How Often Can You Do IPL/At-Home Laser Hair Removal? Ask an Esthetician

Q: Can I use Braun IPL twice a week?

Yes, you CAN use IPL up to twice a week . Braun recommends weekly treatments for the first 4-12 weeks, but you can do up to 3x a week for most IPLs if you have healthy skin. The goal is to disrupt the hair cycle by targeting your roots during their anagen or growth phase. Once done your hair will be thinner, and sparser, and its growth indefinitely delayed. It’s best to use the highest intensity you can for better results.[ 7 ]

Q: Can I do at home laser hair removal every day? Can I use IPL every day?

It's not recommended to use IPL every day. Doing this won’t speed up results because it takes time for the damaged hair to die and shed naturally from the IPL. You’ll only be wasting your device’s limited flashes on hair follicles that are already on their way out. You also risk unnecessary damage to your skin when your follicle is no longer able to absorb the heat from the IPL.[ 5 ] Once you’ve effectively done your scheduled treatment, it’s best to wait at least a week before doing another session.

Q: Can I use IPL every other day?

You shouldn't use IPL every other day. Two days is not enough time for the treated hair to die and fall off on its own. Weekly treatments are best when using laser hair removal treatment at home. This gives your hair follicles ample time to go through the hair cycle and shed dead hair naturally.

Q: Can I use IPL more than once a week? Can I use IPL twice a week?

Yes, you can use IPL more than once to twice a week. In fact, three times as a week is the most you can do for the majority of IPL devices. Different IPL devices may have varying specifications, including the intensity of light emitted, recommended treatment schedules, and safety features. Manufacturer recommendations are based on extensive testing and research specific to their device. It's essential to follow the guidelines provided with your specific IPL device to achieve optimal results while minimizing the risk of adverse effects.

Home IPL Frequency Schedules:
Best-Selling Laser Hair Removal Devices

✔️ = One treatment session (Each internal row represents one week a month)

tria 4x laser hair removal device — ✔️ = *One treatment session*

	ViQure EpiPro (Diode Laser)	Tria 4x (Diode Laser)	JOVS Venus Pro (IPL)	Ulike Sapphire Air3 (IPL)	Braun Silk-Expert 5 (IPL)

	Once every other week for the first 3-6 months, or until you see permanent results	Every 2 weeks for 3 months or until you are satisfied with the amount of hair reduction	1st month: Use 3-4x times a week. 2nd month: 2-3x times a week. 3rd month onwards: once or twice a month as necessary.	1st month: Use 3x times a week. 2nd month: Use 2x a week. 3rd month onwards: Once or twice a month as necessary.	Once a week for 4-12 weeks, then spot treat as needed
Month 1	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️✔️✔️✔️ ✔️✔️✔️✔️ ✔️✔️✔️✔️ ✔️✔️✔️✔️	✔️✔️✔️ ✔️✔️✔️ ✔️✔️✔️ ✔️✔️✔️	✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Month 2	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️✔️✔️ ✔️✔️✔️ ✔️✔️✔️ ✔️✔️✔️	✔️✔️ ✔️✔️ ✔️✔️ ✔️✔️	✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Month 3	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Month 4	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️ – – –	✔️ – – –	✔️ – – –	✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Month 5	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️ – – –	✔️ – – –	✔️ – – –	✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
Month 6	✔️ – ✔️ –	✔️ – – –	✔️ – – –	✔️ – – –	✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️
	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review	Read Review

Cheat Sheet: Comparing At-Home Laser Hair Removal Devices

Esthetician Tip: Save time by process of elimination. Compare by skin tone coverage, pain/safety (cooling), technology, power, and other features.

wdt_ID	Device/Brand	Product	Max Energy Fluence	Skin Tone Coverage	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	Cooling/Pain-free
1	https://healthybeautiful.com/review/viqure-depimini-808nm-diode-laser-machine-in-depth-esthetician/	ViQure EpiPro Diode Laser	20.0	I-VI	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Advanced Thermoelectric Cooling + Wind Cooling (0°C~5°C) + Cooling gel
2	https://healthybeautiful.com/JOVS-X-3-in-1-IPL	JOVS X™ 3-in-1 IPL (OPT)	7.0	I-V	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Sapphire Cooling System
3	https://healthybeautiful.com/Ulike-Air-10	Ulike Air 10 (SHR)	6.7	I-IV	Y	Y	Y	Y			65°F/18°C
4	https://healthybeautiful.com/review/ulike-sapphire-air3-an-in-depth-review-by-estheticians/	Ulike Sapphire Air3	7.2	I-IV	Y	Y	Y	Y			Sapphire Cooling 10-20°C (50-68°F)
5	https://healthybeautiful.com/Bosidin-Pioneer-Pro-Official	BoSidin Pioneer-Pro (OPT)	6.0	I-V	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Dynamic Cooling Device (DCD)

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Ask the Expert: How often can you do IPL/at home laser hair removal?

