Your Ultimate Guide to IPL Hair Removal at Home

Using IPL for hair removal at home comes with many advantages. Here are some key benefits that IPL users enjoy:

• Long-term results: IPL offers more lasting hair reduction compared to traditional methods.
• Convenience: Treat yourself on your own schedule, anywhere, even while traveling.
• Cost-effective: No more expensive salon visits. With a device like the Silk’n 7, you make a one-time investment with a lifetime of flashes.
• Always smooth skin: Unlike waxing, there's no need to let hair grow out between sessions.
• Versatile use: IPL works on multiple areas, including the face, legs, underarms, back, and bikini line.

Now, you’re probably wondering if using this type of hair removal device at home is complicated. Spoiler alert: it’s actually pretty simple, especially once you get familiar with it. Keep reading to learn how to easily use an IPL device.

With consistent use over time, IPL helps prevent hair from regrowing, leading to visible hair reduction and long-lasting results.

Users love the convenience, affordability, and comfort of home IPL compared to other long-term hair removal treatments like laser or electrolysis.

Here’s our typical IPL treatment schedule:

• Sessions 1–4: Every two weeks
• Sessions 5–7: Every four weeks
• Sessions 8+: As needed until desired results are achieved
• Maintenance: Occasional touch-ups if hair growth is still visible

The length of an IPL treatment session depends on the area being treated.

Looking for fast hair removal? The Silk’n 7 features automatic light pulses, allowing for a unique Gliding method. This makes treatments ultra-fast, just glide the device over your skin with ease. For reference, most users take about 20 minutes to treat both legs.

To achieve permanent hair reduction, you need to continue IPL treatments long enough to cover a full hair growth cycle, which typically takes 18–24 months. Multiple sessions are required during this time.

The duration of each session varies based on factors like the treated area, hair and skin color, and how the device is used. Imagine the time and money you save by doing IPL treatments at home instead of making repeat visits to a salon!

IPL is simpler than it may seem! The most important thing is to carefully read your IPL device’s user manual before you start. Take note of any precautions or contraindications and plan your treatment schedule to achieve the best results. Here are a few tips to get started:

• Avoid tanning (including sunless tanning products) for at least 4-6 weeks before using IPL.
• Shave the treatment area beforehand.
• Do not wax or pluck for at least 4 weeks.
• IPL hair removal is not recommended during pregnancy.

For the best results, it's important to properly care for your skin before and after IPL treatments. Here are the steps:

Caring for Your Skin Before IPL

• Wash the treatment area with a gentle cleanser. Be sure to remove all traces of lotion, deodorant, etc.
• Gently exfoliate with a mild scrub or gel.
• Shave the treatment area.
• Use the IPL device.

Caring for Your Skin After IPL

• Moisturize the treatment area with a gentle lotion.
• Avoid waxing or plucking hair regrowth after sessions.
• Shaving is fine, but ideally wait about 2 weeks after your first session to observe the shedding.
• Protect your skin from the sun.

As with any light-based or laser hair removal, IPL results take time. Hair may seem to grow back initially, but many hairs will fall out after about two weeks. Since hair grows in three stages, only hairs in the active growth phase are affected, so multiple sessions are needed to achieve lasting results.

Taking care of your IPL device is just as important because it will help ensure its longevity and optimal performance. To maintain it:

• Clean the surface: Wipe with a soft, damp cloth. Avoid harsh chemicals.
• Clean the handpiece: Also use a soft cloth, avoiding abrasives.
• Store properly: Keep it in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight and extreme conditions.

What is the Difference Between IPL Hair Removal and Laser Removal?

Both use light pulses targeting the hair root but differ in light type. IPL uses broadband, pulsating light, while laser uses monochrome, coherent light (We will not dive any further in this difference because it’s too much complicated irrelevant information). IPL is more effective on a wider range of skin and hair tones, especially darker skin. IPL can be done at home or a salon, using milder, painless light compared to the intense, potentially painful laser used in clinics.

The other difference is that for laser hair removal you go to a specialist in a salon while IPL hair removal can be done both in the salon and at home. In a salon they use more intense light, which can make it a bit painful. At home you use mild light, which makes it completely painless.

Is IPL Safe?

Yes, IPL hair removal at home is safe. Especially with the Silk’n 7, because our eHPL™ technology can achieve permanent hair reduction results at a fraction of the energy level used in professional light-based hair removal equipment. This low energy reduces its potential to cause harm or complications and contributes to your overall safety. With any IPL device, it is important not to treat the same area of skin more than once per hair removal session, as this increases the likelihood of adverse effects.

Do I need to shave before using IPL at home?

Yes, as mentioned earlier, before using an at-home IPL machine, you need to shave all the visible hair in the area you are trying to target. This is so the hair isn’t exposed but is still within the follicle.

Does IPL Treatment Hurt?

You are probably wondering if IPL hair removal hurts. The answer is no; for most users, at home IPL hair removal is painless. Most users report no pain at all or just feeling a slight sensation of heat and tingling when a light pulse is emitted. Users with thicker and darker hairs may feel slightly more discomfort, but this discomfort subsides once the hair removal session is completed. For your convenience, this device has five energy levels that can be set according to sensitivity and tolerance.

So forget the pain caused by electrolysis or waxing, the itchy stubble of shaving, or the mess of depilatory creams! IPL hair removal is safe and comfortable and it has none of the mess of the other hair removal methods. 

Is IPL Suitable for Everyone?

IPL hair removal is suitable for both women and men. Men particularly appreciate the convenience of using IPL to permanently reduce facial hair and back hair. Women find IPL the perfect solution for smoother legs, bikini line, and face.

New about the Silk’n 7 system is that it is suitable for almost all skin colors and all hair colors. Unlike some other IPL devices, Silk’n 7 can be safely used on darker skin tones, thanks to the unique Skin Color Sensor. This is a built-in-safety sensor which stops the device from emitting a light pulse if your skin tone is too dark for treatment. Now users can be confident that their skin is being protected during IPL sessions.

Note that naturally white, gray, blond, and red body hair are not suitable for being removed with IPL. IPL is also not suitable for pregnant women and is contraindicated for those with certain skin conditions and with some medications. Always check your device’s user manual for specifics.

How Expensive is an IPL Device?

There is a lot of difference in price and quality, as with every beauty device. To see which device suits you, always read the reviews and please skip the extremely cheap shops this time. IPL can really be a solution when you use good quality devices that do not damage the skin. The Silk’n 7 can be bought at Silk’n or several marketplaces for $599.

Now that you know the benefits of using IPL, let’s recap how to get the best results from home IPL:

• Prepare Your Skin: Clean and shave the area before treatment.

• Select the Correct Intensity Level: Start with a lower intensity and increase it as your skin gets used to the treatment.

• Provide Proper Aftercare: Apply a soothing gel or lotion, avoid sun exposure for 24 hours, and use sunscreen with a high SPF to protect your skin from potential UV damage. Also, avoid activities causing excessive sweating or friction for a couple of days.

Ready to enjoy silky smooth skin? Check out our favorite IPL device for permanent hair reduction, the next-level Silk’n 7.

Now that you know more about IPL or Intense Pulsed Light Therapy hair removal, feel free to reach out to our customer care team if you have any questions. Ready to begin? Explore our at-home hair removal devices to get started!