IPL Hair Removal

Written by on August 24, 2009 · Leave a Comment

You may have heard of IPL hair removal and wondered what it is as it often often talked of alongside laser hair removal as a permanent method of hair reduction.

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light and is actually one of the most common forms of “laser hair removal” used though it doesn’t actually use lasers in the strictest sense of the word!

The difference is that lasers (or Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation) produce a precise high energy beam of light in a single wavelength while Intense Pulsed Light systems use hundreds of different wavelengths of light. The bursts of light in IPL are filtered so that the flashes can be targeted at the hair in as precise a way as lasers would be.

In fact there are very few differences in the effect of laser and IPL hair removal treatment. Both work in the same way. The high energy light (whether from a laser or IPL hair removal machine) is designed to burn the hair and damage the follicle while leaving the skin relatively unscathed. The hair follicle is affected by the light energy heating up the cells at the base of the hair and damaging them causing them (hopefully) to be unable to produce further hair growth.

IPL Hair removal on legs and feet

IPL Hair removal on legs and feet

The benefits of IPL hair removal over lasers are that it treats a much larger area of skin per light pulse than laser hair treatment. It is therefore extremely popular with patients and clinics alike as it is both faster and cheaper without appearing to have any reduction in effectiveness. However the costs of laser hair removal you see quoted are generally those for the IPL form so this reduction has already been taken into account.

Another benefit of IPL over laser treatment is that there is less risk of damage to skin. That’s because the light is sent out in 4 or 5 pulses. The skin heats up less rapidly with each pulse than the darker hair and follicle and cools down faster between pulses resulting in damage to the hair follicle but not to the surrounding skin. Skin is generally treated with a cooling gel to reduce any burning sensation too.

While it will always be easier to treat patients with fair skin and dark hair (where the difference in hair and skin color is greatest) some IPL machines have been designed to deal with different skin colors these days.

The problem with treating other shades of hair is that it is the melanin in dark hair which absorbs the heat from the IPL machine. If you have blond or gray hair it has very little melanin to absorb the heat energy and so it does not get destroyed.

If you have dark, olive or tanned skin then the skin will also absorb some of the heat energy and may get damaged. This has been tackled by controlling the light in different ways for different skin types. Your treatment will probably take longer than someone who has fair skin and dark hair but it is now possible. Make sure you discuss these details during the initial consultation to ensure that the treatment and machine being proposed for IPL hair removal treatment are matched to your specific requirements.

Unfortunately just as with laser hair removal treatment IPL only damages follicles that are in their growth phase. This means that each Intense Pulsed Light treatment will only be effective on about 60% of the hair follicles that are actively growing at that time. (This percentage varies a little across different parts of the body). You have to rely on further IPL hair removal treatments to tackle the remaining hair. This means that everyone needs a course of at least 3 treatments and possibly 6 to 8 for best results.

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Rio Hair Removal System Review

Written by on August 24, 2009 · Leave a Comment

The Rio hair removal system is another home laser hair removal machine widely available on the market and again with mixed reviews, unfortunately many of them extremely negative along with those who have had a great experience with the machine.

There are three laser machines in the Rio hair removal range – one targets individual hairs, one 20 hairs at a time and since 2009 one which deals with 60 hairs at a time but a lot of people seem to struggle to target their hair with the system as it can be quite an art with a small laser beam. (From that point of view the 60 hair laser is definitely best).

Rio Laser Hair Removal Machine

Rio Laser Machine
CLICK the image for details

It also seems that the head on the Rio machine is very light and the laser may not be powerful enough to destroy hair follicles for some – although a few have given it a glowing review because it works for them. So a lot may depend on how thick and coarse the hair is that you want to remove. home laser hair removal machine is never going to be as powerful or as robust as laser equipment in a clinic where machines cost thousands but you do want it to work even if it is not as quick or effective as professional laser treatment.

A lot of people seem to lose patience with the Rio laser machine and you think that maybe they are unrealistic in their expectations but there are quite a few saying that though they understand the process they have made repeated attempts without any reduction in their hair growth.

