My section on Permanent Hair Reduction is the largest and most comprehensive information base in the world.  The Q&A section is 100% original Reef content drawn from decades of experience, not copied from some manufacturer's website.

For this reason, Reef is regarded even by our competitors as a leading authority.

The information is added to frequently to keep it current and relevant to you as a potential consumer, and is designed to help you make an informed decision.

To save longwinded explanations and duplication of info, questions about IPL also apply to PTF unless it specifically states otherwise.  If you still have questions, please feel free to call.

Something else different at Reef, is that the boss is easily accessible.  You won't get sidelined by a receptionist trying to block your call.  If you are an existing client at any Reef or Body Sync branch, I can access and review your treatment notes in real time if you ever wish to discuss your progress.

I am based at the Rockhampton clinic and my direct number is 07 4926 7778.  If I'm in with a client and you get the machine, please leave a message and I'll call you back.

Have a brilliant day,
Andrew Thompson,
Managing Director, Body Sync Group

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Do I need to shave before my treatment?

Ideally yes, as you will find it more comfortable to shave in the shower than for us to dry shave you in the treatment room. 

It also lessens the amount of time you'll spend on the table, and allows us to keep our prices affordable.

Something to be wary of when shopping around for pulsed light treatments are machines that require you to shave 2 to 7 days before the treatment. 

Without naming brands, such machines are low powered and rely on visible hair to channel the light to the root, which tends to "sizzle" the hair above the skin.  Ouch.

This is another difference between old and new pulsed light units.

Can I use hair removal creams or sprays instead of shaving?

NO - DEFINITELY NOT!!

Hair removal creams are keratinocytes, ie they kill keratin cells.  Keratin is the substance in hair that makes it solid.  By dissolving the keratin, the hair becomes goo and wipes off.

Unfortunately, keratin is also the substance that makes skin solid.  Hair removal creams destroy keratin indiscriminately, which means your skin is left extremely vulnerable.

Skin in this state means that a pulsed light treatment can have an anomalous result.  It could cause pigment marks, skin burns, blisters etc, and for that reason we won't perform a treatment.

If you've used hair removal creams or sprays, we need you to wait a minimum of one month before your treatment.

Won't shaving make my hair grow back thicker?

No, this is a myth invented by mothers long ago to stop their teenage daughters shaving their legs.

Hair growth is driven by hormones and nutrients at a cellular level, not by cutting off hair above the skin that is already dead.

Will my Therapist be male or female?

In Brisbane Reef studios, your therapist will be female.  In Rockhampton, your therapist will be Andrew Thompson, Reef's owner and head therapist.

Andrew visits the Brisbane branches three days a month and is available for treatments at the Tarragindi studios.

I can get a cheap deal on a 'daily deal' site?  Will you price match?

No, we have a great reputation and it's hard to cope with our record growth as it is.  Our profits are slim enough to satisfy the majority of our clients without us having to compromise the quality of our services.

We can think of several better questions to ask:
- What corners are discount places cutting in order to sell so cheaply;
- Why do they need to sell at a loss to attract customers (they only receive 25% of the sale);
- Will they still be in business to provide said services?

Andrew's rant on the subject
"I'm left speechless that so-called IPL Specialists have taken part in these 'daily voucher' or 'buy now deals' or whatever label they're using today. Even more amazingly, laser clinics have now jumped on the bandwagon with two Sydney-based chains involved in a price war, and that terrifies me. Laser - That's really dangerous stuff to do on the cheap, but they do it anyway. It's no wonder the incidence of horror stories about burns and dodgy treatments has skyrocketed in the last six months. But it's not just the operators to blame - It's the idiots buying into these deals. I marvel that supposedly sane consumers would let someone loose on their bodies to perform a paramedical treatment as though it was a shop-a-docket deal. Sure, deal sites have their place, but encouraging the discounting of potentially dangerous treatments should not be one of them. This isn't a pedicure we're talking about. The term "Permanent Hair Reduction" should give even the thickest person a clue that these treatments need to be taken seriously. They are paying someone to PERMANENTLY ALTER THEIR BODY, and the question has to be asked if these are the same idiots who buy cheap Viagra online. I'm waiting to see the first discount deal for cut-price vasectomies or boob jobs, and then how many people buy them. The ridiculous irony is that Reef is busier than ever while these cut-price places are going broke. These dodgy practices are a perfect example of why I distance Reef from the beauty industry."

How painful is Intense Pulsed Light hair removal?

It isn't painful.  Actually, it's really quite boring.  If you've ever been waxed, it's nothing by comparison.  Clients often say that it's like being flicked with a warm rubber band.

I've been getting SIPL from you guys but I can't find it on the website.

We stopped using that term in 2009 as everyone started copying us, regardless of the equipment they were using.

We now refer to our treatments by their precise name, PTF, to distinguish our machines from inferior equipment.

Is your equipment listed on the Australian Therapeutic Goods Register?

Yes it is.  We use several brands of machines and all are listed on the TGA register.  They are also approved by FDA (US) and CE (Europe).

I'm confused by all the jargon.  SIPL, SPL, PTF, VPL, IPL, ELOS?  What's the difference?

That's a good question given the huge influx of suspect "IPL" machines coming into Australia.

But first some legal mumbo jumbo you should get your head around.  As well as being an abbreviation for 'Intense Pulsed Light' technology, the term "IPL" is also a registered trademark of Lumenis Israel (1994?), which is the issue at the core of so many terms being used for the same underlying science.

Over the years, other manufacturers began using the term and for whatever reason, Lumenis didn't stop them, which in itself voided their claim to the trademark.

