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Practitioner Resource Page: IPL Hair Removal Tutorial Overview Phillips Brand Home Use Device Light-based hair removal is one of the most effective methods to treat unwanted body hair with longer-lasting results. It is different from current home hair removal methods because it significantly reduces hair regrowth. Philips has been investigating this method together with leading dermatologists for over 15 years. You can now use this innovative technology comfortably in the privacy of your own home, whenever you want. This appliance has been specifically designed and optimised for use by women, but can be used by men as well. Philips Lumea Essential enables treatment of unwanted hair on body areas below the neckline. Philips Lumea Essential is designed for use by one person only. For more information about Philips Lumea Essential, see www.philips.com/ lumea. Check our homepage regularly for updates. Benefits This appliance provides the following benefits: Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology for home use Philips Lumea Essential uses a light-based technology called ‘Intense Pulsed Light’ (IPL). IPL is also used in the professional beauty market for hair removal and has been in use for the last fifteen years. Philips Lumea Essential now brings this innovative technology to the comfort of your home. Effective hair regrowth prevention for everyday smoothness This method provides you with long-lasting hair regrowth prevention and silky-smooth skin. Our studies have shown a significant hair reduction after just two treatments. Optimal results were generally achieved after four to five treatments. A reduction in hair density is visible from treatment to treatment. How fast the effect becomes visible and how long the results last varies from person to person. For more information, see section ‘How to achieve optimal results’ in chapter ‘Using the appliance’. Gentle treatment, even on sensitive body areas Philips Lumea Essential has been developed in close cooperation with leading dermatologists for an effective and gentle treatment, even on the most sensitive body areas. No replacement parts needed, no hidden costs Philips Lumea Essential is equipped with a high-performance lamp which does not require replacement. This lamp can generate over 100,000 flashes and should enable you to continuously maintain results for more than 5 years* while saving money on expensive replacement lamps. *Based on average usage scenario and recommended treatment regime for one user. ENGLISH How Philips’ Intense Pulsed Light technology works Hair growth Hair growth rates differ from person to person, depending on age, metabolism and other factors. However, everyone’s hair normally grows in 3 phases. 1 Growing phase (anagen phase) The hair grows actively from the root. In this phase the concentration of melanin is highest. Melanin is responsible for the pigmentation of the hair. Melanin concentration is also the determining factor for the efficacy of the Intense Pulsed Light technology. Only hairs in the growing phase are susceptible to treatment with light. 2 Degradation phase (catagen phase) Hair growth stops and the root shrinks before the hair sheds. 3 Resting phase (telogen phase) The old hair separates from its hair follicle and sheds. The follicle remains at rest until the biological clock tells it to become active again and grow a new hair. Working principle - The appliance works by heating up the hair and root beneath the skin. The melanin in the hair and hair root absorbs the released light pulses. The darker the colour of the hair, the more light can be absorbed. This process stimulates the hair to go into the resting phase. - In between treatments, hair sheds naturally and regrowth is inhibited. Hairs can take one or two weeks to shed. - Optimal hair removal cannot be obtained with a single session, since only hairs in the growing phase are susceptible to treatment with light. During a treatment, hairs on the treated area are usually in different stages of the hair growth cycle. To effectively treat all hairs you have to repeat the treatment once every two weeks for the first two months. An integrated optical filter ensures that no UV light reaches the skin and ensures that the appliance is safe for the skin. ENGLISH 7 General description (Fig. 5) 1 Intensity lights (1- 5) 2 On/off button 3 ’Ready to flash’ light 4 Air vents 5 Appliance socket 6 Flash button 7 Openings for electronic contacts 8 Light exit window with integrated UV filter 9 Electronic contacts 10 Body attachment (suitable for all body areas below the neck) 11 Metallic frame inside the body attachment 12 Integrated safety system 13 Adapter 14 Small plug 15 Pouch Also included: cleaning cloth Important Read this user manual carefully before you use the appliance and save it for future reference. Danger - Water and electricity are a dangerous combination. Do not use this appliance in wet surroundings (e.g. near a filled bath, a running shower or a filled swimming pool). - Keep the appliance and the adapter dry. - If the appliance is broken, do not touch any inner part to avoid electric shock. - Never insert