Best IPL hair removal: at-home experiences and tips from users

When it comes to answering questions like ‘is IPL good?’ and ‘is IPL hair removal safe?’ experts can provide very helpful information. However, recommendations, tips and hints from real users are also helpful, and some of the best IPL hair removal (at home) advice often comes from them.

We asked users of the Philips Lumea IPL 9000 Series  about their experiences and for tips on how to use IPL hair removal devices. From their responses we compiled these handy IPL FAQs and answers.

1. Is IPL hair removal safe? Does it cause skin irritation?

Maya says:

"Real irritation or excessive redness doesn't really happen to me. But it's possible that the area of skin will turn a little red immediately after a 'shot'. My advice: don't rub and don't 'shoot' again! The redness usually goes away quickly. I haven't had any lasting irritation yet."

The high-energy light impulse not only heats up the hair root for a moment, but also the skin area. How warm the skin gets depends on the intensity of the impulse. The best IPL hair removal at-home devices will determine this setting by testing the relevant area of skin. The Philips Lumea IPL 9000 Series uses SenseIQ technology to achieve this.

If skin irritation occurs due to the intensity, you could follow the manufacturer’s instructions to reduce it manually. Be careful with other factors too, such as scars, birthmarks and moles.

2. Is it worth the effort every few weeks, especially for IPL leg hair removal?

Saskia says:

"The effort is definitely worth it! I used to shave my legs (including my thighs) every other day because I have a lot of hair growth. I trimmed my armpits every day. Now I have significantly less hair on my legs. I shave from time to time, because I want it to be completely smooth, but compared to before, I definitely don't have to do it several times a week."

IPL leg hair removal is a popular choice and hair growth typically decreases after just three treatments. If you follow the recommended treatment plan you can expect long-lasting results.

Of course, there are also other areas perfect for IPL hair removal – legs, indeed, but also face, underarms and the bikini area. The longer you use the Philips Lumea IPL 9000 Series in any area, the longer the intervals between IPL applications can be – saving you lots of time in the long run.

3. Do you know how to use IPL to avoid ingrown hairs?

Cassandra says:

"I've been doing IPL at home for about eight months. I hadn't had any previous experience. I didn't even know that I could avoid ingrown hairs with it. In the beginning I had a couple of them in my bikini area. That was maybe from epilation earlier, but now I haven't had one for ages. I recommend it to anyone who otherwise has problems with it."

Ingrown hairs are more common with shaving and epilation. When shaving, the cut hair doesn’t always grow back straight out of the skin, but curves. When epilating, if the hair tears, it can come out crooked and grow back into the skin.

When using IPL, none of the above happens. So, is IPL good for avoiding ingrown hairs? Yes, it’s a great method to avoid ingrown hairs.

4. Does IPL hair removal leave legs silky smooth?

Tasha says:

"It's a bit difficult at first to IPL the legs completely without omissions. On the other hand, you have to carry out the application several times in order to finally get all the hair. In this respect, for better or for worse, you have to be patient. But even if you're not super precise, there aren't any tufts or so left after the initial phase. The main thing is to stick with it. And the best thing to do is to stick to a fixed pattern, then you don't leave anything out."

If you're just starting out with IPL, give yourself time. Practice makes perfect – and reading some extra tips for smooth legs helps too!