If you’re beginning to dip your toe into hair removal, ‘how often to use IPL at home’ is probably high up on your list of questions. It’s a great query to have, but there are a few other important steps to consider before you jump straight in.
Don’t worry, a hair-free future is on the horizon should you wish it to be, and you’ll be much closer to achieving it once you’ve finished reading our handy guide on everything to know about using laser hair removal devices and IPL machines out-of-salon. Luckily, we’ve got an expert on hand to help in the form of Bondi Body founder and Hair Removal Queen, Trish Coulton.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know, from how often to use IPL at home to how quickly you can expect to see results. Just remember: what you do with your body hair is a totally personally choice, and there's no pressure to get rid of it completely. Whatever makes you feel most confident gets our vote.
Silk'n 7 IPL Hair Removal Device
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Ulike Air 10 IPL Hair Removal Device
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Keskine IPL Hair Removal Handset
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While there are many different forms of hair removal – everything from shaving and waxing to hair removal cream and dermaplaning – IPL is a great choice for those looking for a long-term solution to unwanted body hair. But what is it?
“IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light and refers to a method for removing unwanted body and facial hair,” explains Trish. “IPL devices emit rapid and bright pulses of broad-spectrum light across an area of skin roughly 3 cm² in size, quickly and effectively reducing hair growth on the arms, legs, back, face and other parts of the body.”
Compared to other hair removal techniques, IPL is preferred for its semi-permanent (important to note: not completely permanent) halting of hair growth. This works by damaging the follicles during the growth (or anagen) phase. “When using the device, the light energy it emits travels into the hair shafts, heating the melanin and, subsequently, the hair’s follicle or growth point. The excess heat damages the follicle, slowing down or completely arresting hair growth,” continues Trish. “Over time, as the user hits more and more follicles during the growth phase, they’ll notice a remarkable reduction in hair growth and thickness.”
Another important thing to note is that unfortunately IPL isn’t suitable for everyone. For the best (and safest) results, people with fair to medium skin tone and dark hair are most suited. “The contrast between the two is what allows the light to target the hair without affecting the surrounding skin,” Trish explains. Those with darker or Black skin tones cannot safely use IPL at home as devices can’t currently distinguish between the melanin in their skin and hair, making them at risk of burns. Similarly, people with fair hair (think blonde, grey, red, or white) won’t see the results they’re hoping for as there isn’t enough pigment in the follicle for the light to latch on to.
If you’re in the lucky group of people who are best-suited to seeing results from using an IPL, the next thing to know is how to prepare your skin ahead of using the device.
Trish suggests shaving 24 hours before (or after) using an IPL device, but keeping hair around 1-5mm in length for optimal results. “Don’t ever wax, pluck, thread or epilate the treatment area as IPL won’t be effective if hair follicles are removed before treatment,” she warns.
Another thing to note is that fake tan should be removed too. “The pigments in the skin may heat up instead of the melanin in the hair,” Trish says. “You can reapply self-tan after the skin has relaxed, I recommend waiting 48 hours.” The same goes for naturally tanned skin, with Trish suggesting a window of two weeks for your tan to fade before picking up the IPL device and avoiding direct sunlight for 48 hours afterwards.
Finally, “if you’re on any medications that cause photosensitivity, things like antibiotics or acne treatments, check with your GP or pharmacist before you start,” she says. “Same goes for any active skin conditions in the area you want to treat.” It’s always better to err on the side of caution when using an IPL at home to avoid any burns or permanent skin damage.
Silk'n 7 IPL Hair Removal Device
Before you start, Trish notes that effective use of IPL at home will differ from device to device, so best to check with your instruction manual for specific uses. Keep reading for her step-by-step guide to achieving the best results with your at-home IPL.
Shave the treatment area cleanly. Dry your skin afterwards and make sure it’s completely clean and product-free.
Do a patch test if it’s your first time using a device. On a small area, check that your skin tone is within the safe range using your device’s built in sensor or the included chart. Flash once and wait 24 hours. If there’s no redness, irritation, or unusual reaction – you’re good to go.