any objects into the appliance. Warning - This appliance is not intended for use by persons (including children) with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities, unless they have been given supervision or instruction concerning use of the appliance by a person responsible for their safety. - Children should be supervised to ensure that they do not play with the appliance. - The appliance is not intended for children under the age of 15 years. Teenagers aged between 15 and 18 years can use the appliance with the consent and/or assistance of their parents or the persons who have parental authority over them. Adults from 19 years and older can use the appliance freely. - Only use the adapter supplied. - Do not use the appliance or the adapter if it is damaged. - The adapter contains a transformer. Do not cut off the adapter to replace it with another plug, as this causes a hazardous situation. - If the adapter is damaged, always have it replaced with one of the original type in order to avoid a hazard. - Do not use the appliance if the glass of the light exit window is broken. 8 ENGLISH To prevent damage - Make sure nothing obstructs the air flow through the ventilation slots. - Never subject the appliance to heavy shocks and do not shake or drop it. - If you take the appliance from a very cold environment to a very warm environment or vice versa, wait approximately 3 hours before you use it. - Store the appliance in the pouch supplied so that it does not become dusty. - Never leave the appliance unattended when it is switched on. Always switch off the appliance after use. - Do not expose the appliance to direct sunlight or UV light for several hours, to prevent damage. - Do not flash against any other surface than the skin. This can cause severe damage to the body attachment and/or the light exit window. Only flash when the appliance is in contact with skin. Caution - Never use the appliance around the eyes and near the eyebrows to avoid the risk of eye damage. - Use this appliance only at settings suitable for your skin type (see the table in section ‘Recommended light intensities’ of chapter ‘Preparing for use’). Use at higher settings than those recommended can increase the risk of skin reactions and side effects. - This appliance is only intended for removing unwanted human body hair from areas below the neckline. Do not use it for any other purpose. - Make sure the skin in the area to be treated is clean, dry and free from creams, lotions and other cosmetics. If the skin is not clean and dry, the integrated safety system may not work as intended and the appliance may not flash or may flash unintentionally. Keep the following things in mind to avoid compromising the lifetime of your Philips Lumea Essential: - Do not expose the appliance to ambient temperatures lower than 15°C or higher than 35°C during use. - The appliance is equipped with a built-in overheat protection. If the appliance overheats, it does not flash. Do not switch off the appliance, but let it cool down for approx. 15 minutes before you continue with your treatment. After 5 minutes the appliance switches off automatically. Then let it cool down for another 10 minutes. - Always return the appliance to a service centre authorised by Philips for examination or repair. Repair by unqualified people could cause an extremely hazardous situation for the user. - Do not use the appliance if any of the situations mentioned in section ‘Contraindications’ apply to you. Electromagnetic fields (EMF) This Philips appliance complies with all applicable standards and regulationsregarding exposure to electromagnetic fields. ENGLISH 9 Contraindications For whom is Philips Lumea Essential NOT suitable? Philips Lumea Essential is not designed for everyone. If any of the following is true for you, then this appliance is not suitable for you to use! Do not use the appliance if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Philips Lumea Essential has not been tested on pregnant women, therefore we advise you not to use the appliance if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Hormonal changes could increase the sensitivity of your skin and the risk of injury to the skin. Never use the appliance if you have an unsuitable skin and/or hair colour, i.e.: - If you are of skin type V (you rarely get sunburnt, you tan very well and your skin colour is dark brown) or if you are of skin type VI (you rarely or never get sunburnt and you tan very darkly; your skin colour is brownish black or darker). In this case you run a high risk of developing skin reactions, such as discolourations, strong redness or burns, when you use Philips Lumea Essential. See also chapter ‘Using the appliance’, section ‘Possible side effects and skin reactions’ and consult the ‘Recommended light intensities table’ in the quick start guide. - If your natural hair colour in the treatment areas is light blond, white, grey or red. The treatment will not be effective. Never use the appliance if you suffer from any of the diseases listed below, i.e.: - If you have a skin disease such as active skin cancer, you have a history of skin cancer or any other localised cancer in the areas