IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light technology and is most commonly used for hair removal. IPL works by using a handheld device and moving it across the skin, delivering flashes of light to target the melanin in the hair. The light is then absorbed by the hair root, heating it up, and ultimately destroying the papilla or root of the follicle. This plays a key role in the regulation of hair growth.
The hairs you already have will then fall out and eventually, hair will grow back thinner and more sporadically, without pesky ingrown hairs. Double win! In terms of how long it takes to see results, devices can differ and it does depend on the area you're treating. So hair removal from the face might take less time than removing thicker leg hair. Typically, users find between six and ten treatments are needed, usually at intervals four to six weeks apart.Celebrity aesthetic aesthetician Sadaf Jaffari explains, "IPL takes on average about six sessions to get rid of 70% of hair permanently."