Laser, IPL and VPL
Do you want to permanently get rid of unwanted hair on your legs, under your armpits and around your bikini line? Shaving yourself, using depilatory creams, waxing/waxing and epilating is not always sufficient. For a long-lasting effect, it is best to go to a salon or clinic. They have specially designed devices, such as laser, IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) or VPL (Variable Pulsed Light).
lasering
One form of permanent hair reduction is lasering. This method uses a device that emits laser light. The energy behind the laser light is absorbed by the pigment of your hair and sent to the hair follicle, which is then destroyed.
On average, you should expect five to eight treatments spaced one to two months apart. Lasering is virtually painless, you only feel a single pinprick. If your skin is a bit darker, the treatment can be a bit more painful and you have a greater chance of skin discolouration.
If you have blond, red or gray hair, lasering is less effective. Eumelanin, a type of pigment that absorbs the energy from laser light, is missing from these hair colors. And furthermore, the lighter your skin, the better results you will have.
Immediately after the treatment, your skin should be cooled with, for example, a cool pack or cooling gel. During the first weeks after the treatment, avoid the sun and therefore also the sunbed.
Do not start laser treatment if you are pregnant, have epilepsy, have a fever, are taking photosensitive medicines or are taking anti-inflammatories. If you have implants, piercings or tattoos in the area to be treated, do not opt for laser treatment.
Laser treatments are often done by doctors in a clinic. So the price can go up quite a bit. A one-time treatment of the upper lip, for example, costs about € 100, for other body parts you can easily lose a few hundred euros.
IPL
The IPL approach is very similar to laser treatment. IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) allows the pigment in the hair to be removed to absorb light, so that the hair follicles – if in the growth phase – are destroyed. However, no laser light of one wavelength is used, but the hair is exposed to the light flashes from a so-called Xenon lamp.
Although a laser treatment can be slightly more effective due to the strong intensity of the light beam, you will spend significantly less money for IPL than for laser treatment. The cost of a treatment is highly dependent on the part of the body to be removed. For example, for the hair removal of your upper lip you pay about € 40 per treatment. For example, for the hair removal of lower legs, you pay an average of 200 euros.
If you have dark hair and light skin, then this method is very suitable for you. Depilation of blond or red hair is almost impossible with IPL. This is because these hairs do not absorb enough energy to be destroyed permanently.
Most people experience IPL as a painless hair removal method. If you have thicker hair, you can feel it a bit more. It is possible to apply an anesthetic cream beforehand. After the treatment, your skin may be red, swollen and slightly sore. A moisturizing cream will help.
If you are pregnant, if you have epilepsy, if you take photosensitive or anti-inflammatory drugs or if you have piercings, tattoos or implants in the area to be depilated, do not opt for IPL.
The number of treatments depends on the amount of hair to be treated. On average, a lasting result is based on five to eight treatments. However, the intervals between treatments are getting longer. Therefore, allow at least half a year for it.
VPL
If you compare VPL (Variable Pulsed Light) with lasering and IPL, then VPL is the newest and safest method for hair removal. VPL is so precise that, unlike laser and IPL, the energy actually ends up in the hair follicle. This protects the surrounding skin and prevents overheating. You do have a somewhat overheated skin with lasers and IPL.
VPL also works on almost all hair and skin types. On average, you will need between six and eight treatments, each spaced four to eight weeks apart.
What you pay for a VPL treatment depends on the surfaces to be treated and the number of light flashes. Many salons and clinics work with a free consultation, after which the exact price is calculated. On average, the prices are slightly higher than IPL treatments.