to be treated. - If you have pre-cancerous lesions or multiple atypical moles in the areas to be treated. - If you have a history of collagen disorder, including a history of keloid scar formation or a history of poor wound healing. - If you have a history of vascular disorder, such as the presence of varicose veins or vascular ectasia in the areas to be treated. - If your skin is sensitive to light and easily develops a rash or an allergic reaction. - If you have infections, eczema, burns, inflammation of hair follicles, open lacerations, abrasions, herpes simplex, wounds or lesions and haematomas in the areas to be treated. - If you have had surgery in the areas to be treated. - If you have epilepsy with flashlight sensitivity. - If you have diabetes, lupus erythematodes, porphyria or congestive heart disease. - If you have any bleeding disorder. - If you have a history of immunosuppressive disease (including HIV infection or AIDS). 10 ENGLISH Never use the appliance if you take any of the medications listed below, i.e.: - If your skin is currently being treated with or has recently been treated with Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), Beta- Hydroxy Acids (BHAs), topical isotretinoin and azelaic acid. - If you have taken any form of isotretinoin such as Accutane® or Roaccutane® in the last six months.This treatment can make skin more susceptible to tears, wounds and irritations. - If you are on painkillers, which reduce the skin’s sensitivity to heat. - If you are taking photosensitising agents or medications, check the package insert of your medicine and never use the appliance if it is stated that it can cause photo-allergic reactions, photo-toxic reactions or if you have to avoid sun when taking this medicine. - If you take anticoagulation medications, including heavy use of aspirin, in a manner that does not allow you to stop using them at least one week prior to each treatment with Lumea. - If you take immunosuppressive medications. Never use the appliance on the following areas: - On the face. - On nipples, areolas, labia minora, vagina, anus and the inside of the nostrils and ears. See chapter ‘Using the appliance’, section ‘Using the appliance in the bikini area’. - Men must not use it on the scrotum or face. - Over or near anything artificial like silicone implants, pacemakers, subcutaneous injection ports (insulin dispenser) or piercings. - On moles, freckles, large veins, darker pigmented areas, scars or other skin anomalies without consulting your doctor. This can result in a burn and a change in skin colour, which makes it potentially harder to identify skin-related diseases (e.g. skin cancer). - On warts, tattoos or permanent make-up. This can result in a burn and a change in skin colour (hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation). - On areas where you use long-lasting deodorants. This can result in skin reactions. See chapter ‘Using the appliance’, section ‘Possible side effects and skin reactions’. Never use the appliance on sunburnt, recently tanned (last 2 weeks) or fake-tanned skin - All types of tanning can influence the safety of the treatment. This applies to exposure to natural sunlight as well as artificial tanning methods, such as tanning lotions, tanning appliances etc. If you are tanned or are planning to tan, see chapter ‘Preparing for use’, section ‘Tanning advice’. Note: This list is not exhaustive. If you are not sure whether you can use the appliance we advise you to consult a doctor. ENGLISH 11 Preparing for use For optimal results, prepare the areas on which you intend to use the appliance in the manner described below. Preparing treatment areas 1 Shave the areas you intend to treat as long as these areas still show hair regrowth. Note: Do not use depilatory creams instead of shaving. Note: If your last depilation method involved removing hairs by the roots (e.g epilating), you can start the treatment right away. In this case, we advise you to shave in between treatments for optimal results. Please note that treatment on unshaved or improperly shaved areas has a number of undesired effects: - The light exit window and body attachment may become contaminated with stray hairs and dirt. A contaminated light exit window and body attachment can reduce the life and efficacy of the appliance. Contamination of the light exit window can also cause the treatment to become painful or cause skin reactions like redness and discolouration. - Hairs on your skin can burn, which can result in an unpleasant smell. 2 Clean your skin and make sure it is hair-free, entirely dry and free from oily substances (e.g. residues of deodorants, lotions, perfumes, tanning creams and sunscreens). 3 Check the appliance, especially the light exit window and body attachment, for trapped hair, dust and fibres. If you see any contamination, clean the appliance according to the instructions in chapter‘Cleaning and maintenance’. If shaving causes wounds or lesions, your skin may be more sensitive to IPL than that of others.This may cause the IPL treatment to feel uncomfortable or it may lead to other unwanted side effects. We advise you to wait until the irritation has disappeared. 