BY SAMANTHA WELCH, ESTHETICIAN

Treatment Plan & Frequency for At-Home Laser Hair Removal

There are always two phases to any laser hair removal treatment:

Start-up Phase: Most IPL devices recommend 1x – 3x a week for the initial 3 months, depending on the brand. In contrast, devices using high-energy diode laser technology require just bi- or monthly treatments.

The goal is to disrupt the hair cycle by targeting your roots repeatedly during their anagen or growth phase. Once done, your hair will be thinner and sparser, and its growth indefinitely delayed.^[1]

It’s best to use the highest intensity you can for better results.
Maintenance Phase: Once your normal hair growth has been stunted, your treatments can be monthly or as-needed. If hairs start to grow back, treating them will once again make them dormant.

Different Devices with Different Instructions

IPL devices can differ in various aspects, such as the intensity of light they emit, safety mechanisms in place, and recommended treatment schedules.

We've reviewed over 35 at-home laser hair removal devices over the years.

The average recommendation for the start-up phase is on a weekly basis, with the most being 3x a week and least being 1x-2x a month.

This allows you to effectively target your hair without risking damage your skin and wasting your flashes on already dead hair.

Doing treatments more than recommended will unikely expedite results, even with the best-rated IPL hair removal devices.

Your hair will still go through the hair cycle (see below) after your treatments and this takes 1-2 weeks minimum.

However, you should still defer to your device’s user manual and always use a post-IPL cooling gel to protect your skin.

Every manufacturer conducts extensive testing and research to develop guidelines specific to their device.

It's crucial to adhere to the instructions provided with your IPL device to achieve the best possible results while minimizing the risk of any adverse effects.

IPL hair removal breaks the hair cycle and leaves your hair dormant for long periods of time. This means weeks or months in between shaving. Courtesy of Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5.

Outliers

There are a few devices that deviate from the average.

One is the JOVS Venus Pro which recommends 3x a week treatments in the start-up phase.

The JOVS Venus Pro recommends 3x a week treatments in the start-up phase.

– JOVS Venus Pro Hair Removal In-Depth Review: Best for Sensitive Skin

On the opposite end, diode laser devices like the ViQure EpiPro recommends just monthly to bi-monthly sessions.

The ViQure EpiPro is a high-energy diode laser device that requires just 1x-2x monthly sessions as opposed to IPL devices that need 1x-3x weekly treatments for an average duration of 3-6 months.

– V iQure Review – Professional 808nm Diode Laser Hair Removal Machine for Home & Salon Use:

Whichever device you decide to get, it’s much more important to keep a consistent, strict schedule to be able to see results.

You want to gradually damage your roots until it’s no longer able to grow hair at a normal pace.

Maintenance Phase

You can delay re-growth anywhere from weeks to months and years.^[2]

But you have to remember that hair is very resilient.

Front-loading your treatments and then falling behind schedule can allow your follicle to recover and revert back to growing healthy hair.

You need to consistent treatments until you see your hairs get finer and sparser, before moving on to monthly or as-needed maintenance.

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Image: The hair cycle starts from the active growth phase called ANAGEN, followed by the transitional phase called CATAGEN, and is bookended by the resting phase called TELOGEN. This cycle repeats as we replace the hair in our bodies.

Key Points:

Hair growth comes in cycles and in different durations based on the body part. This cycle takes anywhere between several weeks to months.
The goal of every laser hair removal session is to delay this cycle significantly for months to years by slowly damaging your roots.
Laser hair removal treatments are only effective on hair that’s in the ANAGEN phase. Once you’ve treated a hair follicle in the ANAGEN phase, it will accelerate the hair cycle until the strand dies and falls off on its own.
This process cannot be hurried by doing IPL more than necessary. Tri-weekly sessions are the fastest that you should do treatments.
Doing IPL every day or every other day runs the risk of damaging your skin or your eyes. You’ll also be wasting your device’s limited flashes.

Related:

FAQ:
Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Braun IPL twice a week?

Yes, you CAN use IPL up to twice a week. Braun recommends weekly treatments for the first 4-12 weeks, but you can do up to 3x a week for most IPLs if you have healthy skin.

The goal is to disrupt the hair cycle by targeting your roots during their anagen or growth phase. Once done your hair will be thinner, and sparser, and its growth indefinitely delayed. It’s best to use the highest intensity you can for better results.[7]

How often should I use IPL at home? How often can you use IPL hair removal at home?

