Laser hair removal is a common hair removal method used by men and women to clear large areas of hair while offering you the ability of being hair free for a longer period of time. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is a similar but newer method of hair removal often mentioned in the same vein as laser.
Hair grows in a cycle so new hairs grow and become visible above the skin as old ones fall out and get replaced. Laser and IPL can only treat hair above the skin, not hair that hasn’t grown above the skin’s surface. Plus you often start growing hair on body parts later in life. Hair removal products can only treat hair that is growing today not future hair that might grow at some point.
Laser and IPL are different products and laser practitioners will be happy to tell you the differences and why they believe laser is better. So will IPL professionals. Laser is certainly the more well-known and mentioned option. “Laser hair removal” brings back 422 million results on Google whereas “IPL hair removal” returns only 17 million.
IPL may be more versatile in the sense that the technology can also be used for other treatments such as acne, rosacea, lesions and more. But let’s focus on the hair removal aspect of both options.
Laser Hair Removal vs IPL Hair Removal
Here are benefits and aspects of each process. In both cases we’re discussing having the process done professionally at a clinic by a qualified practitioner and not a home-based product.
| Laser | IPL | |
| Equipment | Smaller handheld device that delivers a pulsed light to the affected areas. | Larger handheld device that delivers a pulsed light to the affected areas. |
| Method | Uses a focused laser light directly on the area being treated. Normally doesn’t require use of a cooling gel. | Uses a broadband pulsed light with use of a cooling gel applied to the skin to protect again skin burn. |
| Customers | Suitable for most kinds of skin and hair colors but works best on people with light skin and dark hair that is also coarse and thick. Focuses on a smaller area of skin for hair removal. * | Given the type of light used, IPL tends to be good for people with light skin and dark hair only. Fine and light hair and dark skin is difficult to treat. |
| Cost | Generally more expensive per treatment but fewer treatments may be required. | Generally less expensive per treatment but more treatments may be required. |
| Effectiveness | May offer permanent hair reduction with multiple treatments.** | May offer permanent hair reduction with multiple treatments.** |
| Side effects | Could leave burns or scarring if not done correctly. | Could leave burns or scarring if not done correctly. |
*There are 3 main type of laser hair removal machines in use:
Diode: Tends to be good for both light and dark skin.
Alexandrite: Good for those with light to olive complexions, the Alexandrite laser is also the fastest laser machine and is good when larger areas of hair are being treated.
Nd:YAG: Can be used on all skin types but tends not to work as well on light and fine hair.
So when choosing a laser hair removal clinic, make sure you understand what type of machine(s) they have in use.
**Electrolysis is the only hair removal option currently approved by the FDA for permanent hair removal. Laser and IPL can offer permanent hair reduction with multiple treatments.
Why Is My Hair Still Growing After Laser Hair Removal?
IPL and laser hair removal only works on hair that is above the skin. Hair is first trimmed to make it short enough to conduct the light so that the pulse is concentrated on a short hair. Laser and IPL damage the hair at the root so the shorter the hair, the more concentrated the pulse on each individual hair and the better the result.
After laser or IPL hair removal treatment, hairs that were treated typically shrivel, curl and then fall out. While doing the treatment, you may occasionally notice a burning smell as the hair is being zapped. You probably think it smells gross but it must be effective if it produces that smell, right?
But after days or weeks, you may see new hair growing back again in the same area(s) you had treated. Why?
Hair removal isn’t permanent
Only electrolysis kills hair growth permanently. Laser and IPL degrade the hair and may eventually with repeated treatments cause hairs to stop growing. But permanent hair removal is only offered with electrolysis. Given that it must be used on each hair one at a time, electrolysis is costly and time-consuming and thus tends to be best for small areas such as the lip, chin, etc.
Hair grows in cycles
Laser and IPL hair removal (and all other hair removal methods for that matter) can only treat hair that has grown above the surface of the skin. Laser and IPL send a pulse of light down the shaft to the root of the hair. This pulse damages the hair and it falls out. It may get replaced and grow back but over time and with repeated treatments the hair may grow back finer if at all. Eventually with repeated treatment, some hairs stop growing and permanent hair reduction may be achieved. So when you see new hair growing, it could be hair growing back that was treated already. Or it could be new hair that is just now going through the hair cycle and wasn’t available to be treated prior.
Hair grows later in life
How many of us suddenly notice hair growing in places we wish we didn’t have? Ear hair and nose hair comes to mind. Crazy back hair suddenly pops up for some men too. As mentioned above, hair grows in cycles. Hair removal can only treat hair that is visible above the skin’s surface. So while you might be successfully treating hair with laser or IPL today, new hair may grow that was not visible or was dormant when treatment was done. Dormant hair that didn’t exist earlier when you had the hair removal treatment done will then need to be treated or it will grow as normal.
Typically when you do laser or IPL hair removal, you will need several months between treatments. There is no point going back after a week or two for another session when dormant hair hasn’t yet grown. By waiting for 2-3 months (or whatever is recommended) new hair has had a chance to grow and can then be treated.
Mistakes were made during treatment
Practitioners of laser and IPL are trained (they should be!) but they can make mistakes. The more hair you have to remove, the better the chance that hair(s) is accidentally missed. It can happen. Also, hair removal machines have settings that need to be set and often adjusted. I remember during my IPL sessions, the setting was adjusted down when I complained that it hurt in some areas more than others. If the wrong setting is selected, it can have a negative effect on the final result. You’re paying for a professional application but mistakes can be made.
Conclusion
- Laser hair removal utilizes a focused light pulse to damage hair follicles that with multiple treatments can lead to permanent hair reduction. There are 3 types of commonly used laser machines described above for various skin and hair types.
- IPL hair removal utilizes a broadband pulsed light to damage hair follicles that with multiple treatments can lead to permanent hair reduction. IPL uses a cooling gel applied to the skin first to protect against burning.
- Laser hair removal tends to be more expensive per session with possibly few visits required whereas IPL tends to be cheaper per treatment with more treatments required.
- In both cases, burning and scarring can occur if the process is done incorrectly.
- IPL can also be used for other purposes including acne treatment, rosacea and skin lesions among others.
- I have experienced both laser (one time) and IPL (about 12 times) hair removal and found the process similar minus the cooling gel used for IPL.
Have you done laser or IPL hair removal? Let us know about your experience in the comments below!