4 Once the hairs stop growing back, which usually happens after 4-5 treatments, you no longer have to shave before you use the appliance. Light intensity Unlike professional light-based appliances, Philips Lumea Essential has been developed for consumer use and its light pulses are gentler. Therefore you can expect a convenient and effective treatment at a light intensity that you find comfortable. Philips Lumea Essential provides five different light intensities. Adjust the light intensity to your skin and body hair colour and to a level you find comfortable. The recommended light intensities table below helps you to establish the right light intensity. 1 Consult the table below to determine which light intensities are appropriate for your skin and body hair colour. Tip: You can put the table in the quick start guide on your skin and compare it with your skin colour. 12 ENGLISH Tip: We advise you to store the quick start guide in the pouch for future reference. 2 Reduce the light intensity if you experience any pain or discomfort. Persons with darker skin run a higher risk of skin irritation because their skin absorbs more light.Therefore lower intensities are recommended for persons with darker skin. The light pulse can feel warm or hot on the skin but should never be painful. Different body areas may require different light intensities, see to the table below.To prevent skin reactions,see chapter‘Using the appliance’,section ‘Possible side effects and skin reactions’. Recommended light intensities (1-5) In the table below, ‘x’ means that the appliance is not suitable for you. Note: The colour of your skin may change, for example because your skin has been exposed to tanning. It may then be darker than during the previous treatment.Therefore it is important that you check the setting to be used before every treatment and per area. Some areas may be darker than others. Body hair colour: Dark blond/light brown/ brown/dark brown/black white/grey/red/light blond Skin colour and characteristics: White (always sunburn, no tanning) 4/5 x Beige (easy sunburn, minimal tanning) 4/5 x Light brown (sometimes sunburn, good tanning) 4/5 x Mid brown (rarely sunburn, fast and good tanning) 1/2/3 x Dark brown (rarely sunburn, very good tanning) x x Brownish black and darker (rarely to never sunburn, very dark tanning) x x Important To check whether Philips Lumea Essential is suitable for you, see section ‘For whom is Philips Lumea Essential not suitable?’. Tanning advice - Avoid sunbathing when you use Philips Lumea Essential regularly (every two weeks). Sunbathing can cause skin to darken (tan) or can cause sunburn (reddening of the skin). Using Philips Lumea Essential on darkened (tanned) and/or sunburned skin increases the risk of adverse side effects and skin reactions. See chapter ‘Using the appliance’, section ‘Possible side effects and skin reactions’. - Sun exposure before treatment: Wait 2 weeks and perform a skin test. Wait at least 2 weeks after sunbathing before you use the appliance. Perform a skin test (see chapter ‘Using the appliance’, section ‘First use and skin test’) on the area to be treated to determine the appropriate light intensity. Failure to do so increases the risk of developing skin reactions after treatment with Philips Lumea Essential. ENGLISH 13 - Sun exposure after treatment: Wait 48 hours before sunbathing after treatment with Philips Lumea Essential. Wait at least 48 hours after treatment before you expose treated areas to the sun. Even after 48 hours, make sure that the treated skin shows no adverse reaction to the treatment before you expose it to the sun. Cover treated areas when you go out into the sun or use a sunblock (SPF 30+) in the two weeks after treatment. Exposing treated areas to sunlight without protection immediately after treatment increases the risk of adverse side effects and skin reactions. See chapter ‘Using the appliance’, section ‘Possible side effects and skin reactions’. - Tanning with artificial light Follow the instructions in ‘Sun exposure before treatment’ and ‘Sun exposure after treatment’ above. - Tanning with creams If you have used an artificial tanning lotion, wait until the artificial tan has fully disappeared before you use Philips Lumea Essential. Note: For more details on unwanted skin reactions, see chapter ‘Using the appliance’, section ‘Possible side effects and skin reactions’. Using the appliance Check the recommended light intensities table in chapter ‘Preparing for use’, section ‘Light intensity’ to determine which light intensities are most suitable for your skin and body hair colour. Shave the area you intend to treat before you use the appliance (see chapter ‘Preparing for use’, section ‘Preparing treatment areas’). If the treatment becomes painful at any point in time,reduce the light intensity setting until the treatment is comfortable again. If you notice skin reactions stronger than slight redness, stop the treatment immediately and read section ‘Possible side effects and skin reactions’ in this chapter. First use and skin test When you use the appliance for the first time or after recent tanning, we advise you to perform a skin test on each area to be treated to check your skin’s reaction to the treatment and to get accustomed to light-based treatment. 