Intense Pulse Light is a good alternative to laser hair removal treatment. It is a long-lasting method of hair removal.

Intense Pulse Light therapy can be used on people of any age. If the treatment area is numb, the physician employing the Intense Pulse Light therapy method applies a soothing gel on it and covers it with a prism.

The treatment involves passing an intense flash of light or pulse through the prism, which directs the healing rays to the affected area. The light treatment is initially administered to prevent possible damage to the skin and to ascertain its tolerance level. The doctor proceeds only after he is convinced that the patient's skin is capable of undergoing further intensive treatment.

Intense Pulse Light therapy involves passing intense light through the tissue of the skin until it strikes the hair shafts or the hair roots, where the melanin is located. The light striking the dark-colored melanin gets converted into heat energy causing most of the hair roots and shafts to vaporize. The heat radiated by the light also destroys the hair-producing papila or the entire hair follicle. The treatment is usually performed every 3-4 weeks.

The effect of Intense Pulse Light therapy is both long lasting and capable of treating large areas of the skin simultaneously. The therapy - that is also used to treat all kinds of skin hyper pigmentations - is considered a permanent solution, as are the laser hair removal and electrolytic methods. The duration of the treatment depends on the kind of complaint that is being addressed, but generally lasts for up to six months.

While those undergoing Intense Pulse Light therapy can resume normal work day activities immediately after the therapy, they need to protect the treatment area from exposure to the UV rays that are present in sunlight and tanning beds.

The treated area could redden slightly or show a mild swelling that subsides after some days. If it doesn't the patient must consult his physician. The endurance threshold for pain varies from person to person; but most of those undergoing the treatment report a warm tingling sensation - as you would if a rubber band were snapped against your skin.

Some people could also suffer from blistering, hyper-pigmentation or slight bleeding. In Intense Pulse Light therapy it can take from three to 12 months to be fully cured of pigmentation. Then the normal skin tone returns. In some rare cases, however, patients have reported permanent skin pigmentation changes and even scarring.