Difference Between Laser and IPL Hair Removal – Pain Level

Laser Vs. IPL Hair Removal Pain Level

Many women asks which is more painful laser hair removal or IPL? There is some discomfort in both hair removal systems, because the light warms up the skin and the hair, causes some itching and pinch sensation. In this post we will be comparing pain level and discomfort level caused by home hair removal systems.

Professional clinics for hair removal use different kinds of cooling devices to reduce the pain felt during their laser or IPL treatments.

To understand better the different levels of pain caused by laser or IPL treatments, you need first to read the short post about laser and IPL energy difference, because the pain involved has direct connection to the type of technology used.

Laser Is More Painful Compared To IPL

Laser light is one narrow concentrated light beam. All the energy emitted will reach the skin riding on the light beam. IPL light has a wide spectrum of light, which spreads in space. Laser usually has a single color because the light wavelength is specific, while IPL light is white because it is combines of a lot of light waves.

Light energy is measured in joules per square cm of skin. Higher level of joules mean more heat is generated. Home laser hair removal can range from 24-130 joules per cm², while home IPL systems have only 4-5 joules per cm².

When comparing the pain level of laser hair removal to IPL hair removal, laser is more painful.

Some laser systems require a cooling gel to be applied during the treatment, so the heat will not burn the skin, other laser systems have a cool air blown at the skin, to cool it during the treatment. Some lasers will recommend ice packs placed on treated skin.

Home laser systems like the TRIA laser (24 joules per square cm) are obviously less painful than the high energy semi-personal ‘home’ lasers such as the DM7000 laser (130 joules per square cm). IPL systems do not needs such skin cooling solutions because they do not produce the same heat as lasers.

New ELOS Technology For Hair Removal

You might have heard about the new ELOS technology for hair removal. ELOS hair removal systems  are using new technology combining IPL with RF (radio frequency). Those light radio waves can heat the hair without the side effects of the light energy. The ELOS Radio-Frequency + Intense Pulse Light (IPL) reach better results than regular IPL while there is nearly no pain involved.

The only ELOS system for home use, is the Me my ELOS hair removal system. Customers using the ‘Me my ELOS’ have said it is not painful at all! You can read an interview with a Me ELOS user.

How To Reduce The Pain During Hair Removal

Difference Between Laser and IPL Pain Level
I am holding the Me my ELOS hair removal device

Use System Low Level – All laser systems and IPL hair removal systems have 3-5 energy levels. The highest level, is the max light energy emitted. If your skin is sensitive you can reduce the light energy level. Note that lowering the energy level means less effective treatments.

Cool The Skin – Place an ice pack on the skin before it is treated. The ice will cool and numb the skin, so the treatment is less painful. Or place some aloe-vera cream to cool the red skin after the treatment.

Get Numb – Use an numbing gel or an anesthetic cream to numb sensitive areas.

Avoid Skin Tanning – Do not treat the skin with laser or IPL if you have been exposed to the sun 48 hours before. Tanned skin will be more sensitive to the light pulses than pale skin.

Click Here To Buy The Me my ELOS (Amazon.com)

Watch the ELOS hair removal flash at my skin:

Me my elos IPL and laser comparisionBuy an ELOS System – Though ELOS system cost more than IPL or Laser, the Me my ELOS hair removal is nearly painless. I have felt the Me my ELOS on my arm, because it is used by gliding it like a shaver, there is no one spot heat like other systems.

The light pulses are felt, but ‘pain’ is not the word to describe them. Me ELOS flashes feel like a warm/heat sensation over the skin. Click Here To Get Your Own Me my ELOS Advanced Device For Home Hair Removal.

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UK customers – Get your Me my ELOS Homedics system from Amazon.co.uk

Continue reading:

  1. Difference Between Laser and IPL Hair Removal – Energy
  2. TRIA Laser and Me my ELOS IPL
  3. TRIA Laser Vs Silk’n SensEpil
  4. Remington IPL6000 Vs Me my ELOS
  5. How To Buy Home Hair Removal – Guide

So many people are troubled by the pain level of home hair removal systems – Share this post with others.