1 Choose an area close to the area you intend to treat. 2 Insert the small plug into the appliance and put the adapter in the wall socket. Note: Make sure the body attachment is placed on the appliance. 3 Press the on/off button to switch on the appliance. 14 ENGLISH , Intensity light 1 goes on. Note: The appliance always automatically selects the lowest light intensity setting. See section ‘Light intensity’ in chapter ‘Preparing for use’ to determine the appropriate light intensity. 4 To adjust the light intensity setting, press the on/off button one or more times until you have reached the required setting. The corresponding intensity light lights up. 5 Place the appliance at a 90° angle on the skin so that the body attachment is in contact with the skin. Tip: For easier use, stretch the area of skin you want to treat. , The ‘ready to flash’ light on the back of the appliance starts blinking to indicate that the appliance is getting ready to release a flash. , When the appliance is ready to release a flash, the ‘ready to flash’ light lights up green continuously. 6 Press the flash button to release a flash. Note: The visible light produced by the appliance is the reflection of the flash on the skin and is harmless to your eyes. It is not necessary to wear goggles during use. Use the appliance in a well-lit room; this reduces the perceived brightness of the flash. 7 Release the flash button once the appliance has flashed. 8 Slide the appliance over the skin to the next area to be treated. As long as it feels comfortable (not painful), increase the setting by one level within the recommended range for your skin type and apply one flash for each setting. Do not apply more than one flash on the same spot. 9 When you have finished the treatment, press and hold the on/off button for 2 seconds to switch off the appliance. 10 After the skin test, wait for 24 hours and check your skin for any reaction. If your skin shows reactions, choose the highest setting that did not result in any skin reaction for subsequent use. ENGLISH 15 Subsequent use 1 Before every treatment, clean the body attachment, the light exit window and the metallic frame inside the body attachment. For more information see chapter ‘Cleaning and maintenance’. 2 Start each treatment by selecting the light intensity very carefully, based on your skin’s sensitivity and on how comfortable treatment feels. See section ‘Recommended light intensities’ to select the right setting for your skin type and hair colour combination. Note: Your skin may react differently on different days/occasions for a number of reasons. See section ‘Possible side effects and skin reactions’ in this chapter for more information. 3 Follow steps 2-6 of the previous section (‘Before first use and skin test’). Note: It is normal that the appliance and the body attachment become warm during use. 4 Slide the appliance over the skin to the next area to be treated and repeat steps 5 and 6 of section ‘First use and skin test’ in this chapter.After each flash, it takes up to 3.5 seconds until the appliance is ready to flash again.The ‘ready to flash’ light on the back of the appliance starts blinking again to indicate that it is charging. Wait until this light lights up continuously before you continue. Tip for SC1992: The SC1992 has a ‘slide and flash’ feature: for a more efficient treatment, keep the flash button pressed while you slide the appliance over your skin. Do not treat exactly the same area multiple times during one session. This does not improve the effectiveness of the treatment, but increases the risk of skin reactions. 5 To avoid untreated areas, make sure the flashes are produced close to each other. Note that effective light only comes out of the light exit window. However, always make sure you do not flash the same area twice. 6 When you have finished the treatment, press and hold the on/off button for 2 seconds to switch off the appliance. 7 Check the light exit window and the body attachment for hairs and dirt and clean the appliance after use (see chapter ‘Cleaning and maintenance’). Tips How to achieve optimal results - It is normal that hairs are still visible after the first few treatments (see chapter ‘Introduction’, section ‘Working principle’ for more information). - To remove all hairs successfully and prevent the hair follicle from becoming active again, the treatments have to be repeated once every two weeks for the first two months. Your skin should be smooth and hair-free by then. Please read section ‘Maintenance phase’ to find out how you can keep these results. 