Is IPL Hair Removal Safe for Me?

Tired of shaving, waxing, plucking and applying pungent depilatory creams to remove unsightly body hair? IPL hair removal is an effective long-term solution that will make you hair-free at home with minimal effort and stress. First, however, it’s important to know if an IPL hair removal device will be safe for you.

IPL Hair Removal: Is It Safe?

Using an IPL hair removal machine to remove unwanted hair is safe for most healthy people, provided that the device isn’t used on sensitive areas. For example, at-home IPL devices should never be used around the eyes, near the eyebrows or on the anus, genitalia, areolas, lips, nostrils, or ears, men must not use the device on the face and neck and beard-growing areas or the whole genital area. Moreover, they should not be used over or near implants, subcutaneous ports, or piercings.

Our device has a sensor that ensures the light only flashes when the attachment is positioned correctly on the skin and has full contact, so no light can escape, this sometimes means that if the device is not flashing, you need to ensure that the light cover is in full contact with the skin.

IPL devices are generally considered safe as they block the potentially harmful wavelengths that are below 500 nm, There are some rare side effects, but they were found to be temporary.

It is not safe to use IPL if you have certain skin conditions or skin anomalies like eczema, warts, tattoos, etc. or if you are sunburnt. In addition, individuals with medical disorders and diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, vasculopathy, autoimmune disease, and photodermatoses should also avoid IPL hair removal.

In addition to the above, numerous medical treatments and drugs can make intense pulsed light unsafe, including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, painkillers, immunosuppressants, blood thinners, photosensitising meds, and skin medications. And please note that IPL is not safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women. For more info on contradictions view the manual and consult your GP if unsure.

Is IPL Hair Removal Suitable for Everyone?

Intense pulsed light isn’t suitable for everybody. That is, not every skin tone and hair colour is suited to IPL hair removal. Dark brown and black skin tones, in particular, typically don’t respond well to IPL treatment. Check the skin tone table below to see if your skin type is compatible with the device.

The device is not effective for individuals with red, grey, and light blonde hair view the hair colour chart below.

IPL technology works by targeting pigment in the hair. Thus, there should be a notable difference between your hair colour and the tone of your skin. Normally, the best and quickest results from IPL at home will occur in men and women that have a relatively light skin tone and dark, fine hair. However, in people with underlying problems like PCOS and thyroid disease, IPL hair removal might take longer.

View our IPL hair removal device