I was lucky enough to be chosen to trial the Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 PL5137 IPL. I am a bit of a wuss and I have only ever shaved to remove unwanted body hair (never waxed), so I was curious to see if the IPL was both better than shaving and pain free!
The Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 PL5137 IPL comes in a big box. Inside the box is a zip up bag with a gold scalloped pattern on a white background. The bag contains the IPL Pro 5 with the standard head, the precision head, an Australian/NZ power cord, and a European power cord. It also comes with a Gillette Venus razor, and an instruction booklet.
I was quite nervous about using the IPL as I had never had laser hair removal treatment before. So I read the instructions very carefully and I proceeded slowly with the device. They recommend using it only once a week for 4 – 12 weeks. I started on one strip of my right leg only, leaving my left untreated, so I would be better able to compare them.
The device itself is quite easy to use. In order to use it the area needs to be newly shaved. The device works by using two skin tone sensors on either side of the head. They both need to be in contact with the skin at all times. The sensors read your skin tone and selects the appropriate light intensity from that. For large areas you can move the device slowly and continuously across the skin area. The device flashes bright red pulses of light as it moves across the skin. It can sting and feel a little bit like being pricked. The device has three settings of light intensity: standard, gentle, extra gentle. Because I was apprehensive about using it, I opted to use the extra gentle setting each time.
I have been using the IPL for about 4 weeks now. The area that I have been using it on, my right leg, has a noticeable reduction in hair growth in comparison to my left leg, which has not had any treatment. The only difficulties I have encountered when using the device is that even with a large area, such as my leg, the curvature of my calves means that sometimes it is hard to get both light sensors on the standard head in contact with the skin at the same time. However, the package comes with the precision head, which is narrower, so it is great for ankles, knees, armpits, etc. The laser flashes themselves are very bright when using the device, and it can be uncomfortable to look at them, so it is best to look away if you can. But other than that, I found it simple, efficient, and quick to use. After my initial trepidation, I was down to using it for only about 5 minutes per week.
Altogether I think the Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 PL5137 IPL is a great way to remove unwanted body hair if you are a suitable candidate for skin and hair tone. Once you are used to it, it is a fast, efficient, low discomfort way to remove hair.
The title of my review might sound a bit dramatic but as someone who has fast growing, dark body hair in abundance this device has seriously made life easier. After using consistently for months I am at a point where hair growth is not only slowed but also the amount of hair looks to be permanently reduced with only sparse amounts still growing back, albeit slower than usual. It's too early for me to tell how long it will take for the hair to grow back as it's not meant to fully permanent and I'm still doing my weekly sessions but after a week of not shaving I'm confident to go swimming without needing to shave and this in itself is great to me. No more daily shaving!! The time and energy saved is so worth it.
Tips: Make sure you have the right skin tone and hair colour for this product to be beneficial to you