For example this lady who used the Rio 60 machine

It’s an absolute waste of money. I used to have laser hair removal treatment in a skin clinic in my country so I am completely familiar with the process and how it works. When I called Rio customer service to tell them how useless it is they answered me in a way like it is a new technology and I don’t know how it works. But believe me after several treatments even a single hair didn’t drop. (after each treatment the hair whose folicol is destroyed drop). Now I have put it somewhere out of my sight because every time I see it I like to smash it. Amazon.co.uk buyer

See more reviews to get the full picture here, here and here

So though on the face of it the Rio laser system seems to have a lot going for it with all the features listed such as a safe 808nm diverging laser, secure skin contact check, hair targeting light, digital power output control and great instructions via manual or DVD and a number of people report excellent results you may want to think again about how you spend your money if you are on a limited budget. Although there is a 2 year guarantee I believe this only covers faults with the product (ie break downs) not the product failing to remove your hair.

If you are willing to take a chance on the Rio hair removal system and see if this is the answer for you (in the full knowledge that you may be disappointed), then you can buy on Amazon in the UK here and on eBay in the USA or elsewhere.

Categories: Hair Removal Review - Tags: , , ,

GiGi Wax

Written by on August 23, 2009 · Leave a Comment

If you are looking for home waxing supplies then it’s good to go with a brand that professional beauticians choose more than any other and thats GiGi wax. It’s a brand that is synonymous with quality, purity and natural ingredients in the world of beauty waxing.

If you have decided to try home waxing then you are probably already familiar with the benefits – perhaps from having treatment in a salon. You will get fast results and smooth skin for weeks on end. A little (temporary) redness and pain has to be worth it to achieve this.

When you decide to try the DIY approach make sure that you have all the equipment you need to carry out waxing like the professionals – GiGi microwave wax or a GiGi wax warmer and wax of your choice, strips for removing the wax and then a wax removal product to get rid of any sticky residue.

GiGi Professional Waxing Kit

GiGi Professional Waxing Kit
CLICK image for details

If you are unfamiliar with waxing it will be so worth booking a professional treatment at a spa or salon before attempting the process yourself at home. Whether or not you use a professional product like GiGi wax or not, first hand experience of how to remove hair by waxing will be just what you need to make the process go smoothly the first time you do it.

The company actually has quite a large product range which can be quite overwhelming when it comes to choosing the right product. However, it’s not a real problem as all of the products are safe for delicate and sensitive skin.

You are sure to find just the wax formula which appeals if you try out one or two of the GiGi wax products the first few times and get a feel for the formula and fragrance which appeals most. The natural ingredients such as honey, milk and chocolate sound (and smell) so appealing you will probably want them all and have to remind yourself you are talking about using them to rip your hair out from the roots :)

Gigi waxing products are applied in the same way as any other wax product. Clean the area to be treated. Warm the wax to the right temperature (warm but not so hot that the wax burns your skin). Smear on the wax in the direction of hair growth and immediately apply a waxing strip. Once the wax has had a chance to adhere to the hair (a few seconds) peel back the strip in one quick movement against the direction of hair growth.

If you are looking for a quality waxing product then take a look at the GiGi wax range right here and you’ll find everything you need at discounted prices.

Categories: Hair Removal - Tags: , , , , ,

Best Waxing Kits

Written by on August 22, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Costs can mount up when you have regular appointments at the beauty salon for waxing away your excess hair but waxing is still a great solution for long lasting hair removal. You will stay hair free for weeks at a time, which is a big advantage over something like depilatory creams or shaving.

If you are on a limited budget, you can cut the cost of beauty waxing considerably by using home waxing kits which have all the ingredients the professionals use for effective and fuss-free waxing.

