Home IPL for excess hair: effective on coarse (hormonal) facial hair? And good or bad for skin condition?

[HairyHetty]

I must have been living under a rock because I discovered only recently that you can now get IPL devices to use at home, to try to reduce unwanted body and facial hair. I've since read a fair few threads on here about them and am really tempted to buy a Braun IPL Silk Expert Pro 5 to tackle my stubbly face.

I have always been hairy. I'm not PCOS-diagnosed, but have a heightened sensitivity to the androgens in my system (apparently). I couldn't care less about legs, armpits and a few bikini stragglers, but my facial hair – black, and more of it and coarser as I get older – is really getting me down.

I've dabbled in lots of treatments over the years, including anti-androgen medications (effective but risky), several courses of electrolysis (only marginally effective), and a course of IPL in a clinic about 15 years ago, in my late twenties. The IPL permanently transformed my bikini line and got rid of unwanted chest hair, so that was a winner.

However, I did end up with cystic acne after the IPL, for years, and it has permanently scarred my face. I don't know if the IPL caused it, or it was just coincidence, but because of that, I would be grateful to know from other home IPL users if using the Braun Silk Expert or Philips Lumea has either caused spots, or caused scarring/changes to skin pigmentation, or (I live in hope) improved scarring.

Secondly, the products' claims to effectively reduce hair growth seem to be based on 'bog-standard' leg, armpit and bikini line hair – 'normal' hair for women who are hormonally 'normal'. Are there others like me who have dark, coarse facial hair along the jaw line/chin/upper lip – more hormonally driven hair – for whom these devices have nonetheless been effective? I don't want to fork out £300+ and it achieve nothing.

My facial hair has definitely got worse over the years (I'm now 43). I used to have only a few isolated coarse ones, but have recently plucked 70 black, thick hairs out of my chin in one sitting. They feel bristly and stubbly and I HATE them. Constantly touching them/plucking them/shaving them (daily) I'm sure aggravates my skin and encourages spots, and I just want the hair gone and to have a smooth face. But I do wonder if these IPL devices won't be a match for this kind of hair.

So I'd love to hear the experiences of others similar to me, so I can decide whether to take the plunge or not. Thanks very much.

I got a Philips Lumea during the first lockdown. I have pcos too, though my facial hair isn’t as prominent as what you’re describing - I have a few stubborn thick coarse black ones that pop up frequently on my chin and the side of my face.

Anyway, I used the Lumea all over- legs, bikini, Hollywood, arms, underarms and face. After the first two sessions I thought it was brill, but despite me using it regularly it didn’t improve after that... I eventually stopped bothering after about 6 months. One thing I did notice is that on a few of the more ahem delicate areas on my bum I accidentally zapped twice (it’s hard keep track of where you’ve zapped) and that burned my skin- it was red and irritated looking and hurt a lot for a few days.

All in all, I wouldn’t recommend it. I was disappointed, having read great reviews online.

The thing with facial and body hair is that with body hair you don’t get vellus hair conversion so once hair is gone it’s gone.
However on the face you get the fine vellus hairs that turn black and bristly and they can convert through life although it’s usually hormonal.
This is why ipl /lazer is less successful on the face particularly for PCS as you get brand new hairs all the time.
I have very thick dark body hair and a bit of a tache and I have sprouted long dark hairs on my chin side of my mouth and upper neck. Home ipl has worked very well on body hair and I’m flashing these face hairs every so often. They are reducing but it needs maintaining.

I can’t comment on the acne issue but it could be linked to irritated hair follicles.
Also I would say that you need to manage the settings so that the flash is strong enough to kill the hair but not too strong so it burns the skin.

I’ve got very dark hair and got a hairy gene too. I got mine for chin and neck hairs, I had laser 10 years ago snd needed a top up. It had started to bother me and I now have zero tolerance for facial hair.
I got a lumea at Xmas I can see an improvement of maybe 50% and I’m a little disappointed, but the hair that is still there isn’t a coarse but they are done which have been Uber resilient to the IPL.
Sorry I can’t comment on scarring either.

Gawd translation ..... but the hair that is still there isn’t as coarse, but there are some which have been Uber resilient

Thank you @sammylady37, @Berthatydfil and @Mellonsprite for your responses.

