At Home IPL Hair Removal: Is it Worth It?

In my previous life, I was a Wookie. Ok, maybe not exactly a Wookie, but I was much hairier. And by previous life, I mean about 7 years ago.

7 years ago, I had professional laser hair removal done at a local cosmetic dermatology office. I paid a very large amount of money, and it really was life transforming for me. I didn’t have an abnormal amount of body hair, but it was enough that I would actively plan my life around how recently I had shaved (which was every day), if I could wear shorts that day, did I feel up to wearing a swimsuit, you name it. I hated the feeling of any stubble on my legs. I wouldn’t wear anything without sleeves. While the laser hair removal didn’t remove every single hair on my body, it did get rid of roughly 95% of the darker ones. Those that remained grew much more slowly as well. I went from feeling like I needed to shave again by 5 pm, to shaving once a week. I wore tank tops, didn’t worry about hopping into our new backyard pool, and shorts once again entered my wardrobe.

Over the last 2-3 years, I’ve noticed that more of those hairs have started to come back. Whether it’s because of hormones, hairs cycling differently, who knows. The dermatologist office did say I would need touch-ups every few years, but I haven’t had time to go back for those visits. I do a little more hair removal maintenance now, but I’m still nowhere near where I was 7 years ago. But… I would absolutely love to think a little less about hair removal again.

So, I’ve recently decided to try at home IPL hair removal for those touch ups. The cost of a machine is a fraction of a single visit to my cosmetic dermatologist, and I can do it at home on whatever schedule I want. I don’t need to take time out of my busy schedule, drive somewhere, and have an appointment. I’m an ideal candidate with the target darker hair and my fair skin.

How does IPL Hair Removal Work?

There’s the same basic idea behind IPL and Laser hair removal, whether it is in the office or at home. The hair within the follicle, under the surface of the skin, is targeted by the IPL/Laser. Melanin within the hair absorbs the energy of the IPL/Laser, damaging the hair follicle to the point that it either disrupts the growth cycle or no longer produces hair. Because you’re really targeting the melanin, this works best with darker hair and lighter skin, and you should shave the hair on the surface of the skin, so as much of that IPL/Laser is hitting the hair within the follicle as possible.

Having said that, there’s a lot of nuance in there. IPL is Intense Pulsed Light, and as shown above, usually has a range of wavelengths. Laser is usually a single wavelength. The intensity, wavelengths and times can all be modulated to achieve the results you want. An at home device like the Braun I selected doesn’t have the flexibility of a professional device in the hands of a dermatologist, but it’s a great option for someone like me!

About the Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5 IPL

I’ve been thinking about trying at home IPL hair removal for a while. I’m in a lot of doctor mom groups on Facebook, and frequently it comes up. “Hey dermatologists, does this thing work?” “Has anyone the at home IPL from Braun?” “Which at home hair removal device is best?” And the consensus has always been that in the office treatments are better if you’re not an ideal candidate. But, at home IPL devices (and the Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5 IPL is the overwhelmingly most discussed and recommended) are a great option. Why? The results, time and money saved.

The Silk-Expert Pro 5 IPL comes in a really nice case, with different levels that lift out to hold all of the pieces. The Silk-Expert itself is very easy, it just plugs in and there is an on/off button that can also change the mode (standard, gentle or extra gentle). There are 2 additional sizes of heads, so you can treat a larger area or be more focused in treatment.

When using the device, there are 2 sensors on either side of the treatment window, the device will use that to detect your skin tone and then select the correct intensity. You’ll see the side of the Silk-Expert light up with the “SensoAdapt” indicating this is optimizing your treatment. You then hold the Silk-Expert over the treatment area and hit the button! The machine is very fast, and it’s easy to treat a large area within just a few minutes. I wouldn’t say this is completely painless, but I don’t think it hurts either. I feel the light flash, and it does heat up a little, but I don’t feel it a few seconds later.

How are my Results?

I’ve only had time for 2 treatments so far, but I’m already noticing a difference! Keep in mind that I’ve had laser hair removal so this isn’t super impressive, but if you look closely some of the darker hairs on my chin and upper lip are already gone. I think that’s a win! Especially for treatments that literally took seconds, while sitting at my makeup vanity. I can’t wait to see how much my hair continues to disappear with further treatments!

Have you tried at Home IPL? How did you like it?

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Sponsored Post: This post is a collaboration with Braun, but the opinions are all my own.