Does IPL work on plucked hair?

Author: Felicita O'Reilly  |  Last update: Monday, December 22, 2025

Do not remove hair in the area from the root such as waxing or tweezing before IPL treatments. Between treatments: resist the urge to pluck the new hair growth, this prevents the treatment from working long term. However, you can shave or trim the hairs in-between treatments.

Can I use IPL on plucked hair?

Answer: You should avoid tweezing for at least 2 weeks prior to IPL permanent hair removal. If the bulb of the hair follicle has been plucked, then this will render an IPL hair removal treatment useless. The bulb needs to be in the skin to achieve a desired result. I hope you find this helpful.

Can you do IPL after tweezing?

Answer: You should avoid tweezing for at least 2 weeks prior to IPL permanent hair removal. Answer: You should avoid tweezing for at least 2 weeks prior to IPL permanent hair removal. If the bulb of the hair follicle has been plucked, then this will render an IPL hair removal treatment useless.

What happens if I use IPL without shaving?

If you don't shave first, it mostly just burns the surface hair and doesn't get the root (also it will smell like burning hair). And if you wax, tweeze or epilate instead of shave it pulls the hair out by the root, so there's nothing for the laser to target and it won't work.

Can you do laser hair removal after plucking?

Answer: Laser hair removal and plucking You should trim the hairs before your laser treatment. It does not matter if you pluck the hairs after the treatment.

Home Laser Hair Removal Is A Lie - What Nobody Else Will Tell You (IPL Hair Removal)

What happens if I tweeze before laser?

The day of your treatment, it is important to shave the area being treated. Don't wax or tweeze, which completely removes the hair, making it difficult for the laser to locate the follicle.

How long should I stop plucking before laser?

Before laser hair removal

You must avoid plucking, waxing or bleaching the hair for six weeks prior to treatment. Preserving the root and the pigment of the hair is imperative for the success of the laser treatment.

Does IPL leave stubble?

When using IPL, you'll need to shave less and less as your treatments go on. As the hair follicles will be empty, you'll notice fewer ingrown hairs and less stubble 'shadow'. IPL treatment helps to smooth out the texture of your skin, whereas waxing or threading can cause inflammation.

Does IPL work on pubic hair?

First things first, let's answer a pressing question: can you use IPL on the bikini area safely? Yes, you can! That is, as long as you have a device, like the Philips Lumea IPL 9000 Series, that has a specific attachment designed to work with the contours of this area of your body.

Does IPL get rid of fine hair?

Hair growth: IPL is most effective on coarse, thick hair. People with fine, light hair may not see as good results with IPL. Expectations: IPL offers permanent hair reduction, not permanent hair removal, as it rarely removes 100% of the hair.

How long after plucking can you IPL?

Before your IPL hair reduction treatment we ask that you refrain from plucking or waxing the area to be treated for at least 2 – 4 weeks. We also ask that you do not bleach the hair.

What are the don'ts of IPL?

IPL Treatment Aftercare Dont's

After your IPL treatments you should avoid the following: Using any physical exfoliating products or ones that contain benzoyl peroxide, Retin-A, Retinol, and glycolic acids: If you use any harsh products too soon, you may end up with hypopigmentation.

Why is my hair growing back after IPL?

Why do hairs 'grow' after treatment? Contrary to other treatments, hairs are not vaporised by IPL treatment. The hair follicles are killed by the heat but the hairs remain in the skin and often become attached to the epidermis.

Can I use IPL after tweezing?

No Plucking/Waxing

Starting four weeks before laser treatment, refrain from any hair removal technique that completely removes the hair or damages the follicle. That includes plucking, shaving, waxing, tweezing, and epilating. Laser treatments work by targeting pigment in the hair follicle.

Who is not a good candidate for IPL hair removal?

Who Is Not a Candidate? People with tanned or naturally dark skin are not necessarily good candidates for IPL because there's a risk that the skin pigment could change after treatment. Anyone taking Accutane should not consider an IPL treatment until at least six months after they stop using the drug.

How long until hair falls out after IPL?

It can take up to 3 weeks for the treated hair to actually fall out. If you'd like to learn more, you can read expert information about how IPL works.

Can I use IPL for full Brazilian?

That might have left you asking yourself, “Can I use IPL for pubic hair?” You sure can, but there are a few important steps to take to ensure you get the best results. Trim existing hair: First, shave, epilate, or wax your intimate area.

Where should you not use IPL hair removal?

IPL is safe for use on the bikini line, but it isn't suitable for the genital area where the skin may have a darker colour and where there is a greater hair density, which would absorb more light energy and may cause discomfort.

Why is IPL not working on my facial hair?

Some patients have less satisfactory results because of hormonal factors, skin or hair type, or because an optimal treatment series was not completed. Hair must be treated during the active (anagen) phase of the growth cycle.

What happens if you pluck hair after IPL?

Plucking too soon after laser can lead to a number of undesirable effects: Damage to the hair follicle – Plucking can destroy follicles before they have a chance to shed naturally. This disrupts the hair growth cycle. Scarring – Pulling out hairs from inflamed pores raises the risk of scarring and pitted skin.

Do I need to shave every time I use IPL?

You need a small amount of hair visible at the surface of the skin for the IPL light to effectively destroy the follicle. Shaving the area being treated will help the laser focus beneath the skin and improve the results. If there's a lot of hair on the surface, a lot less light energy makes it deep into the follicle.

Why do I still have stubble after laser?

Hair Growth Cycles: The primary reason you might notice stubble after laser hair removal is the nature of your hair's growth cycles.

Should you pull out loose hairs after laser?

Pulling out loose hair after a laser hair removal session is not recommended. It disrupts the hair growth cycle; when hairs are loose it means the hair is in its cycle of removal. If it's removed before it dies on its own, it could stimulate hair to grow again.

Does laser work on chin hair?

Laser hair removal is used to reduce unwanted hair. Common treatment locations include legs, armpits, upper lip, chin and the bikini line. However, it's possible to treat unwanted hair in nearly any area, except the eyelid or surrounding area.

How to prepare for IPL hair removal?

Before Laser Hair Removal Treatment:
  1. Avoid all hair removal methods, except shaving.
  2. Shave prior to your appointment.
  3. Avoid fake tan and sun exposure.
  4. Shower the day of your appointment.
  5. Wear loose fitted clothing.
  6. Avoid sun exposure.
  7. Avoid exercising and hot showers.
  8. Use aftercare products.

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