Welcome to the latest blog in our Renew Medica series featuring information regarding laser procedures, plus check out our fantastic competition where you can win a fabulous injectables prize worth up to £1,000.
Plus, if you have questions about the following please add them as comments below as the next blog in the series is a Q&A with the Renew Medica in-house expert.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and laser procedures are similar light energy treatments for hair removal and advanced skin treatments, the light they both produce causing a heating effect in the hair and skin. However there are some fundamental differences between these two types of light energy. Alica Trenchard, director of education for Renew Medica, experts in laser hair removal and advanced skin care, explains the differences and benefits and what treatments are available for all skin types and tones.
What is IPL?
Often mistakenly referred to as a laser, IPL energy is produced by a lamp, similar to a lightbulb, but extremely powerful. It produces a variety of light waves (colours) that disperse in all directions. If you have ever had an IPL treatment, you will have noticed seeing the bright flash, even though you were wearing protective eyewear.
How is laser different to IPL?
Laser energy consists of a very specific type of light wave, it can only be one colour (which depends on the type of laser) and the energy travels in one direction making it very precise. Laser energy is far more focused than IPL energy, and you usually do not see any residual light when wearing protective eyewear during treatment.
Why do so many salons/clinics use IPL for hair removal?
As with a lot of things, it’s down to money. The cost of an IPL machine is usually a lot cheaper to buy than a laser one. Also, because IPL is a broad range of light waves, a single machine can be more versatile for both hair removal and skin treatments. Although lasers can be used for more than one type of treatment, they are often best used for one particular purpose.
So why bother with laser when IPL is cheaper and more versatile?
The answer is that lasers are usually a lot more powerful than an IPL, and the precision of the treatment settings are a lot more accurate and versatile. This means that we can fine tune laser settings for just about any type of hair and skin combination to achieve optimum results.
Do you have lasers for different skin types and tones?
Not only does Renew Medica prefer using lasers for hair removal, the company also has invested in a variety of different types of laser equipment to further refine the safest and most effective laser hair removal treatment for clients
- Darker skin – The Nd YAG laser gentler for a dark complexion, as darker skin tones become much hotter during treatment than lighter skin tones
- Brown or blonde hair – The Alexandrite laser, although useful for a variety of skin and hair types, is often preferred when treating hair containing poor colour (brown or blonde hair)
- All rounder – The Lightsheer Diode
- Pain Free – The Soprano Pain Free laser at our Windsor clinic is the latest in Diode technology which removes hair without the associated discomfort.
What other treatments can IPL be used for?
Most of the Renew Medica clinics house an IPL purely for the purpose of skin rejuvenation as we find these systems extremely effective in treating brown pigment marks and redness or veins on the upper body and face.
For more information, visit www.renewmedica.com
The Renew Medica Series:
