What is IPL ?
IPL is intense pulse light. It is characterized as a beam of light which targets the melanin in the shaft of the hair. The beam of light converts energy to heat and disables the hair follicular cells that are responsible for hair growth.

Intense pulsed light (as known by patients as IPL laser, but can’t be confused for a laser) systems release precisely controlled strong pulses of filtered light that are absorbed by melanin, the pigment in hair. This heats up and destroys the cells responsible for hair growth, to achieve long term hair reduction.

Who performs the treatments?
Lumenis Quantum IPL is operated by a Registered Nurse. Consultations and all treatments will be carried out by our experienced Registered Nurse. The benefit to the customer is professional & safe service. Generally you will before undergoing treatments for hair removal you should always check to ensure the operator is a registered nurse and not a beautician.

What will it cost me to have treatments?
Marams clinic charges per treatment area for IPL hair removal & IPL skin rejuvenation and not per minute. Please refer to the price list on our website for prices on different treatment area’s. (click here for price list)

We offer discount prices for up-front payment for 6 or more treatments, as well as discount offers for groups such as bridal parties..

At our clinic, we strive to provide you with the best possible treatment regime at the most affordable rates. Prices vary depending on the surface area and density of hairs in the area you wish to treat. For example, a client who wishes to treat her legs may have quite a few areas where hair does not grow in, in which we would quote them less than a client who needs us to cover the entire area. Please call us for a price quote as we will be more than happy to give you one over the phone once we know exactly what you would like to treat and what your hair removal goals are.

What type of hair can IPL treat?
IPL can treat all hair types & depths. With the best and most advanced IPL system dark , light coloured, even light grey & post menopausal hair is possible to treat.

Is this safe for all skin types?
IPL is the first procedure proven to effectively treat unwanted hair on all skin types, including dark-skinned individuals such as those of Black, Middle Eastern, and Asian descent.

Is IPL treatment safe?
Yes, it is very safe. Some people may experience mild reddening of the treatment area for a day or so after treatment, but other complications are rare. The Intense Pulsed Light system delivers energy to the skin very gently.

IPL systems are FDA-cleared to market for the treatment of a wide range of vascular and pigmented lesions. In Australia the Lumenis Quantum IPL system which is used in Marams Clinic is TGA approved.

How is the treatment carried out?
You will be asked to put on goggles to protect your eyes. A layer of chilled gel is applied to the area to guide the light into the skin. The area will also be cooled to increase comfort during treatment. The light guide is placed on the skin and a short pulse of light is released, targeting many follicles simultaneously. The applicator is then moved to the neighbouring area of skin and the process is repeated until the entire area is treated. The chilled gel is removed and the area moisturised.

What happens during a treatment?
It begins by trimming away the hair above the skin. Then, a cool gel is spread over the treatment area. The IPL handpiece is then applied to the skin and pulses of light a released from the handpiece and begin to disable unwanted hair. When the gel is removed, much of the treated hair is wiped off with it. The remaining hair in the treated area falls out over the next two weeks.

After treatments what precautions should I take?
After treatment, prevent sun exposure by applying sun block – SPF 30 or above. In the first few days after treatment, don’t scrub or rinse the treated areas with abrasive skin cleansers. The nurse will also advise you of any additional precautions.

Can IPL damage or burn the skin?
IPL being more advanced than other systems, has a separate cooling system around the treatment head and also has an in-built cooling system. This provides effective and safe treatments.

What body areas can be treated?
Almost any area of the body can be treated and the most common areas we treat a the legs, back, back of the neck, upper lip, chin, underarms, stomach, bikini line, face etc.

I have polycystic ovaries, can you treat my facial hair?

