It’s only natural for hair to continue to grow, but this process becomes a problem if hair keeps coming back in places where it’s not wanted.
While waxing is one way to handle the problem of excess hair, it’s also a painful solution for many people. If you look into IPL hair removal in San Jose, you’ll notice that it’s an increasingly popular alternative to traditional hair removal options, including ones involving laser treatments.
IPL (intensive pulsed light) is a non-invasive treatment involving the use of light therapy to target hair follicles in a way that prevent regrowth.
How Does IPL Differ from Laser Hair Removal?
With laser hair removal treatments, a single wavelength is emitted from the laser’s diode. With IPL hair removal in San Jose, patients receive multiple wavelengths ranging from 500 to 1,200 nanometers applied to the target area. The scattered wavelengths of light are absorbed by pigments in hair follicles. The living cells in those follicles that trigger hair growth are destroyed because the wavelengths of light turn to heat.
Why May Benefit from IPL Hair Removal?
The light produced by IPL is less powerful than what’s produced with lasers, but it’s also very targeted. This is why our IPL hair removal in San Jose tends to work better on men and women with fairer skin types and darker hair strands.
IPL can still be effective for patients with blonde or red hair if there is sufficient pigment in the hair. Gray or white hairs may not be treatable with this method. IPL hair removal may also benefit patients preferring:
- An affordable alternative to laser hair removal
- A hair removal that’s less painful than traditional methods
- Not to worry about timing treatments before hair grows back since hair removal is permanent
- A treatment that only targets hairs cells while leaving healthy skin cells alone
- A procedure that can be done fairly quickly with no downtime
What Happens Before Treatment?
During an initial evaluation for IPL hair removal, underlying skin issues and diseases or conditions that specifically affect hair follicles are also taken into consideration when determining whether or not this treatment is the best option. Hair thickness and texture may also be considered when evaluating patients for this treatment option.
What Is a Typical IPL Hair Removal Treatment Like?
Hair follicles develop in the dermis, or the second layer of skin. It’s this layer that is targeted by IPL treatment. The light passes through the upper layer of skin (epidermis) and directly affects the hair follicles in the dermal layer of skin.
The positioning of the patient during treatment will depend on the specific area being treated. During an IPL sessions, patients are usually made as comfortable as possible before a small, smooth, transparent handpiece is placed over the area to be treated. The light goes through the skin down to where hair cells are located. After treatment, the body naturally absorbs the affected cells.
IPL hair removal in San Jose can be performed on any area where you have unwanted hair. Common areas include the face, legs, back, shoulders, genital area or bikini line, and chest. Sessions usually take about 20-30 minutes to complete. Because hair goes through different growing cycles, patients typically require multiple sessions to catch all hair cells in the treated area. Side effects associated with IPL are generally mild and may include temporary redness or skin sensitivity.
