I've been using an IPL laser hair remover for five years — here are 3 things to know if you're thinking of getting one

I would not be without my IPL, but they're not for everyone

by · TechRadar

Features By Ruth Hamilton published 24 June 2026

(Image credit: Amazon)

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Before I tried my first IPL machine, I was suspicious. A handheld device that flashes at your skin and it somehow zaps away your body hair? It all sounded rather unlikely. Except then I got one, and it did just that, and it's been my summertime savior for the past five years.

I paraphrased before, so let me back up a bit. IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light: multiple wavelengths of light that look a little like a photo flash. (They're different to a laser, which uses one concentrated beam.) You remove the hair from the bit of skin you want to be fuzz-free, and then run your device over that patch. The light targets the follicle that sits under the surface of your skin, damaging or destroying it so it doesn't grow back.

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The results, for me, are incredible. It's by far the most effective, long-lasting and side-effect-free method of hair removal I've tried (and I have tried them all). However, there are a few things to know before buying one — scroll down for the key things I tell anyone who asks me if I'd recommend an IPL.

I was particularly inspired to share my tips now, because there are several heavily discounted IPL machines (including my own Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5 — five years old and still going strong) included in the Amazon Prime Day sales. So if you read my tips and decide to buy, now's a great time to do so.

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3 top tips

1. They won't work for all hair types in all places

Because of the zapping mechanism, IPL machines work best on dark hair on pale skin — the bigger the contrast, the better. That means they won't work for everyone — people with fair, fine body hair likely won't see much of a difference, and ditto those with darker skin tones.

Further to that, they might not work equally well everywhere on your body. For instance, my IPL doesn't really do much for my leg hair, whereas it's much more effective on my underarms.

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