At-home IPL device or treatment in a salon?

The short answer

• Home devices work on the same principle as studio devices, but with considerably less energy: more applications, regular touch-ups.
• The same limits: they work best on dark hair on light skin; on light blonde, red, grey or white hair, neither works.
• The research on home devices is patchy.
• In a studio, trained staff set more powerful devices to suit your skin. In return, getting started costs more.

How at-home IPL devices work

IPL stands for "Intense Pulsed Light": a flash lamp emits filtered light with a broad spectrum. The melanin in the hair absorbs it and converts it into heat, and the hair root is damaged – the same principle as with a laser, which, however, works with precisely defined wavelengths. More on this in the article IPL vs laser hair removal.

Home devices are often IPL systems. What is sold as an "at-home laser" is sometimes IPL too, sometimes a device with a laser diode – the technical specifications will tell you. According to the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz), their power is usually considerably lower than that of professional devices.

What a home device can do – and what it can't

A systematic review found only a few studies on light-based home devices, almost all without a control group. Hair reduction after repeated applications ranged between 6 and 72 per cent, measured mostly up to three or six months afterwards. The authors see indications of a short-term effect and call for better studies.

The German consumer testing organisation Stiftung Warentest also described the evidence as patchy in 2026: shorter intervals are needed at the start, and hair growth decreases over time, but doesn't stop completely.

Realistically, this means: if your hair and skin are suitable and you use the device consistently, it can noticeably reduce hair growth. But it remains a routine that will stay with you in the long term.

Who an IPL device suits – and who it doesn't

• Well suited: dark hair on light to medium skin.
• Not effective: light blonde, red, grey and white hair – this hair lacks melanin.
• Caution with dark or tanned skin: the device can't tell the difference between the melanin in the hair and the melanin in the skin. The darker the skin, the higher the risk of burns and pigment changes.
• Don't use over moles, freckles, tattoos or piercings.
• Substances that make you sensitive to light, such as St John's wort or certain medications: ask a doctor first.

If hair suddenly starts growing in new places or much more strongly, please have the cause checked by a doctor first, before you buy a device.

Protect your eyes

The light can damage the eyes: the iris absorbs radiation, and visible light and near-infrared reach the retina. Eye injuries have been described after IPL treatments without adequate eye protection and after laser treatment of the eyebrows.

Many home devices therefore only fire when a contact sensor detects skin. That protects the eyes from direct light, but not the skin. So:

• never use the device near the eyes, including on the eyebrows
• on the face, only where the manufacturer explicitly allows it

Buying an IPL device: what to look out for

• Read what it's approved for before you buy: the instructions for use are usually available online. They show which skin and hair colours and which areas – face, bikini line, intimate area – the device is approved for. Mucous membranes must never be treated.
• Safety features: contact sensor, several energy levels, clear information on what the device does if your skin is too dark.
• Cost: home devices can cost several hundred euros. Factor in your time, too.
• Tests: whether a particular device performs well is a question for independent product tests; we deliberately don't name any brands. With "best buy" lists online, check whether anything was really tested, and how.

Using it properly: how to get the most out of it

• Shave beforehand. Unshaven hair absorbs the light at the surface; that can hurt and burn the skin.
• Start with a small test spot, on a low setting, and look at your skin the next day.
• Avoid the sun before, during and after the treatment phase; never use it on tanned skin or after sunburn.
• Stick to the schedule: at short intervals at first, later less often for maintenance – as the instructions specify.
• Only shave in between. Tweezing, epilating and waxing remove the hair root, which the light needs to reach.
• If you get blisters or a strong burning sensation, stop and have it looked at by a doctor.

The NiSV – the German regulation on non-ionising radiation, which governs cosmetic laser and IPL treatments – does not apply when you use a device privately on yourself. The responsibility then lies with you alone – read the instructions for use in full.

When a studio is the better choice

Since 31 December 2022, anyone in Germany who removes hair commercially for cosmetic purposes with a laser or IPL needs certified expertise (Fachkunde) under the NiSV. Studios work with higher-energy devices, and the settings are adjusted to your skin. A studio is especially worthwhile if:

• your skin is darker – laser light at 1064 nm is absorbed less by the melanin in the skin and allows a more cautious treatment
• large or hard-to-reach areas need treating, such as the back
• you're not sure whether your hair and skin are suitable at all
• you don't want a routine at home for years

The Verbraucherzentrale (German consumer advice centre) advises: don't sign a studio contract under pressure at your first appointment, take the documents home with you and check that the areas, sessions and total cost are clearly stated. What a treatment costs with us is listed openly on the page Prices & price calculator.

At MOOD Beauty

We don't work with IPL, but with a diode laser, the Alma Soprano ICE Platinum, with three wavelengths (755, 810 and 1064 nm), cooling in the handpiece and a gliding technique. The goal is a permanent^¹ reduction: considerably less, finer and lighter hair over a long period. With us, you buy packages in your own time, after the initial consultation.

¹ Permanent hair reduction requires several treatments, depending on the body area and the individual hair and skin type. Success cannot be guaranteed, even when the treatment is carried out professionally. On light, red, grey or white hair, the treatment is ineffective or only partially effective.

FAQ

Sources

1. Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz: Dauerhafte Haarentfernung (Epilation). bfs.de/DE/themen/opt/anwendung-medizin-wellness/epilation/epilation.html
2. Asmuß M, Weiskopf D (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz): Laser, IPL & Co – Anwendungen optischer Strahlung in der Kosmetik. UMID 1/2016. umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/2218/publikationen/umid_1_2016_bfs_laser.pdf
3. Thaysen-Petersen D, Bjerring P, Dierickx C, Nash JF, Town G, Haedersdal M: A systematic review of light-based home-use devices for hair removal and considerations on human safety. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2012;26(5):545–553. doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-3083.2011.04353.x
4. Stiftung Warentest: Haarentfernung – Glatte Beine gibts auf fünf Wegen. 03.06.2026. test.de/Haarentfernung-Fuer-immer-weg-1246658-0
5. Bundesumweltministerium: Grundsätzliche Fragen zur NiSV (FAQ A.02, A.10). bundesumweltministerium.de/faqs/grundsaetzliche-fragen-zur-nisv
6. Verbraucherzentrale: Dauerhafte Haarentfernung – Vorsicht vor teuren Verträgen. 12.11.2025. verbraucherzentrale.de/aktuelle-meldungen/gesundheit-pflege/dauerhafte-haarentfernung-vorsicht-vor-teuren-vertraegen-113590

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