Page 97 - Chapter 3 - Fundamentals of Laser/IPL Hair Removal

Chapter 3 – Fundamentals of Laser/IPL Hair Removal 1st Edition
infra-red light energy reaching the skin, which is the ‘hot’ part – remember, visible light doesn’t generate much heat in the skin!
The correct choice of filter is very important when treating skin conditions. We put together a short video to explain this.
Flashlamps
At the heart of every IPL system lies a flashlamp. Most lasers are also powered by these lamps although some, e.g. diode lasers, do not require them.
A flashlamp is just an expensive light bulb. They are highly engineered bulbs, but they are still just bulbs. Most IPL systems use lamps filled with a gas known as Xenon. When this gas is excited by an electric current it generates a burst of light emitting wavelengths from 370 nm to 1200nm, with a lot of the output energy in the visible part of the spectrum. This is why they are used in IPL systems.
Simmer Currents
Some laser/IPL systems will use a simmer current to ‘warm’ the lamp. This is a low level electrical current designed to keep the lamp is a standby mode. Essentially it keeps the Xenon gas in a ready state for firing. This means that when a full pulse is fired the lamp is already warmed up. If there is no simmer current then the lamp will need to transit from a ‘cold’ state to full power. While this presents no problem to the lamp it will shorten its lifetime.
The reason why flashlamps are simmered is to extend their overall lifetimes. However, this requirement does add to the complexity of the system and hence to its cost. As a result, some manufacturers do not provide a simmer option in their equipment. This means that lamps in these systems will degenerate much faster than those with a simmer current system.
Flashlamp Lifetime
The lifetime of a flashlamp is determined by a number of factors. While some of these factors are designed into the fabric of the lamp, and therefore unchangeable by the user, some can be determined by careful use of the lamp.
The only way to truly know how well a lamp is functioning is by using an energy/power meter (see section ‘IPL Energy Meters – Where Are They?’ in the chapter “What to Ask When buying a
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