Hmm - it's a bit 'meh' by the looks of it then. Mellon, your experience sounds encouraging, but like you, for that investment of time and £, I'd want it gone, or expect more of a result. And sammy, your experience isn't persuading me! I'm really to read that you incurred a burn. And not even in exchange for excellent results. Not great.

Bertha, your message prompted me to look into hair types more. Thanks for bringing that up. I remember reading about vellus and terminal hair yonks ago and had completely forgotten, so I undertook a refresher online last night.

So from what I understand, vellus are the soft, downy hairs we all have; terminal are the 'normal' coarse ones like pubes (in the right place ...), eyebrows, armpits; and then there are hormonal hairs - hairs driven by excess or an over-sensitivity to androgens - which are the ones I'm dealing with here.

And from what I'm reading, these IPL gadgets aren't going to help me, and could make the hair worse. Something about stimulating downier hair to become coarser? I'm disappointed, because I thought it could be the answer to my nearly 30-year-old prayers. But from what I'm reading, electrolysis looks like the way to go (again). It hurts like buggery and takes ages, but will target individual problem hairs and kill of their individual follicles - without stimulating currently non-problematic, downy hairs.

I read that hairs being hormonally driven is the top reason for IPL not working.

I contacted Braun customer services yesterday and asked specifically about how their device would help hormonally driven hair, and they said it addresses all problem hair. I'm disappointed in that, given what I've now learned.

Thanks again. Without your messages, I wouldn't have been prompted to look into types of hair in more detail, save myself £300+ on a home IPL gadget, nor likely cost myself £££ on electrolysis!

@sammylady37 - I'm really sorry to read that you incurred a burn, that should have read.

And kill off obviously, not of.

Typed too quickly and didn't check before posting ...

@HairyHetty

Thank you *@sammylady37, @Berthatydfil and @Mellonsprite* for your responses.

Hmm - it's a bit 'meh' by the looks of it then. Mellon, your experience sounds encouraging, but like you, for that investment of time and £, I'd want it gone, or expect more of a result. And sammy, your experience isn't persuading me! I'm really to read that you incurred a burn. And not even in exchange for excellent results. Not great.

Bertha, your message prompted me to look into hair types more. Thanks for bringing that up. I remember reading about vellus and terminal hair yonks ago and had completely forgotten, so I undertook a refresher online last night.

So from what I understand, vellus are the soft, downy hairs we all have; terminal are the 'normal' coarse ones like pubes (in the right place ...), eyebrows, armpits; and then there are hormonal hairs - hairs driven by excess or an over-sensitivity to androgens - which are the ones I'm dealing with here.

And from what I'm reading, these IPL gadgets aren't going to help me, and could make the hair worse. Something about stimulating downier hair to become coarser? I'm disappointed, because I thought it could be the answer to my nearly 30-year-old prayers. But from what I'm reading, electrolysis looks like the way to go (again). It hurts like buggery and takes ages, but will target individual problem hairs and kill of their individual follicles - without stimulating currently non-problematic, downy hairs.

I read that hairs being hormonally driven is the top reason for IPL not working.

I contacted Braun customer services yesterday and asked specifically about how their device would help hormonally driven hair, and they said it addresses all problem hair. I'm disappointed in that, given what I've now learned.

Thanks again. Without your messages, I wouldn't have been prompted to look into types of hair in more detail, save myself £300+ on a home IPL gadget, nor likely cost myself £££ on electrolysis!

I got my lumea for £240 in Black Friday sale, and compared to the actual price of a course of laser again I’m not too bothered, as I know I can do other areas if I want (arm pits are next!), but like I said I have zero tolerance now so maybe it’s my own expectations!

Hi OP, like you I have body hair, coarse chin hairs and fine moustache hairs.

I have also had severe cystic acne on my face and still have some scarring.

I have a Lumea, I don't find that it provokes spots or burns (mine has a face attachment and a body attachment) so that's ok.

It's done a brilliant job on my forearms, but unfortunately I have found it's done nothing on my chin and moustache hairs after a year of use, and I am getting more chin hairs all the time. Your research into hair types is very interesting and would certainly explain what I've experienced. I'm going to keep using the Lumea for body hair, but look into electrolysis for my facial hair.

Thanks op! It was no fun having a burn in delicate areas, I assure you!!