Has anyone had IPL hair removal?

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Not to put too fine a point on it, my bikini line is raging out of control. I get dreadful ingrowing hairs after waxing or epilating so usually shave with an electric razor, but this means that if I miss a few days I start to get the old hairy-trousers look. I'm interested in permanent hair removal but not sure whether to go for electrolysis or IPL treatment. Any recommendations?

I had IPL on my bikini and it worked really well. I had 6 sessions and 95% of the hair was gone. Now I have a top up once per year.

Electrolysis takes forever because it only deals with a few hairs at a time. It is better for thinning hair out IMO. I had it done on facial hair in my late teens- early 20s.

I had IPL on bikini line for the same reason you're contemplating it: whatever other hair removal method I used, I always had terrible ingrowns and spots. I noticed the difference even after one IPL session and, whilst it was expensive, I still think IPL was one of the best things I've spent money on. Though I do have the combination of very pale skin and thick dark hair on which IPL is most effective.
IPL also saves a lot of time later on, far less faffing about with hair removal. There will be a few hairs remaining, but nearly 4 years after I had the IPL I still only occasionally need to shave to tidy up, and it takes a very short time to do this.

It is more painful on bikini line than on other areas (eg legs) but you may find you build up a tolerance after a couple of goes.

I'd be interested in recommendations for my dh. He is very very hairy and we regularly veet his back, he normally shaves his chest. Would IPL work for him? It's fine hair and it's all over his back. He will not go for waxing, I've already tried.

Thanks for the replies. I'm also fair-skinned/dark-haired so that sounds hopeful. Might try it out. Does it go very red or leave any serious marks for the first couple of days?

I had a few sessions before kids-- when i had more spare cash. It took me about 3 to see a real difference but it really does work especially if you're fair skinned with dark coarse hair. . I've now got the boots smooth skin which I use to zap the stragglers.

Ooh, is that good? Is it AS good?

Laser treatment is really effective. I had my chin done and I only get the occasional white hair now. I found it terribly painful though and found I couldn't go through with having my top lip done. I look forward to the discovery of a painless laser system so that I can get my bikini line and thighs done.

I've had it, worked really well. I went to one of the Sk:n clinics, would def recommend. I can't wait until I can afford to have my legs done!

I have the philips handheld ipl machine and rarely use it now, i used it three or 4 times in the summer, on my legs, under arm and bikini line and minimal regrowth. Only really a few stubborn ones on my knees and thats it.
My friend, that i brought it off, she hasnt had to use it for at least two years after using it for a year!

I'm on my 5th session for bikini line and its marvellous... nearly all gone..

Thoroughly recommend..

Yep, it's fab. I go to a reasonable place where they charge by time not areas £30 per 10 mins. I started on the face then bikini and now onto underarms. I won't lie, it hurts like hell but the results are amazing, it works best on dark and thick hairs.

I've had my legs and armpits done, it is brilliant, had six sessions, I am 99% free of hair where I had it done, will have one more session when I can remember to get round to it, and that should be it.
I am light-olive skinned, with fine hair.

Sorry to hijack but does the Phillips machine hurt? And were you particularly hairy? ( am a yeti so wonder if I would need an industrial strength one?)

Re the boots machine. It was one of the first type of these machines to come out, there are more on the market now.
Some of these have slightly different features.
I find it quite good and works effectively on dark hairs.
It's got 3 settings for skin type but really is only suitable for European skin tones.
The head is quite small which is ok for doing fiddly bits around the bikini line but makes doing a whole leg very time consuming.
It also takes 5 to 10 seconds to reset between shots, and then has a rest cycle to cool about every 50 shots. So this adds to the length of time it takes to cover larger areas.
Pain wise it's about the same as the salon ones and I would say for me ( very dark hairs) it works just as well. It's particularly good for areas like armpit and bikini which are small and quick to do.
Apparently the head only has a limited lifespan and will need replacement eventually but it hasnt happened to me yet.

its like being flicked wiht elastic bands, a strange sensation but no worse than waxing.
im fair skinned but with quite coarse leg and under arm hair and it got rid of it easily

I had it about 12 years ago and found it really ineffective. Has the treatment got better? I'm wondering whether to give it another go.

I'm also wondering whether it might be better to get a machine and DIY - salon treatment seems vv expensive and if the machines for home use are quite good I think I might quite enjoy it in a gross sort of way. Any particular recommendations for home use machines?

Snow mummy it was amazing. I used to have to pluck chin hairs daily, they were thick and really black. I now have half a dozen blonde ones that I pluck once in a blue moon. Had the treatment a year ago. Found it much much more painful than elastic bands flicking tho. I described at the time like allowing someone to iron your face and stick pins in at the same time.

I'd agree electrolysis, whilst cheaper takes an age as the beautician is finding every hair, and isn't as effective as ILP.

I have had ILP at a salon on my chin/neck & top lip. It did reduce it, but as mine is hormonal it has come back (although not as bad). I think I would really need to keep going for top ups - which is what they suggest - but it is rather pricey to keep doing it.

You can only shave in-between rather than pluck, but doubt that would be an issue for your bikini line!

I paid up front to get a discount, there might be room to haggle eps if you go for more than one area.

I like the idea of the home kits, but I'd be worried about burning myself esp as my most visible hair is on my face - don't want to add burns to the excess hair - nice!!

I didn't find the treatment that painful. The worst bit was my top lip, think the hairs are the thickest there (nice). But it is over in a few mins and there is some satisfaction in thinking of the hair follicles dying!!

OP - you cannot do whilst pregnant, so you'd need to start the course (think I had 6 sessions over 4 months) knowing that isn't an issue, obviously not everybody on MN is contemplating pregnancy.

Good luck.