Why is IPL not working for me?

Author: Dr. Brendon Wisoky Jr.  |  Last update: Thursday, December 18, 2025

IPL works best on light, untanned skin. IPL is less effective on dark skin as short wavelengths can lead to pigmentation changes. IPL is most efficient on darker hair tones. IPL does not work as well on blonde, red, and white hair.

Why is my IPL treatment not working?

Answer: IPL procedures can be underpowered It sounds like you may have had too low of a power setting on your IPL OR the IPL that was used is not able to deliver enough power. It is very important to discern your Fitzpatrick skin type and then set the laser accordingly so you will A.

Does IPL not work for some people?

IPL doesn't work for everyone, no. Certain skin and hair colour combos are more likely to work with it, but even then it's not guaranteed.

How can I make my IPL more effective?

For best results, IPL treatments should be repeated every fortnight, up to six times. You will start to see results after the third treatment. A treatment schedule can help you maintain this rhythm. This is especially helpful if you're treating different areas of your body.

Why isn't my at home IPL working?

Unfortunately at home IPL lasers are not able to accurately provide laser hair removal results due to their limitations regarding pulses and frequency. Additionally, hair type and skin tone can drastically affect how the hair follicles react to laser treatment.

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

Why is my laser treatment not working?

The laser targets the melanin (pigment) in the hair follicles, so when the hair is too light or too closely matched to the skin tone, the laser may struggle to distinguish between the two. As a result, people with light-coloured or blonde hair often experience less effective results.

How can I tell if IPL is working?

You will notice that the hair growth after four weeks of IPL treatment will be lesser and thinner. After completing a session of 12 weeks, the hair growth will reduce completely, providing you with silky, smooth skin for a longer time. However, you may have to continue touch-ups as needed.

How can I maximize my IPL results?

Maximize Your IPL Photo Facial Results With These Five Tips!
  1. Protect yourself from the sun. One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. ...
  2. Don't smoke. ...
  3. Treat your skin gently. ...
  4. Eat a healthy diet. ...
  5. De-stress.

Can I IPL my 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.

Can I overuse an IPL?

Overusing an IPL device is a major no-no. It can lead to side effects that range from minor irritation to long-term skin damage.

What is the negatives about IPL?

One of the most significant concerns associated with IPL treatment is the risk of burns or skin discoloration, particularly in people with darker skin tones. This risk stems from the procedure's reliance on light absorption, which can lead to excessive heat in areas with higher melanin concentrations.

How long does it take for capillaries to disappear after IPL?

As a general rule, the smaller the capillaries, the quicker they are to clear up. Typically, you won't start seeing results until two to four weeks after the first treatment, as it can take the body's lymphatic system that long to remove the dead material.

Who is not a good candidate for IPL?

Who's not a good candidate for IPL photofacials? People with darker skin tones (Fitzpatrick Skin Type 4-6) or tanned skin and people with deep wrinkles, scars or severe acne or active rosacea.

Why doesn't IPL work for me?

Tip 3: check your hair color and skin tone

If there's not a lot of difference between the two, the IPL device won't work or won't work as well. For example, if you have a light skin and blonde hairs or a dark skin with black hairs, an IPL device isn't suitable for you.

What is the success rate of IPL treatment?

What Does Research Say About IPL's Success Rate? Several clinical studies support the effectiveness of IPL for dry eye disease: Significant symptom relief – Research has shown that 80–90% of patients experience improvement in dry eye symptoms after a series of IPL treatments.

Do brown spots come back after IPL?

Sometimes a specific brown spot that resolved with IPL treatment may come back months or years later. This does not mean the treatment did not work, but rather, the treatment worked and the spot returned due to aging and lifestyle factors, and it should respond well to another treatment.

Is it OK to do IPL without shaving?

You won't have to worry about this with IPL, as you're actually advised to shave before treatment. Shaving before your IPL hair removal treatment helps the light beam to focus in on the hair root. When using IPL, you'll need to shave less and less as your treatments go on.

Can you do full Brazilian with IPL at home?

You can use at-home IPL devices on any area of the body where hair is found, whether that means treating your facial hair or giving yourself a full Brazilian, according to Dr.

Does IPL laser remove ingrown hairs?

A painful and ugly side effect of shaving or waxing can be ingrown hairs. You may completely avoid ingrown hairs with IPL hair removal. This is because this treatment works by focusing on damaging the hair follicle, which stops the growth of new hair and lowers the chance of ingrown hairs.

How to make IPL more effective?

We recommend doing at-home IPL treatment once a week for twelve weeks, or twice a week for six weeks. If you've been doing IPL for a long time but had long gaps in between treatments, that might make it so you don't see results as quickly. What to try: Consistency is how to make IPL more effective.

How to know if an IPL is working?

You'll know the treatment is working when your hair grows out slower and finer. This usually happens after the fourth session. Others have also noticed hair shedding more easily and falling out more frequently than before after IPL treatment and shaving becomes easier.

Does IPL work on everyone?

Skin type: IPL is not suitable for everyone. People with dark skin may not be good candidates for IPL. Hair colour: IPL works best on dark hair. People with blonde, red, white or grey hair may not see as good results with IPL.

Can you overuse IPL?

IPL technology targets hair follicles, and excessive use doesn't speed up results. Hair needs a day or two to grow between sessions to absorb the light effectively. Flashing an area more than twice in a single session is overkill. Using the device too frequently can actually hinder progress and cause side effects.

Can you see results after 1 IPL?

Your first IPL session can indeed bring noticeable changes to your skin, particularly if you're dealing with pigmentation or redness. While some improvements might be visible quite quickly, it's crucial to manage your expectations and understand that multiple sessions often yield more pronounced results.

Does IPL work better on thin or thick hair?

Although newer machines have the ability to target all hair colors and skin tones, IPL still tends to work better on thick, dark hair than it does on fine, lighter hair due to the way broad-spectrum light targets melanin pigment. And when it comes to skin tones, IPL is most effective on light skin.

Previous article
What is the least damaging way to dye hair?
Next article
Is it more Hygienic to have no pubic hair?