IPL is Intense Pulsed Light. Natural Light created in the flash travels down the hair through melanin fibres to the follicle where it heats up causing the follicle to shrivel. This processes happens instantly and is focused so the follicle absorbs most of all the heat leaving surrounding tissue unaffected. Most people feel a small flick on their skin as the pulses flash, it is not painful and does not burn the skin.

IPL will work better on darker hairs. This is because darker colours absorb more light hence and so there is more chance of light traveling to the root of a dark hair in order to attack the follicle. Conversely, lighter colours absorb less light reflecting most light away, this makes it extremely difficult to treat white hair.

The purpose of IPL is to transfer light down the hair stem and into the follicle without affecting the surrounding tissue. Coarse hair is thicker and can absorb more light. Fine hair is difficult to target and absorbs less light energy. Coarse Dark hair will work well with IPL absorbing most of all light into the follicles. Fine White hair will barely work at all.

One more thing to consider is skin colour. Because dark colours absorb light well dark skin will absorb light too, heating up. Conversely light skin will reflect light away, staying cool. Our therapist will use a lower light energy setting on darker skin types and higher light energy setting on lower skin types. Most clinics do not treat skin type 6 (dark brown or black skin), we do. Our therapists are fully qualified, well experienced and trained to high standards to decide the correct energy setting tailored to every individual in order to achieve the maximum effectiveness without over heating the skin. This is the true skill of an IPL therapist and at nlclinic we are proud to have therapist who understand this.