16 ENGLISH Maintenance phase - To ensure that your skin stays smooth and hair-free, we advise you to repeat the treatment every four to six weeks. The time between treatments may vary based on your individual hair regrowth and also across different body areas. If too many hairs grow back between treatments, simply shorten the treatment interval again, but do not treat any area more often than once every two weeks. When you use the appliance more frequently than recommended, you do not increase the effectiveness but you do increase the risk of skin reactions. Guidelines for treatment Average treatment time Area Approx. treatment time Underarms 1 minute per underarm Bikini line 1 minute per side Entire bikini area 4 minutes One lower leg 8 minutes One full leg 14 minutes Note: The average treatment times above have been observed during research and tests. Individual treatment times may vary from person to person. Intended treatment areas The appliance is intended to treat unwanted hairs from the underarms, arms, stomach, bikini area and legs. It should not be used on the face. Using the appliance on the legs Check the recommended light intensities table in chapter ‘Preparing for use’, section ‘Light intensity’ to see which settings are suitable for your legs. - You can move the appliance up and down or across the leg, whichever is more convenient to you. In order to maintain full contact with the skin you can also place and hold the appliance on your skin sideways. Note: Bony areas like shinbone and ankles are more sensitive than other areas of the body. When you press the body attachment hard onto these areas, the skin can be more susceptible to skin reactions, such as skin irritation and redness. See section ‘Possible side effects and skin reactions’ in this chapter. Press the body attachment onto the skin just hard enough to make the ‘ready to flash’ light go on, but not harder. Using the appliance in the bikini area Check the recommended light intensities table in chapter ‘Preparing for use’, section ‘Light intensity’ to see which settings are suitable for your bikini area. In principle, Philips Lumea Essential is safe and gentle enough for treatment of the entire bikini area (e.g. for ‘Brazilian’ or ‘Hollywood’ style). Use a lower setting on darker pigmented, more sensitive skin in the bikini area. Do not use the appliance on inner labia, vagina and anus. Men who wish to treat their pubic area must not use the appliance on the scrotum. Note: For hygienic reasons, always clean the body attachment before you start treating another body area (see chapter ‘Cleaning and maintenance’). ENGLISH 17 Using the appliance on the underarms Check the recommended light intensities table in chapter ‘Preparing for use’, section ‘Setting the light intensity’ to see which settings are suitable for your underarms. Make sure you remove any deodorant, perfume, cream or other skin care product from your underarms before treatment. Tip: To achieve optimal results on your underarms, stand in front of a mirror to get a good view of the area to be treated and the ‘ready to flash’ light. Raise your arm and place your hand on the back of your neck to stretch the skin in the underarm area. Note: The reflected light does not harm your eyes. If the scattered light is unpleasant,close your eyes when you release a flash. Possible side effects and skin reactions Common skin reactions: - Your skin may show slight redness and/or may prickle, tingle or feel warm. This reaction is absolutely harmless and disappears quickly. - A skin reaction similar to sunburn may occur on the treated area for a short while. If this does not disappear within 3 days, we advise you to consult a doctor. - Dry skin and itching may occur due to shaving or a combination of shaving and light treatment. This is harmless and disappears within a few days. You can cool the area with an ice pack or a wet facecloth. If dryness persists, you can apply a non-scented moisturiser on the treated area 24 hours after the treatment. Rare side effects: - Burns, excessive redness and swelling: these reactions occur rarely and are usually the result of using a light intensity that is too high for your skin colour. If these reactions do not disappear within 3 days, we advise you to consult a doctor. Wait with the next treatment until the skin has healed completely and make sure you use a lower light intensity. - Skin discolouration: this occurs very rarely. Skin discolouration manifests itself as either a darker or lighter patch than the surrounding area. This is the result of using a light intensity that is too high for your skin colour. In rare instances (usually a result of using too high intensity on too dark skin), the effects of a pigment change can last longer than is usually observed. In all cases, the effects are eventually reversed. Do not treat discoloured areas until the discolouration has disappeared and your skin has regained its normal skin colour. - Skin infection and inflammation: This occurs very rarely and may be caused by using the appliance on wounds or cuts that resulted from shaving, on already existing wounds or on ingrown hairs. - Excessive pain: this can occur during or after treatment if you have used the appliance on unshaved skin, if you use the appliance at a light intensity that is too high for your skin colour, if you flash the same area more than once and if you use the appliance on open wounds, inflammations, infections, tattoos, burns, etc. See chapter ‘Important’, section ‘Contraindications’ for more information. -- Home --  -- Products --  -- Technical Support --  -- Ordering Online --  Can't find what you are looking for?  Search the Avance Beauty catalog  HERE