Intense Pulsed Light for permanent hair reduction is a slightly different process from Laser in that the IPL system delivers a broader spectrum of light energy to penetrate the skin to different depths with each burst of light, whereas laser focuses on one specific wavelength: namely red. These shots of light are absorbed by the dark pigment (melanin) in the hair follicle, converted into heat energy and it is this process which damages the root of the hair follicle and prevents it from growing.
By IPL using more strands of light from the light spectrum allows IPL machines to treat more skin phototypes than laser, therefore making the process suitable for a wider audience.