Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Hair Removal??

Has anyone heard about this?? I am going for my consultation tomorrow morning and was hoping that someone has had this done instead of laser hair removal. Anyone know how effective it really is?



Imagine not having to shave, tweeze, wax or go through electrolysis ever again! Renaissance uses the technology of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). It offers a gentle, non-invasive, long lasting solution to the removal of unwanted hair.

IPL removes hair using highly controlled flashes of light that are selectively absorbed by the hair follicle lying below the surface of the skin. The absorbed light heats the hair, which damages or destroys the re-growth potential of the follicle, all without damaging the surrounding tissue.




The unique design of this machine allows us to customize each client's treatment according to their hair color and skin color. Any hair with at least some melanin (pigment) can be effectively treated. More advanced then even lasers, (that have only one fixed wave length)IPL is a technology proven to treat unwanted hair safely. There is no down time and virtually no harmful side effects. For best results, 6-8 treatments are needed in order to capture hair in their many growth cycles.


What do you think worth a shot?

It isn't as effective as a laser. It is like one step down. If you pay per body part and they will do it until all hair is removed and it is cheaper than a laser than it might be worth the longer treatment time. If you have to pay per session then it may end up being more expensive than laser.

You can usually bargain with the pricing too.

There are also many manufactors out there. Some lasers are not created equal as well as not IPL is created equal. But, for the most part I am almost positive despite what their ad says lasers are more effective than IPL.

Try to get a test patch done then try to get a test patch from another provider and compare, maybe one laser and the IPL.

I tend to be very skeptical when it comes to hair removal. My Dr referred me to them because that is where she goes. She swears by it. I called them today and they said that I can either pay up front or by the session which every one was more convenient for me.

Any suggestions on questions that I should ask?

Hair removal is no myth. Thing is not all equipment is created equal. Some are more effective than others, some are more comfortable than others. You kind of get what you pay for.

Let me clarify something though. Some places will charge a set price for a body part, no matter how many or how few sessions it takes. Let's say this place will do your full legs for $2000 and if you pay it all at once they give a discount of 20%. Now some places will charge for each session you do, let's say they may charge $300 each leg session. Well if you take 5 sessions to get rid of hair, you are better off going to a place that charges per session. If you take 6 sessions than you are now paying more than if you choose a place that charged a flat rate per body part (and paid all at once). If the IPL place charges per body part and that price is cheaper than a laser place that charges per body part, then it might be better to go with IPL. If the IPL place is charging by the session and it isn't as effective as a laser, then you may need more sessions and it may end up being more expensive than a laser place. So you see how the effectiveness and the pricing policy may dictate which is better for you?

As far as questions to ask, I would see what kind of guarantee they offer. Everything else is pretty standard. People who respond the best have dark hair and medium to dark skin. You have to space the sessions about 6-10 weeks apart because not all hair is actively growing and it has to be active for the process to work, there is some slight redness and swelling around the hair follicles for a couple of days after, you need sunscreen and to stay out of the sun for a few days after, you don't want to tan before treament, some drugs make your skin photo sensitive. Ask them about their money back policy if you don't respond to treatment.

I don't know where you live but where I live there has to be at least 150 places that do hair removal so the pricing is very competitive and there is a large selection of "methods." Try to do some "shopping."

I'd ask what it does to your skin, any possible reactions, does it work for everyone, and if it doesnt work for you is there some type of refund. If you do it let us know how it works and how much it costs. What do you want to get done?

So I just got back and I'm very impressed with this place. The woman I talked to spent a lot of time going over everything showing me charts, and explaining how the different skin tones and hair color take to treatment. Its going to be $880 total. I got a 30% discount since my doctor gave me a 200 discount certificate. It breaks down into 7 sessions and I will pay 125.75 per session. She said she wanted to do per session just in case I didn't need 7 sessions so I wouldn't be out money if it only took 4 or 5.

She done a test area on me today to make sure that I didn't have a bad reaction to it. It wasn't painful at all. Kinda felt like a little pinch, and you could smell the burnt hair smell. My first session is next Thursday and I will report back as to how it goes.

I had my first treatment yesterday. It didn't really huts. Kinda like a little pinch. You could smell the hair being burnt. I go back for my next treatment in 6 weeks, hope this works because its expensive.

I had this done a while back. When I did it, I had it done once ever month or so or every 6 weeksish. The hair stays gone for about a month, then when it starts to grow back you need to go in again. They told me it would take about 6 treatments to work, but it didn't work for me. It still kept coming back. My doctor told me that some people just have to have it done every month or so. But it also treats people differently, I have really coarse dark hair, so that may be why. But for that month that I didnt have to worry about it, it was heaven! Hope it works out for you :)