When it comes to at-home laser hair removal or IPL treatments, less really can mean more. We know the idea of a permanently hair-free upper lip is all kinds of exciting, but you don’t want to go overboard when you pull your device out of the box that first time.
Can you do laser hair removal too often? You can do laser hair removal too often. If you attempt too many sessions too often, you aren’t actually being more efficient. You’re not allowing the necessary hair growth needed for IPL and laser hair removal treatments to work best.
How often can you use IPL devices at home? You can use IPL devices at home up to twice a week over the course of about 8 weeks.
You won’t speed up the process if you try to bust the fuzz on those underarms daily. In fact, you could be setting yourself up for side effects like skin irritation.
This is on top of the fact that it just won’t work as well if you start up a daily hair removal practice. Don’t do it. Let’s dive into why.
How long does at-home IPL/laser hair removal take?
Most people need 4-6 initial treatment sessions with IPL and at-home laser hair removal devices for the best results. The total number of sessions can vary from there based on things like your hormones and the body part you target.
Certain body parts, like your bikini line, grow hair faster than others. Facial hair for both men and women is another treatment area that may need a little more attention.
Hair growth cycles matter quite a bit, too. At any given time, your body hair is in one of 3 phases. The anagen phase is the one that matters most. That’s the growth phase and the best time to target hair follicles with an at-home hair removal device.
Hair removal devices can still do some damage at the catagen phase, when follicles are shedding or in transition, and the telogen phase, its resting time.
That’s also why we recommend maintenance touch-ups every few months to see the permanent hair removal and hair reduction you crave. You just won’t catch every single hair in a growth cycle at every session.
What can you do between IPL treatments?
Over time, the hair in those targeted areas will get sparser and finer, although some of that depends on the body part you target for hair reduction. Body hair on larger areas like your legs has a slower rate of regrowth.
If you notice hair growing back faster than usual, that doesn’t mean the treatment didn’t work. Again, any device, whether that’s laser devices or at-home IPL, can’t target every single hair on your body thanks to your hair’s growth phases. You’ll get there if you stay the course.
It’s fine to shave between treatments, but avoid any hair removal methods like waxing or plucking that pull hair at the root. That would be removing the hair follicles an IPL device needs to do its work and potentially set yourself up for ingrown hairs.
How to Use IPL/Laser Hair Removal at Home
An at-home IPL hair removal session is more convenient and a lot less awkward than in-office sessions at local salons or the dermatology office.
At Nood, we always recommend a skin sensitivity test on small areas of the body to see how your skin reacts to the device, but there is some skincare prep before even that step:
- Step 1: Exfoliate. Use a gentle exfoliant like The Revealer to prep your skin for a close shave and reduce the risk of irritation.
- Step 2: Shave. We know it sounds wacky, but shaving allows your device to see the hair follicles up close and personal.
- Step 3: Clean and dry your skin. You want the treatment area free of any lotions or other products that might grease up your skin and muck up the device’s effectiveness.
Once your skin is prepped and ready to go, you’ll get to work with your handset. Follow the instructions with your device to the letter to avoid side effects and ensure you’re not hitting it too hard your first time out of the gate.
With a Nood device, we recommend 3 full passes on each treatment area. You can choose your intensity level right on the device.
At-home IPL is safe and effective, and any side effects are rare. If you do experience some irritation, The Reviver does a great job at calming and cooling your skin.
It’s a great aloe gel after sun exposure, too, although we always recommend regular sunscreen use and avoiding intense tanning before sessions. You won’t just make your skin more sensitive. You’ll make it darker, too.
Who is a good candidate for IPL treatments?
Laser hair removal works by targeting the pigment, or melanin, in the hair follicles. The device emits a single heated laser to zap hairs at the root, damaging follicles to the point of no return.
IPL works in a similar way. The light energy just comes from a broadband intense pulsed light, instead. It’s less zap and more flash. It’s also much less painful than laser hair removal, if you feel much at all.
Good candidates for at-home IPL treatments have dark hair and light skin. That contrast allows IPL devices to do their best work and “see” the melanin in the hair follices. At Nood, we don’t recommend IPL for anyone with very dark skin types or blonde, red, or gray hair colors.
If you have darker skin and crave less hair, some people have seen some success with lasers that use longer wavelengths to remove hair long-term. You just won’t be able to get those results from at-home devices. Talk to your dermatologist about your options if this sounds like you.
Every other hair type or skin tone is free to start their hair-free journey toward permanent results from the comfort of their own couch. It’s the royal treatment you deserve.
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Professional Laser Hair Removal Quality at a Fraction of the Cost
We’ve already talked about how at-home IPL treatments are more comfortable than professional laser hair removal sessions. They’re also just as effective while saving you money in both the short- and long-term.
At Nood, all you pay is $249 for your Flasher 2.0. For some, that’s the cost of one session under that sweet hair-removing laser light at the salon. With us, that’s a flat fee for long-lasting, even permanent smooth skin.
Pay with Shop Pay and Nood is yours for 4 interest-free payments of only $62.25. Our advice? Treat yourself to something nice with all the money you save.
