When should you start IPL hair removal before summer? Start now, shine later

Every year it is the same story. The first warm week in May arrives, the summer dresses come out, and suddenly everyone wants smooth legs by the June bank holiday. The honest truth? If you start IPL in May, you will still be shaving in August.

IPL is a plan, not a quick fix. Here is how to time it so the work is done when you actually want to show some skin.

Why does IPL need so many sessions?

Hair grows in cycles, and at any moment only part of your hair is in the active growth phase. IPL works on hairs in that phase, because the light targets the pigment in a growing hair and heats the follicle so it grows back finer and slower. Hairs that are resting during your session are not affected, so you need repeat sessions to catch each wave of growth.

That is why most clients need 6 to 8 sessions per area. Face is usually treated every 4 to 6 weeks, and body areas every 6 to 8 weeks. Hormonal areas such as the chin can need more, followed by occasional top-ups. Most women notice less hair from about the third session.

Why is autumn the best time to start IPL?

Two reasons: sun and time.

IPL is safest and works best on untanned skin. Tanned skin holds more pigment, which raises the risk of burns and means the settings have to be lowered, which can make sessions less effective. That is why you need to avoid sun, sunbeds and fake tan for 2 weeks before and after every session. In autumn and winter, that is easy. In July, after a week in Spain, it is not.

And a full course takes time. Six sessions at 6-week gaps is around 7 months. Start in September or October and you finish around April to June, just as the weather turns.

What if you start later? Sessions done by 1 June

This table shows roughly how many sessions you can fit in before 1 June for a body area, such as legs, underarms or bikini, treated every 6 to 8 weeks.

Face areas, treated every 4 to 6 weeks, move faster: an October start can fit 6 to 8 sessions before June. Everyone's hair is different, so these are typical numbers, not promises.

Can you have IPL in summer?

Yes, if the area stays untanned. Underarms, for example, rarely see the sun. The rule is simple: no sun, sunbeds or fake tan on the treated area for 2 weeks before and after each session, and SPF 50 on treated skin that sees daylight. If you have a sun holiday booked, plan your sessions around it, and tell us. If your skin is tanned on the day, we will move your session rather than risk your skin.

So a summer start is not wrong. It just means your course runs into autumn, and you will be shaving between sessions for longer.

Does IPL work for everyone?

IPL needs dark pigment in the hair, so it works best on dark hair with lighter skin. Blonde, red, grey and white hair respond little or not at all. IPL is limited on darker skin, because the light can target pigment in the skin as well as the hair. Your patch test checks how your skin and hair respond before you pay for a course, and if IPL is not right for you, we will say so.

Wondering how IPL compares with laser? We explain the difference honestly on our IPL hair removal page.

How do you prepare for your first session?

1. Book a patch test at least 48 hours before your first session. At Mirabell it is €20, and it comes off your first session if you book within 30 days.
2. Stop waxing, plucking and epilating for about 4 weeks before and during your course. IPL needs the hair root in place.
3. Shave the area 24 hours before each session.
4. Keep skin untanned: no sun, sunbeds or fake tan for 2 weeks before.
5. Tell us about medication, especially anything that makes your skin sensitive to light.

What does a course of IPL cost in Dublin?

Prices depend on the area and whether you book single sessions or a course. Hair removal is one of the most competitive treatments in Dublin, with national chains advertising low per-session promotional prices for laser area bundles. Compare the price of a full course, not one session, and check what technology is used, whether a patch test is included, and who carries out the treatment.

At Mirabell, IPL starts from €30 per session for the face, with 12 areas for women and men and lower prices per session when you book a course. Popular areas:

The most popular summer pairing is bikini and underarms, booked as two areas. Every area and course price is live on our IPL hair removal page.

What does IPL feel like, and what is the aftercare?

Most clients compare it to a warm elastic band snapping on the skin. Cooling gel keeps it comfortable, and the bikini and upper lip feel strongest. Expect mild redness for a few hours.

After each session: no hot baths, saunas or hard workouts for 24 to 48 hours, no perfumed products or deodorant on treated skin for 24 hours, and SPF 50 on skin that sees daylight. Treated hairs may seem to "grow" for 1 to 3 weeks. They are shedding, so let them fall out.

The best time to start is before you think you need to. If it is autumn as you read this, that time is now. Book your patch test or ask us first.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. IPL gives long-term hair reduction, and results vary from person to person.