It is rare to find somebody who prefers a shorter span for their hair growth over a long-lasting hair removal procedure. The pain and price that come with waxing, laser, threading, epilating, and electrolysis are often something that causes the root of hesitation in people who are looking for a relatively longer-lasting hair removal procedure.
IPL and Laser over the past decade have become one of the most popular hair removal methods and people consistently talk about and commend the results. Since they both use relatively the same technology and the operation is also a little similar, it makes sense why people would often need clarification between IPL Vs Laser For Male: Which Is Better? And which to go for?
Table of Contents:
- Part 1: Difference Between IPL and Laser
- Part 2: How to Choose Between IPL and Laser for Male Hair Removal?
- Part 3: Can I Use IPL and Laser Together?
Part 1: Difference Between IPL and Laser
Right off the bat, Laser hair is a professional hair removal service that is provided by licensed professionals and aestheticians, meanwhile, IPL is something that can be done in the comfort of your home. But the difference boils down to how different the results are for these two. And if you decide to get either of the two, there are certain factors you may want to account for before making your final decision on impulse.
Quick Overview - IPL vs. Laser
The key difference is in the technology used, precision, effectiveness, pricing and pain.
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Laser Hair Removal |
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How it works |
Uses a broad spectrum of light to heat and damage the hair follicle. |
Uses a concentrated beam of light to target and destroy the hair follicle. |
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Sessions needed |
6–10 or more, depending on hair and skin type. |
4–8 sessions for most people. |
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Skin colour |
Best for fair skin tones; less effective for darker skin. |
Suitable for a wider range of skin tones, including darker skin. |
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Hair colour |
Works well on lighter to medium hair but struggles with very dark or fine hair. |
Most effective on dark, coarse hair but less effective on very light hair. |
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Pain Level |
Mild to moderate discomfort, similar to a rubber band snap. |
Moderate discomfort, with cooling technology often included to reduce pain. |
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Lasting time |
Results last a few months to a year; maintenance is required. |
Results can last several years, with occasional touch-ups needed. |
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Price |
Lower cost per session but may require more treatments. |
Higher cost per session but fewer treatments required, making it cost-effective long-term. |
A Detailed Breakdown of the Differences
With the help of the table, you may now have some understanding of the difference between IPL vs Laser hair removal but to add more clarity to the situation, let’s explore these differences in a little detail so you know exactly which among the two is right for you.
1. Operation:
Laser hair uses a concentrated light source of a single wavelength to target the hair follicle, this is itself quite self-explanatory, where IPL and Laser both use the laser technology, but the difference remains that IPL uses a broadband pulsed light source of a range of wavelengths unlike laser.
This doesn't mean that IPL laser is not concentrated enough to effectively target hair follicles, it is only a little broader in terms of light spectrum and thus covers more area than laser hair yet with lesser intensity.
2. Sessions Needed:
As discussed, laser hair uses concentrated light, meanwhile, IPL uses broad spectrum light, and this is where the main difference between IPL and Laser lies. Since Laser hair is so much more intense while emitting laser to target follicles, it is more effective over a period of time, compared with IPL, which is as much as effective as Laser is, but may require relatively more sessions than Laser.
The Laser typically takes around 6-8 professional sittings at the aesthetician's office, while IPL may take around 6- 10 sessions, which you can do in the comfort of your home.
3. Skin Colour and Hair Colour:
Skin colour is one of the crucial factors to consider when you are opting for either laser or IPL. Both technologies work via sensory detection where it detects the contrast between the skin tone and hair colour, meaning that a person with skin colour that is similar to hair colour wouldn't be as effective as it would be on a person with medium to light skin tone and darker hair.
4. Pain Level:
Laser hair removal is considered to be more painful than IPL considering the difference of technologies. Regardless, if you are a man with high pain tolerance and possibly even tattoos, you likely have the threshold to tolerate both hair removal methods.
5. Lasting Time:
Laser hair removal generally removes hair over a period of 6-8 sessions which lasts usually anywhere between 6 months to a year, meanwhile IPL usually requires more sessions which lasts over a longer period of time. Laser is considered to be more effective and helps you achieve your desired results much faster, whereas IPL will take a relatively longer time to help you achieve similar results.
6. Price:
The price factor is often debatable when it comes to comparison between IPL and Laser because, on the face of it, laser is a pricer option than IPL, however, Laser does require fewer sessions than IPL.
Part 2: How to Choose Between IPL and Laser for Male Hair Removal?
Consider the following insights to help you decide which hair removal method to go for.
- Men usually tend to have dark and coarse hair in many parts of the world which responds well to both IPL and Laser but you may consider opting for laser hair as it is more effective for such hair types.
- It is best that you avoid both laser and IPL if your skin tone is fair and so is your hair. The technology won't detect pigment and will have nothing as a target, meanwhile, people with darker skin tones can risk themselves as the laser may detect a little too much pigment than necessary and burn you. Use this as a metric to decide, which one may be better for you:
- Fair to medium skin with dark hair: Ideal for both IPL and laser.
- Darker skin tones: Laser treatments (especially diode or Nd: YAG lasers) are safer and more effective, as IPL may risk hyperpigmentation.
- For laser you are required to book an appointment with a professional where you would have to make at least 7-10 visits, meanwhile, you can perform IPL at the comfort of your home.
- As it appears from the prices available online, Laser is generally more expensive than IPL however, the prices may also vary from clinic to clinic. And similarly different IPL brands offer IPLs at various prices. To put things into perspective, laser hair for the full body may cost $300 to $800 per session, meanwhile, purchasing an IPL device will cost you $100 to $500 depending on the brand and features.
A good quality IPL device is always appreciated and will help you find value for money as opposed to cheap IPL products. Ulike Air 10 is an IPL device you can likely never go wrong with it has a sapphire cooling system and thus contributes to much less pain, higher efficiency and a comfortable experience than Laser.
Part 3: Can I Use IPL and Laser Together?
In theory, using both IPL and Laser for the same area of a body may be completely redundant, doing you no benefit at all. But aside from that it may also lead to skin irritation with repeated exposure to intense heat and repetitive laser targeted on a specific body area.
Bottomline
IPL and Laser hair removal are both really great hair removal choices, considering they are generally safe for the skin (if you meet the criteria), and provide long-lasting results, which everybody loves. Your choice depends more on what would be most suitable to your skin and reap you most benefits, compared with comfort. So choose wisely and be sure to consider all factors
