From The Straits Times    |

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It’s called the Silky Smooth IPL Hair Removal. Before you dismiss this as just another IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatment, read this: While traditional IPL technology delivers a single, intense pulse of light to damage hair follicles, Estheclinic uses a different technology known as MacPeel’s No Pain System, which treats the area with lower doses of power in a repeated manner, to gradually heat the skin to the temperature required to effectively damage the hair follicle. This means low risk of burning and minimal pain. And because the handheld device is repeatedly glided over the area of concern in a back-and-forth manner, this cuts the time taken for one session by half, compared to traditional IPL treatments – with results that are twice as effective. This technology is exclusive to Estheclinic.

 

If this treatment sounds familiar to you (especially if you’re one of our loyal readers – wink wink), it’s because we previously tried it out when it was first launched in Singapore. But we figured one session wasn’t enough. We needed to try it out over a longer period of time. And so I went for six sessions, over eight months.

 

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I’d previously tried out IPL hair removal for my underarms at another beauty salon I will not name. My experience was far from satisfactory. Not only were treatments slightly uncomfortable (rubberband snapping sensations), results were slow (almost negligible) to the point I gave up on regular sessions and resorted to shaving every week. I figured my hairs were just too stubborn for IPL.

 

hair-removal-ipl-estheclinic-no-pain-no-downtime-quick-results

 

Fast forward to six years later, when I heard about Estheclinic’s Silky Smooth IPL Hair Removal. Truth be told, I didn’t have a lot of faith in it initially due to my previous experience. But perhaps a different technology would work for me, right? No harm trying. So I arranged for my first appointment, and, boy, must I say it was one of the best decisions of my life.

 

I chose to give my underarm area a try again. Consultation was quick (just to check the condition of my targeted area), and I was led into a treatment room to change into the provided towel. To ensure that hair is at the length where it catches light most effectively (1 millimetre), I was told to give the area a clean shave two days prior to the treatment. So there was no need for shaving there and then. I lay on the treatment bed, put on a pair of provided tinted glasses, closed my eyes and lifted my arms. Then the treatment began.

 

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hair-removal-ipl-estheclinic-no-pain-no-downtime-quick-results

 

My underarm area was first wiped clean, then a cooling gel was applied. A handheld device was rolled over back and forth multiple times over the armpits while a beeping sound was heard continuously. That happens when the light (and heat) gets administered. I wouldn’t say there was zero pain, but it was very slight – the sensation felt like very tiny pin pricks if you focused on it. Within ten minutes, both arms were done, cooling gel was removed and I was ready to go.

 

I was planning to head to the gym that evening, so I asked if there was any downtime before I could exercise, knowing that typical IPL hair removal treatments would require you to avoid exercise 24 hours after an IPL session. The answer? None at all. Just avoid waxing, tweezing and epilating (or the like), sun exposure and harsh topical ingredients like retinol or aesthetic treatments like fillers. You can expect to see hair fall in 14 days.

 

Within the month, I started to see bits of loose underarm hair, and considerably large areas on the armpits where there would be zero hair regrowth. I understood that my skin and hair combination (fair skin, dark hair) would show the most significant results from IPL, but I didn’t expect it to be so quick. I was thoroughly impressed, and I couldn’t wait to return for future sessions.

 

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With each subsequent session (five weeks apart from each other), I saw less hair grow back, and finer, shorter strands for those that did. It’s been six sessions and I can count on two hands the number of hair strands growing back on each underarm. Considering how sessions are super quick, virtually pain-free and extremely effective, I am now officially an IPL convert.

 

Estheclinic advises six to 10 sessions to remove 80 to 90 per cent of hair. From $160 per a la carte session for the underarms.

 

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