Most devices have multiple intensity levels. Start on the lower end, particularly for sensitive areas like the bikini line, underarms, or face. You can increase the intensity over the following sessions as you see how your skin responds.
Place the light window fully flush against your skin. Most devices won’t flash unless there’s full contact, as that’s a safety feature. Don’t press down hard, just maintain good, even contact.
Work in a grid like pattern so you’re not missing patches and not overlapping too much either. For the Bondi Body V2 Laser, we recommend moving the device in 1cm increments across the treatment area. It’s okay to let the device double flash before moving to the next spot. Some people mark sections with a white eyeliner pencil, but you can just work systematically from top to bottom too.
Once you’ve finished, apply a soothing, fragrance-free body moisturiser or aloe vera gel to help cool your skin.
The all-important question: how often to use IPL at home? Again, this can vary depending on the specific device you’re using as well as your hair and skin type, but Trish offers some general advice to follow as a rule of thumb.
“For face, neck and intimate areas (bikini line, Brazilian, Hollywood), IPL can be used to once a week for 12 weeks,” she says. “Legs, arms, underarms, stomach, chest and back can be treated up to twice a week for 12 weeks.” After the 12-week mark, she recommends using the device once monthly to remove any new growth that may have appeared (if at all).
While it might be tempting to use your IPL at home more often to see faster results, overuse can result in irritation, hyperpigmentation and permanent skin damage – including scarring from blisters and burns.
Keskine IPL Hair Removal Handset
Ulike Air 10 IPL Hair Removal Device
Once your IPL journey is underway, it’s important to protect your skin to help build up tolerance for future use and avoid any irritation. While it’s usually suggested to use IPL at home during the winter, if you do use it during the warmer months when skin is on show, you’ll want it to look as normal as possible.
Trish notes that any pink/redness or warmth on the skin immediately after using the device is completely normal and nothing to worry about, but to help cool it aloe vera gel is well-tolerated by most and will help with regards to this. “Avoid anything with AHAs, retinol, or strong actives on the treated area for a couple of days,” she advises. You should also avoid heat generally for the first few days after using your IPL at home too – anything from hot baths to saunas or steam rooms, even intense exercise that would make you sweat heavily. “Heat on sensitised skin can cause irritation or even pigmentation issues in some extreme cases,” Trish continues.
As always, SPF is non-negotiable, particularly for skin that you’ve used the IPL on and will be exposed to the sun. These areas are even more vulnerable to UV damage, so don’t skip it!
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Most people who don’t see the results they’re expecting from using IPL at home are often making common mistakes that impact the efficacy of the device. “The most common I see is not shaving beforehand or waxing instead,” says Trish. “Surface hair wastes the device’s energy before it reaches the follicle, and waxing removes the root entirely, so there’s nothing to target.”
Inconsistent use of the device is another common mistake, “because IPL only works on actively growing hairs, missing a session means you’re letting some follicles stay active.” Consistency is key to results and expecting to see immediate results after only one or two uses is unrealistic. “IPL takes time, and some people get disheartened when they don’t see a dramatic change quickly,” says Trish. “Patience is required here, trust the process.”
Finally, using IPL around the eyes, over tattoos, moles or any dark spots is a big no-no.
While we’d love to give you a direct answer to this question, results for using IPL at home will obviously vary from person to person. Don’t be discouraged though, Trish suggests that you’ll likely notice hair reduction after around four treatments. “At this stage, you’ll likely notice that the hair is growing back finer and more sparsely, and that it takes longer to come back between shaves,” she says.
For more significant visible reduction, you’ll have to be patient until around eight to twelve weeks. If at this point you’re still not seeing the results you expect, it may be worth tweaking the device settings to find the right power output for your hair type/colour.
Overall, Trish notes that IPL is not a permanent solution to hair removal but a path to semi-permanent hair reduction. “Most people see a reduction of somewhere between 70–90% over time, with the remaining hair being finer and lighter,” she says, which “for most people, that’s a life-changing improvement.” If that sounds appealing, you’ve learned everything there is to know about IPL at home, now it’s time to put it to the test.