Smooth Operator

By: Ruth Kerrison
Created on 25th March 2010

Monica Milne of Beauty in a Flash explains the benefits of Intense Pulsed Light Therapy for hair removal

Hair removal is an ongoing struggle in every woman's life - and some men's, too! - and most of the options available to us are either excruciatingly painful or the results are so temporary that stubble is emerging before the day is out.

Intense Pulsed Light therapy has changed all that. Easier and less time consuming than electrolysis, Intense Pulsed Light systems are different from lasers in that they can deliver hundreds of wavelengths in each burst of light. The advantage of this compared to the laser system is that large areas can be treated quickly and painlessly and the treatment can actually be tailor-made to the client as we can vary the pulse and filters according to their skin type and hair colour.

Hair today...
IPL is a painless and highly effective form of permanent hair reduction and has won awards for its safety. It can be used to remove hair on all parts of the body, including sensitive areas, such as the ears, nose, chest and bikini line. It is also effective at removing ingrowing hairs.

IPL uses the naturally occurring melanin in the hair as a target to selectively disable the hair follicle without harming the surrounding skin, which is why people with dark hair and pale skin have always been the best candidates for treatment.

Fair play
However, I recently discovered a product called Meladine that works as a melanin enhancer: when sprayed on the desired area, Meladine's patented delivery system selectively deposits natural melanin directly into the hair follicle.

This creates temporary, melanin-rich follicles, which the IPL is able to target - otherwise, with fair hair, the light doesn't recognise the difference between hair and skin. I am now using Meladine in my clinic quite regularly to treat my fairerhaired clients.

To a man
It often surprises people to hear how many men I treat for hair removal with IPL - I suppose we just assume that men don't mind being hairy, but I see a lot of men who are concerned about excessive hair on their back, chest, ears or even their nose.

Another big issue for men, which you don't hear much about, is shaving rash on the neck, which can rub against shirt collars and become really quite painful. With IPL we can remove the hair on the neck almost completely, meaning they never have to shave again and the problem disappears!

Having excess hair removed can make such a difference to a man's self-esteem, and it always gives me a buzz to watch them walking out of the clinic with a new spring in their step.

A fuzz-free future
When we talk about ‘permanent' hair reduction, it is important to note that no treatment will get rid of all your hair forever. With IPL, however, you are guaranteed long term results, and if you do see some regrowth it will be finer and sparser than before. Most patients I treat don't return after their final session because they see no need.

So, if you're sick of shaving or waxing and the associated pain, rashes and stubble, IPL might just be the answer to your prayers. And if, once we've removed the hair, you feel you'd like a further boost to your appearance, IPL can also be used to safely and effectively treat thread veins and acne, or to rejuvenate the skin for a fresher look.