You can use IPL devices at home up to 3x a week for the inital course of treatments.

IPL targets actively growing hair follicles. Not all hair follicles are in the active growth phase (anagen) simultaneously. Waiting between sessions allows dormant follicles to enter the growth phase, ensuring that more hairs are targeted with each treatment.

Using IPL too frequently may only effectively target some of the hair follicles, leading to less satisfactory results over time.

What happens if you use IPL too often?

FDA-cleared medical and cosmetic devices are generally considered safe. However, as with any procedure, there are still risks involved.[4]

The most prominent ones are temporary epidermal or skin damage and eye damage. Even if you don't experience immediate reactions, like redness or irritation, the skin still undergoes stress during IPL treatment.

Overusing the device by using it too often can lead to cumulative skin damage and potential long-term consequences, such as hyperpigmentation or burns. Allowing adequate time between sessions gives the skin a chance to recover fully.

Can I do at home laser hair removal every day? Can I use IPL every day?

It's not recommended to use IPL every day. Doing this won’t speed up results because it takes time for the damaged hair to die and shed naturally from the IPL. You’ll only be wasting your device’s limited flashes on hair follicles that are already on their way out. You also risk unnecessary damage to your skin when your follicle is no longer able to absorb the heat from the IPL.[5]

Once you’ve effectively done your scheduled treatment, it’s best to wait at least a week before doing another session.

How long can I go between IPL hair removal treatments?

The longest you can go between IPL hair removal treatments is 8 weeks. Any more, and you’ve given your hair follicles ample time to recover from the damage of your earlier treatments. After this period, especially with at-home laser hair removal, you may need to reset your treatment count and start over.

Can I use IPL every other day?

You shouldn't use IPL every other day. Two days is not enough time for the treated hair to die and fall off on its own. Weekly treatments are best when using laser hair removal treatment at home. This gives your hair follicles ample time to go through the hair cycle and shed dead hair naturally.

How often can I use IPL on your face?

On most devices, you can do IPL once a week to treat unwanted hair on your face including you upper lip, chin, jaw, and sideburns. Facial hair is the fastest hair to grow on your body.[6]

As of today, there are no home laser hair removal devices on the market cleared for use above the cheekbones and near the eyes due to the risk of ocular damage.

Can I use IPL more than once a week? Can I use IPL twice a week?

Yes, you can use IPL more than once to twice a week. In fact, three times as a week is the most you can do for the majority of IPL devices.

Different IPL devices may have varying specifications, including the intensity of light emitted, recommended treatment schedules, and safety features. Manufacturer recommendations are based on extensive testing and research specific to their device.

It's essential to follow the guidelines provided with your specific IPL device to achieve optimal results while minimizing the risk of adverse effects.

References:

Roosen, Guido F., et al. “Temporary hair removal by low fluence photoepilation: histological study on biopsies and cultured human hair follicles.” Lasers in Surgery and Medicine: The Official Journal of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery 40.8 (2008): 520-528.
Trelles, M. A., C. Ash, and G. Town. “Clinical and microscopic evaluation of long‐term (6 months) epilation effects of the ipulse personal home‐use intense pulsed light (IPL) device.” Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 28.2 (2014): 160-168.
Lee WW, Murdock J, Albini TA, O'brien TP, Levine ML. Ocular damage secondary to intense pulse light therapy to the face. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2011 Jul-Aug;27(4):263-5. doi: 10.1097/IOP.0b013e31820c6e23. PMID: 21346668.
Moreno‐Arias, Gerardo A., Camil Castelo‐Branco, and Juan Ferrando. “Side‐effects after IPL photodepilation.” Dermatologic surgery 28.12 (2002): 1131-1134.
Stangl, Sabine, Ina Hadshiew, and Wolfgang Kimmig. “Side effects and complications using intense pulsed light (IPL) sources.” Medical laser application 23.1 (2008): 15-20.
Casey, Angela S., and David Goldberg. “Guidelines for laser hair removal.” Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy 10.1 (2008): 24-33.
Lepselter, J., and M. Elman. “Biological and clinical aspects in laser hair removal.” Journal of Dermatological Treatment 15.2 (2004): 72-83.

Ask an Esthetician, Ask an Expert, Beauty Science, Laser Hair Removal

by Samantha Welch

Home IPL Frequency Schedules:
Best-Selling Laser Hair Removal Devices

Cheat Sheet: Comparing At-Home Laser Hair Removal Devices

The Best Laser Safety Glasses for IPL Hair Removal

The Best Cooling Gels for Laser Hair Removal