Once you know how waxing feels and have decided you would like to try it out at home, you can save time searching for a great home waxing kit by choosing one of the following best sellers which will all do the job just fine:-

GiGi Professional Waxing Kit This GiGi professional waxing kit is a best seller as it contains a whole heap of elements for a small price including a wax warmer. Some of the reviews were not so happy with the wax for bikini waxing so you may want to use a specialized kit for that (although this one is certainly suitable for most people). Missing from the kit (but nevertheless good value): talcum powder for dusting the area before waxing and wax remover for removing wax residue from your body. Get details and buyer reviews here
GiGi Bikini Waxing Kit This GiGi Bikini Waxing kit is a better kit to buy if you just want to wax your bikini line. The only issue with it is that the strips you need to use are not included so you need to purchase these separately. It beats me why they don’t include them to be honest but this is still a great kit. Get details and reviews here.
Satin Smooth Starter Waxing Kit Now this waxing kit, the Satin Smooth starter set DOES contain everything you need (including strips, warmer and wax remover). That makes it great value. Although the wax doesn’t have the same reputation as GiGi wax (which you hear about all the time as being the best) the buyers seem to love it more than GiGi so this looks like a great buy. Get all the details and buyers opinions here.
Clean and Easy Waxing Kit The Clean and easy Waxing Spa Kit is more expensive than other kits (around $100 as opposed to around $40) but that’s because it has a unique patented roll on system which make the wax easier to control. It includes a wax warmer (which gives you constantly heated roll on applicators and they ensure that wax goes on in a perfectly smooth thin layer) and you get everything else you need so you may want to consider this one if you want the best and tend to get in a mess with waxing. Full details and more information here along with buyer reviews.

All the waxing kits you see here will give you professional results. If you are used to paying the prices at beauty salons they will pay for themselves very quickly and you will be able to remove hair whenever it is convenient for you. If you’re not sure how how to wax all the kits contain full instructions but it may be worth having a salon treatment first so you get the idea if you’re nervous about using these a waxing kit at home.

Categories: Hair Removal Review - Tags: , , , , ,

Laser Hair Removal at Home

Written by on August 21, 2009 · Leave a Comment

If you have battled with almost every method of removing hair but you can’t afford the high prices that laser clinics charge I’m sure you are thinking about looking into laser hair removal at home especially when you see personal laser machines advertised on TV and online with glowing reviews.

But are you ready to buy a home laser machine?

You see, home laser treatment is not for everyone and it is NOT the right hair removal product for you if:-

1. you have dark skin or fair hair (or gray or red). If your coloring fits into these categories you need a specialist laser machine only available in professional clinics with the latest equipment (if you are suitable for treatment at all). That’s because home laser machines rely on targeting the pigment in dark hair without affecting the fair skin surrounding it as this has lower levels of melanin.

2. you want to work primarily on your face. Home lasers are not designed for facial hair as a rule – it’s simply too dangerous for those with no training to point a laser device anywhere near their eyes.

Laser hair removal at home

Laser hair removal at home
CLICK image for details

3. you are not prepared to be patient. You will be able to achieve permanent hair reduction with a home laser machine but it won’t happen overnight because of the way hair grows and the way it resists being killed sometimes! Laser treatment can not affect all the hair in one session because only hairs which are in the active growth phase can be destroyed. You can’t tell which hair is in that state although about 40% of your hair will not be in the right stage at any one time and it will grow back although it will be fall out along with the other hair. Even hairs which are in the right state many need several treatments to be destroyed.

4. you are looking only to save money and buy the cheapest laser system around without reading reviews. There are quite a few systems out there where you will be wasting your money and time and will only set yourself up for disappointment. Be careful if you only find good reviews from those selling the product. Always look for independent buyer opinions. You will find various unbiased laser machine reviews on this site both good and bad (for example see those for the Silkn home laser machine and the Epila)

Having said all that, if you can truly say that you are ready to invest a bit of time and money in getting proficient with the right home laser machine and if you have the right skin and hair combination (and the above didn’t put you off) it may very well be worth the investment and starting with laser hair removal at home. Just be careful about what you buy.

Categories: Laser Hair Removal - Tags: , , , , ,

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