Intense pulsed light is a hair removal technique based on light and the principle of selective photothermolysis. The hair absorbs the light, which is then converted into heat, The light energy heats the hair follicle and inhibits its growth mechanisms. The hair follicle has more melanin than other tissues, and therefore the light is absorbed by its pigment, but not by surrounding tissues. This is why this technique is called "selective" photothermolysis.

The treatment consists of regular sessions over several months. The interval between sessions increases as the hair disappears.
Prior to the treatment, the practitioner will diagnose your skin phototype and assess the treatment's suitability and possible contraindications through a medical questionnaire. A test patch will also be conducted to assure that there are no negative reactions. During the session, protective goggles will protect your eyes from the pulsed light. Depending on the area treated, the length of a session will fluctuate. As a guide, a session for the armpits or the bikini line can last for 15 minutes, whereas full legs can take up to one hour.
Before the session a hair length of approximately 2mm is recommended. You can shave (with a razor) the area a few days before the session. Additionally, the practitioner will inform you of the precautions that should be strictly followed for a safe and effective treatment, such as avoiding sun exposure before and after a session or avoiding any other hair removal techniques that eliminate the hair root (plucking and waxing are not compatible with the Pulsed Light). Because of the heat generated during the treatment, there are some possible side effects to these treatments (see below).

The number of sessions for pulsed light treatment varies from patient to patient depending on skin and hair types, as well as the area treated. On average, 4 to 8 sessions are necessary to obtain the desired result. The treatment’s length depends on each individual's reactions to the pulsed light treatment. It also depends on the hair's growth rate, which differs from area to area. Furthermore, after each treatment the follicles are weakened, so the hairs need more time to grow. Therefore, the sessions will be spaced further and further apart over time. It is necessary to apply the light during the optimal stage of the hair's growth as a guide there should be a 1-2 months interval between the first sessions.

No. The reduction is permanent for between 80% and 90% of the hair. After a treatment, the little hair that will grow (depending on each person, 5-10 years later) will be much thinner and weaker than before, and you will just need to attend a new session to eliminate it.

The advanced technology we use allows us to treat a wide range of skin and hair types, although the treatment is most effective when the hair is dark and the skin is light. The melanin in the hair follicle absorbs the light; therefore, on light skin, dark hair absorbs nearly all the light. Darker skins also absorb some of the light so its effect on the hair follicle is smaller; you will thus need more sessions in order to achieve the desired results if you have dark skin.

You should avoid sun and artificial tanning for four weeks before and after each session.

We can treat nearly all parts of the body using the protective goggles. However, we do not treat areas where the light may reach directly into the eyes.

Hair removal with pulsed light is a non-painful treatment which requires no anaesthesia. It may be uncomfortable however, depending upon the sensitivity of each person. The sensation can be from painless to a very bearable irritation.

Hair removal with pulsed light requires no preparation, but minimal care should be taken before and after each session:
Do not expose treated areas to the sun or UVA/UVB rays, and do not use self-tanning cream during the four weeks before and after each session.
Do not tweeze the hair roots in the treated area within the two weeks before a session. Leave about 1-2mm of hair, shave the area with a razor a few days before.
Do not colour your hair prior to a session.

Hair removal with pulsed light requires no post-session care, and you can carry out any ordinary activities. However, please adhere to the following guidelines: avoid sun exposure; if this is impossible, wear protective total sun block lotion (a high SPF 30+). For very irritable skin, please use a soothing cream.
The practitioner will inform you precisely about all the necessary care.

Hair removal with pulsed light is a very efficient treatment when it is carried out by well-trained and qualified practitioners, who know how to obtain the optimal result with a limited number of sessions.
The pulsed light also clarifies skin soiled by frequent use of wax. It also considerably eliminates folliculitis problems and does not hurt the skin like wax. It is known as the least painful hair removal technique to date.
On a long term basis, it is also considered the most cost efficient one. In addition, each session considerably reduces the amount of hair, and the remaining few grow more slowly, lighter and thinner thereafter.

In some cases, some redness may appear on the skin, but it will disappear spontaneously within hours. For sensitive skin, it is recommended that you apply some soothing cream after the session (Aloe Vera or post-solar lotions).
In some exceptional cases, the treatment may cause temporary hyper- or hypopigmentation (for skin types 4-6). There are no other known significant side effects, and the treatment is considered innocuous.

The practitioner will ask you to complete a medical questionnaire during the first session in order to assess whether the treatment is suitable for you.

In general, some basic contraindications must be considered for your safety:
recently tanned skin, photosensitivity (caused by disease or drugs), treatments using some retinoic derivative, varicose, blood coagulation problems, antecedent of hypertrophic cicatrisation or keloid scarring, pregnancy and lactancy, very pigmented dark or black skin, depression and diabetes.

In the results there are absolutely none. Both are based on light. However, the pulsed light is a more advanced technique which allows to treat of a wider typology of skin and hair. Thus, it is a more effective, does not require anaesthesia, less painful and more affordable technology for permanent hair reduction!