Pulsed light epilators

How do they work

Pulsed light epilators act by selective photo thermolysis, destroying the hair bulb with heat and reducing the thickness and regrowth of the treated hair, until permanent hair removal is achieved. They emit light pulses that exploit radiation from the solar spectrum between 550 and 1200 nanometers. The technology that uses light for hair removal is conceptually similar to laser, but more versatile and safer, because it allows you to hit both deep and superficial targets, using lower temperatures. This makes treatments more comfortable and reduces the risk of burns and redness of the skin. Since it is a progressively permanent technique, the effectiveness of the treatment cannot be assessed after a few sessions, but perseverance and patience is required.

Which epilator to choose

To avoid purchasing a poorly effective pulsed light epilator, some parameters such as safety, power, lamp life and probe size must be evaluated. The models for home use are safe devices for practicing permanent hair removal yourself, thanks to the presence of filters that allow you to adapt the treatment to your phototype and the type of hair to be eliminated. Since the target of epilators is melanin, the dark pigment contained in the hair, the amount of energy needed to coagulate the hair bulb depends on the color and thickness of the hair, as well as the depth of the follicle. The best results are obtained by acting on the combination of light skin and dark, robust fur. Pulsed light epilators are not effective on blonde hair and white hair. Some devices, the most powerful, cannot be used on dark and tanned skin. Additionally, most models have safety keys that prevent accidental operation. The power of the device is a parameter to be evaluated when purchasing, because the treatments will be more effective the higher the intensity of the light beam emitted. Naturally, the models for domestic use have less power than the professional ones, so as not to cause any damage to the skin tissues if handled improperly. Due to their limited power, some are not suitable for treating facial hair which, being thinner and lighter, requires more energy to eliminate.

Lamp life

Another parameter to evaluate is the life of the lamp and the possibility of replacing it. Pulsed light epilators use a rather expensive xenon lamp which has a limited lifespan based on the number of light pulses it can emit. For some models on the market, the lamp can be replaced once it runs out. Generally, replacement lamps have a much lower number of pulses than those guaranteed by the lamp supplied with the appliance. In the case of epilators that do not require replacement of the lamp, the device becomes useless and must be completely replaced. This is an important element to keep in mind when purchasing, considering that the expense to be incurred is quite demanding. The size of the probe is also a factor to be carefully evaluated, because the smaller the surface area that can be treated with a single spot, the greater the number of pulses necessary to remove hair from a specific area of the skin. The size of the probe for home pulsed light epilators varies between 2 and 6 cm² depending on the model chosen. A device with a more limited field of action makes the treatment longer and more boring, especially for the hair removal of large areas such as the legs, without considering that you risk running out of lamp spots within a few sessions.