What's the difference between IPL and laser hair removal? - Coolblue (2024)

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light. The device works with short light pulses that reach all the way to the hair follicles. The pigment in the hair absorbs the light and converts this to heat. The heat that's released makes the hair go into its resting phase. After a few weekly or biweekly treatments, you notice the hair becomes thinner and starts to fall out. Repeat the treatments every couple of months. That way, you can enjoy a smooth result for weeks or months, depending on your hair growth.

Laser devices use laser beams to reach the hair follicles in the skin. Like with IPL hair removal, lasers also use light that's converted to heat via the pigment of the hairs. The skin doesn't damage, like with IPL. You generally need about 6 to 8 treatments, after which you're permanently hair free. We recommend you to do a maintenance treatment every year, just to maintain your smooth skin.

IPL: most suitable for light tot medium dark skin tones

Hair removal with IPL works best when there's a large contrast between the skin and hair color. That's why IPL hair removal often doesn't work on a darker or black skin tone. Most IPL devices don't work on white, gray, light-blonde, or red hairs either. The reason for this, is that these hairs don't have much pigment and they don't absorb enough light. In that case, an epilator is a good alternative.

Laser: also suitable for darker skin tones

Laser hair removal is suitable for darker skin tones. The laser beams are more selective and focus more directly on the hair follicle instead of the surrounding skin. Due to the little pigment in white, gray, light-blonde, or red hairs, most lasers aren't very effective on these hair types. Salons with professional laser hair removal techniques are the exception.

You can easily use an IPL light hair removal device at home. The devices are safe and you don't need specific knowledge or schooling to use an IPL device. You connect the IPL device to the smartphone app, which then guides you. In the app, you receive a treatment plan. So you always know when it's time for a treatment and you don't use it too often.

If you want to laser your body hair, you have to go to a salon or clinic. You can't use a laser device at home, unlike the IPL device. The reason for this is that the lasers are more powerful than IPL and you need more knowledge and schooling to safely use the lasers.

One pulse of light from an IPL device treats a relatively large surface when you don't use specific attachments. So you can treat areas like your arms and legs pretty fast. Do you want to treat a smaller area, like your face or bikini line? Use an attachment that reduces the range of the light pulse.

Laser hair removal works with a smaller, more selective beam that treats a small area. That's why a treatment with a laser normally takes longer than with an IPL device. You need less treatments in total before you see results than with an IPL.

IPL hair removal shouldn't be painful. The IPL device sends short light pulses to your skin, which feels like little taps. If you feel like the treatment hurts you, you can lower the intensity of the light beam.

Laser hair removal works with more powerful light pulses than IPL, which you feel more on your skin. Some experience the taps as burning or painful, but this really depends on the person and the body part. To soothe possible pain, many lasers and IPL devices cool the skin right after the pulse.