If you think all hair removal laser treatment is the same, then it’s time to think again!
I have been asked a few times the difference and so let’s discuss the simple facts when coming to choose Laser or IPL:
Just do a Google search and look for medical reports on ND:Yag laser results for all skin types and you will many reports backing up its effectiveness. However, for IPL good luck, you will struggle.
IPl machines are much cheaper for a clinic or salon to buy, which is why you will find many salons have chosen IPL over laser. A much cheaper machine will invariably be able to offer much cheaper treatments, however…
When it comes to permanent hair removal, IPL will require usually at least a double-digit amount of treatments, achieve reasonable results, and even then your hoping. It has also been known to remove pigment from the hair, making further treatment impossible.
An IPL machine in essence uses a concentrated beam of incoherent light to burn the hair shaft. It does not have the laser’s ability to produce a selective bandwidth that will only affect the hair. IPL’s produce a bandwidth of light that can heat up all the surrounding tissue, making it less effective in disabling hair, especially on darker skin.
In comparison to gold standard Nd:Yag laser, an IPL machine cannot reach as deeply, thus the key structures of the hair are not destroyed, meaning the results are limited, leaving the customer complaining that “Laser does not work” when the customer never used laser in the first place.
The medical-grade Fotona XP has a range of treatment heads (spot sizes) ensuring patient comfort and efficient results at all times (the large IPL head can be difficult to use effectively at angles such as the underarm or bikini).
IPL’s claim to achieve faster treatment times due to their large spot sizes but the Fotona XP works at a much greater speed than an IPL.
The ND:YAG laser is considered the ‘Gold Standard’ for skin types from Mediterranean to darker skin that is skin types IV – VI and can even be used on tanned skin. IPLs are not considered to be safe for treating dark or tanned skin.
If you are serious about permanent laser hair removal then call me up or book online and we can arrange a free patch test