Hirsutism (excessive hair growth on the face and body) is an unwanted effect of Polyscystic ovaries. Yes, IPL can treat facial hair that is caused by this condition. Please advise your Nurse if you have polycysytic ovaries before treatment. Find out more on treatment and results during consultation. studies show that IPL is effective on patients with polycytic ovarian syndrome. Hirutism can be controlled with laser IPL treaments http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B7XNJ-4MV1H91-3&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1171556951&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=fd22caaadaa3226571ed002f1c5e244a

Tell me more about cooling?
The IPL system comes with built in cooling in the IPL hand piece which can be adjusted to suit the patients comfort. Unlike older laser machines which require the patient to hold a seperate cooling hose, Lumenis Quantum HR IPL has a state of the art cooling system which reduces the heat felt by the customer.

How many treatments will I need?
The amount of treatments required will vary from person to person and also the treatment area. For most people an average of four to six sessions are required.

Various factors that come into play with the number of treatments such as the color of your hair and skin, as well as factors such as hormone levels, follicle size and hair cycles.

What does the IPL treatment feel like?
While you may feel a slight tingling or pinch (similar to the snap of a rubber band) from the IPL hand piece, most people tolerate the procedure very well. Some areas of the body are more sensitive than others, you may choose to have a topical anaesthetic applied to increase comfort during the procedure. Patients with thicker and darker hair may feel the tingling sensation more.

The ideal candidate for IPL hair removal has light skin and dark hair. This does not mean that only people with very light skin and dark hair will have good results. We are able to treat people with at least some melanin in the hair. During the Free consultation the registered nurse will determine your skin-type based on the Fitzpatrick skin-type scale and develop a plan specific to your skin-type and hair color.

A free patch test can de done at our clinic, please contact us more information.

What will I see after the treatment?
Depending on the individual, follicles are damaged by heat but the hairs remain in the follicles. The hairs will fall out after 1 – 3 weeks. During this period the hairs will seem to ‘grow’ as they are pushed out by the new epidermis. After treatment the hairs are loose in the follicle and can sometimes be easily pulled out with tweezers or by simply exfoliating.

Most people experience some mild redness and tenderness in the treated area shortly after treatment. This does not interfere with normal activities and usually subsides within a day. In some cases, the redness may last longer, but will still be mild and temporary. Is most cases the redness of the skin will subside within 24-48hrs post treatment.

Am I suitable for treatment?
The ideal patient is fair skinned with dark hair, but there is much evidence to show that through carefully researched settings, results can be achieved for different hair and skin types. The darker the hair, the more easily it is treated, as darker hair contains more melanin it will heat up more easily. Fairer hair contains less melanin and is harder to treat. For Grey or white hair it may not be as effectively in treatment because grey/white strands has no melanin.

Do I have to let the hair grow out prior to the IPL treatments?
No, the area should be shaven clean and this would achieve the best hair removal and hair reduction results from the IPL. Prior to having IPL hair treatments you must avoid waxing, tweezing, and depilatories. During the course of treatments you will be able to shave the area site, so you can remain virtually hair free.

What other equipment do you have in your clinic?
We use a full electric bed which means that that patients will always be comfortable during their IPL hair removal treatment.

Do you have free Consultation and patch test?
Yes, we offer patients a free consultation where our registered nurse will go through treatment options and results. A free patch test can be done as well.

Prior to any treatment we will provide a full consultation. The consultation identifies your expectations and provides a complete explanation of the treatment.

A medical history is taken to confirm suitability for treatment and if you wish to proceed a written informed consent is obtained and a test patch is performed to confirm there are no adverse skin reactions to the light.

Does my private health fund cover my IPL hair removal treatments?

Unfortunately your health fund will not cover your laser hair removal treatments. Further IPL hair removal information can be found on the natural therapy pages:  ntpages.com.au http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/IPL_hair_removal

I have been waxing for a while now should I consider alternate treatments?
Traditional techniques – such as shaving, plucking, waxing and depilatory creams – provide only temporary relief. Until now, the only recognized way to remove hair permanently has been by electrolysis – which can be tedious, time-consuming and uncomfortable. Intense Light hair removal safely removes unwanted body hair without damaging the delicate pores and structures of the skin. Facial and bikini areas are usually completed in less than ten minutes – legs, backs and larger areas can take longer.