How Does IPL or Laser Remove Hair?
All light based therapies which include laser and IPL, also called Photomedicine techniques, work on the same principle. This principle is that a specific color of light can be directed to be absorbed or taken up by one specific color of tissue on the skin. Light is energy, and energy can produce heat. When light energy, the IPL or Laser beam, is absorbed by a specific colored tissue on the skin, the tissue is heated, injured, and is removed. Hair follicles are black or brown, thus a black or brown laser or IPL light is flashed on the skin that contains the hair follicle, the follicle absorbs the light energy, is heated, damaged, and the hair follicle shrinks and loses color. The new smaller hair follicle is then able to grow only fine light colored peach fuss after treatment. This light based technique is called target specific photothermolysis-a specifically colored target receives color matched light energy (photo), is heated (thermo) and damaged or dissolved (lysis). The color of l
