible in the active growth phase (anagen phase). The melanin concentration is at its highest during this phase and the hair is firmly bound to its root. About 1/3 of the body’s hair is always in this phase, such that approx. 20% of the hair roots are permanently destroyed during treatment with the pulse light.

The hair type and the growth of the hair are dependent upon ethnic origin, age, the part of the body, the hormonal system as well as possible medicine intake. As a result of that the number of individual meetings varies from person to person.

That depends on the area of the body being treated. The duration of the treatment can last anything from a few minutes for the upper lip, half an hour for the lower parts of the leg up to more than an hour for the whole body. The duration of the treatment is very much dependent on the efficiency of the IPL equipment used. Highly efficient equipment requires only a fraction of the time which an inferior or obsolete slow device would need. This is also the most important factor which should be taken into account when comparing prices. The larger the area of the body to be treated, the more efficient the device should be, so that a short acceptable treatment time can be realized, because time costs money.
This is where one of the greatest advantages of our studio lies, because we can offer sensationally low prices for treatment of large body areas due to the efficiency of our IPL equipment.

The pigment MELANIN is responsible for the colour of the hair. The melanin in the hair is the heat conductor, it ensures optimal absorption and transformation of the light pulse energy into heat, meaning that a high concentration of melanin in the hair is necessary for permanent hair removal with IPL equipment. The darker the hair, the better the success of the treatment.
Treatment of white, grey, red and light blonde hair, as well as velus hair (fluff) is not possible due to lack of pigment absorption.

Unlike the pigmented hair, the skin should be as light as possible. To ensure that the skin suffers no burns or depigmentation as a result of light absorption, the IPL devices are equipped with special filters for the respective skin types and skin colours so as to make sure that the right personal treatment mode can always be chosen for the customer. The treatment of very dark almost black skin (e.g. in black Africans) is very risky, and for that matter treatment with IPL technology should be avoided in such cases.

The stay in a sunny place and the use of the solarium must be stopped at least 2 weeks before and after the treatment. If the natural solar irradiation cannot be avoided, some protection against the sun with a high sun protection factor of at least LSF 20, if necessary sun-blockers, must be used before and after the treatments.
The hair should not be plucked, epilated or waxed 2 weeks before the start of the treatment since the connection between hair and root should not be disturbed. The treatment is done on skin that has been shaved beforehand.
Important: a lot of liquid in the form of water should be drunk during the days before the treatment.

The treatment is relatively painless. The light pulses are perceived as a slightly tingling, partly a little pricky feeling by the customer. The degree varies depending on the area of the body and treatment status; the darker and thicker the hair still is, the more intense the feeling. Our IPL devices can be adjusted to the sensitiveness of the customer so that even sensitive body areas can be treated well.

Depending on the skin type, some slight reddening of the skin (erythema) or slight swelling (oedema) can occur. These normal reactions are always a sign that the treatment is effective and they generally disappear again after short time.

Human beings have millions of hair follicles out of which a high percentage is always lying inactively in the skin. Even if the treated areas remain hair free after completion of the treatment, it is possible that isolated new hair is activated into growth as a result of hormonal surges, pregnancy, menopause or aging. Nobody can therefore guarantee that treatment will bring 100% lifelong success. However, if the IPL treatment is carried out over a sufficiently long treatment period, it currently represents the safest, most gentle, fastest and most effective method for permanent hair removal.

We are more favourably priced than other studios because we keep our costs as low as possible. In that way everybody can afford the permanent hair treatment.
For us, a low price has nothing to do with saving on quality. On the contrary, we attach a lot of importance to the counselling of our patients and the maintenance of the equipment.
Quality does not have to be expensive – IPL Hamburg!