Review (4/5): IPL hair removal tool adds active cooling (ICE). Relative low-power (36W)
The market for IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) devices for hair removal has exploded in the past couple of years, and you'll find a myriad of options on Amazon.
I've tried a large number of these IPL devices at this point, and I can say that these IPL devices all work pretty similarly, with only a few differences separating them. If you are looking for hair removal, then the most significant differences mostly amount to ergonomics (shape of the device and positions of the buttons) and whether it integrates "ICE" functionality to actively cool the region to which you're applying the light.
This is a mid-priced unit that adds ICE Cooling functionality and works reasonably well.
Specifics of this IPL device:
** Only performs hair removal
** Includes ICE skin cooling functionality
** LCD screen shows the number of flashes left and power level (1-5), plus whether ICE auto modes are on/off
** Rated for 36W (low end of power for a home IPL)
** Oblong shape
** Rated for 999,999 flashes
Operation is pretty trivial:
1) Attach the power cord to the IPL device (the device is NOT battery operated--you must have it plugged in).
2) Turn on the device via the power button, which is a button in the middle of the top of the device.
3) Choose the power level to use (you have five levels, and you cycle through them using short pushes of the power button). The level will be indicated on the LCD screen.
4) Place the front end of the device against the skin you are trying to treat and push the flash button (big button on the top of the IPL). There is a ~1s refractory period after flashing before you can flash again.
5) Ice technology, which actively cools the metal region that comes in contact with your skin.
The light is extremely powerful and could damage your eyes with continued direct exposure. Therefore, you should never look directly into the light and a cheap pair of folding protective eyeglasses are included in the box. The light is triggered by sensors in the front of the device. Using very slow-motion photography, I was able to capture a ~1/100th split-second snapshot of the light (see photos). But the light duration is extremely short.
You run the tool over the area where you want to remove hair and make sure you expose all the hair follicles in that region. You will not see any immediate results. The light signals your hair to stop growing, but it requires multiple treatments over several weeks before you will be expected to see results. Eventually, you should find a substantial reduction in the hair in the treated areas.
In the box, you get the tool, a power cord, a pair of eye protection glasses, a cheap disposable razor, plus instructions.
A word about the "ice" functionality, because this listing provides almost no detail (nor do those for other IPL devices):
Ice functionality is another term for "Local epidermal cooling."
This is given various names in listings, one of the most common is "ice function" or "ice-cooling". This is local cooling of the epidermal region (surface skin) in the region where the IPL light pulse is being applied. The high-powered light can be irritating to some people, and cooling the skin in that region can reduce the immediate irritation. (It does not improve/decrease the efficacy of the treatment). This cooling effect is achieved via a Peltier junction semiconductor and a good thermoconducting material at the head of the IPL device (frequently sapphire or aluminum) that transmits the cold that the semiconductor generates to the skin. (A heatsink and fan inside the IPL device remove the heat that the Peltier junction also produces).
Epidermal cooling is not required for efficient use, but it may make it less unpleasant to use the device for some users.
This IPL device is lower-mid-priced relative to other IPL devices on Amazon, but it does add the "ICE" cooling functionality. The rated power is 36W, which is on the low end of the range of power you typically see for these home IPL devices (between 30W and 60W).
Summary:
Pros:
** Integrates epidermal cooling (ICE)
** LCD readout
Cons:
** Not the cheapest IPL device you can buy
** 36W rating is at the lower end for these types of devices