The same thing would happen to Reef if we didn't diligently enforce the protection of our registered trademarks "Body Sync" the name of our company, "Serious Hair Removal" our slogan, and "Angel Beach" our range of natural skin care products.

So let us be clear from the outset, despite the fact that we do own a couple of Lumenis machines, we use the term IPL as an abbreviation for Intense Pulsed Light technology, not to attach ourselves to that brand.

In our stable of IPL machines we also have Palomar, Luminex, GSD, Hua Mei, and Chromolite products.  Like everyone else in the world, we simply call them IPL machines.

OK, now back to the stuff that matters.

All the various terms are similar in that they are based on Intense Pulsed Light, some with a few tweaks and twiddles.  At the end of the day, it comes down to power output, filters, skin types, understanding of the science, and experience.  Remember that a machine, no matter what brand, is only as good as the person using it.

We use several brands of IPL machines, plus an advanced variation on IPL called PTF.  Our machines are very powerful and the latest technology.  In terms of safety, accuracy and results, our machines are leaps and bounds ahead of older IPL units and their painful predecessor, laser. 

We're independent and have the freedom to pick from the best technologies in the world, and we do.  It's as simple as that.

How effective is Intense Pulsed Light on blonde, grey or red hairs?

Not very effective at all.

Despite various manufacturers' promises, low melanin equals low results.  Some manufacturers make grandiose claims but when we push them for the science to explain how their amazing technology works, they come up blank.

For lower melanin hair, we instead recommend trying Active Enzyme Hair Removal.

I can buy a cute little IPL machine at the department store. Why come to you?

Our commercial machines are large and bulky for a reason. They contain a massive power compressor to generate enough energy (joules) to actually kill the hair root.  They produce so much energy in fact, that the power cords need to be replaced every month.

A 12V transformer or a couple of AA batteries doesn't quite cut it.  The most powerful cutesy we reviewed has a whopping 2.5J of energy. Our IPL machines pump out 50J, our PTF has 65J.

Cheap machines are however capable of stripping melanine from your hair and once it's gone, you can't get it back.  This may render you unable to receive a real pulsed light treatment.

Is Reef accredited by Queensland Health for pulsed light treatments?

Despite a huge amount of misleading advertising around the ridges, no business is accredited by Queensland Health for pulsed light treatments. There is no such thing. 

Queensland Health only issues accreditation for laser, not pulsed light, as laser equipment emits radiation.   We don't like laser equipment and we don't use it.

We won't take part in the misinformation war.  We have a good reputation and that's all that matters to us.

How regularly should I come for a treatment?

The optimal space between treatments is 28-35 days for all body areas.  Facial hair can be treated every 14 days as it grows much faster than hair on the rest of the body.

It is important that you keep to this schedule as closely as possible for two reasons:

- Most people have a 6 month hair growth cycle.  6 treatments in 6 months capture the greatest amount of hairs as they pass through the vital early-anagen phase of hair growth.

- Regular appointments help your therapist measure the efficacy of the last and earlier treatments, so they can determine the best energy/filter settings for the next treatment.

Andrew's rant on the subject
"I say this to every new PTF client I treat: Don't think you will be the exception - Everyone needs a minimum of six treatments.  It's common for people to notice after say four treatments that no hair is growing when it's time for their next treatment.  Subsequently, people who don't take advice well ring and postpone their treatment.  This is a HUGE mistake, because next month they ring back claiming that their hair has grown back with a vengeance.  It hasn't grown back - This is the month's hair that we didn't treat because the client jumped a treatment.  Remember that we are treating hair bulbs that you can't even see, not the hair above your skin that is already dead.  No matter who you are, you need at least six treatments spaced consistently, so we can cover the whole six month growth cycle."

I read on a blog that I should make sure it's permanent hair "removal", not "reduction".

The author of the blog has no idea what they're talking about.  We hear clients bring this subject up daily which only compounds our frustration with the government for not regulating the hair removal industry.

First, be aware of one thing - There is no such thing as permanent hair removal.  That expression implies absolute removal of every hair in the treated area for the rest of your life.  No one can promise that.

Laser, IPL, electrolysis - whatever technology you choose, is referred to by all professional operators in the hair removal industry as permanent hair reduction.

The reason for this distinction is obviously a legal one and has nothing to do with one technology versus another.  More info next paragraph.

Does Pulsed Light hair removal work on everyone?

No.  Around 1 in 200 people treated will see little or no effect.  Scientists generally concede that they only know about 5% of how the body functions, and at this stage, the reasons behind this small percentage of ineffective treatments remain a mystery.

This is also why no reputable business will guarantee results or use the term 'permanent hair removal'.  In fact, a Perth salon was sued a number of years ago for doing just that.

Some may say that they guarantee results, claiming that their magical technology is better than everyone else's, but read the terms and conditions and then read the super fine print.

You will find somewhere in the contract a clause such as "Bear in mind you will require top up treatments once or twice a year to maintain the results of your treatments.

In other words, they won't guarantee results.

It simply cannot be done, and anyone who guarantees results or makes claims of absolute permanence has no idea of the technology they are using or how the human body works.

What result can I anticipate from a series of treatments?

In real terms, you could expect as a minimum result, a vast reduction in visible dark hairs.  This may present or appear to present as absolute hair removal from the treated area, but as mentioned above, we are not allowed to make such claims.

The end result depends on your suitability to treatment, how many treatments you opt to have, and how regularly you space your treatments.

A pleasant side effect of IPL is that the technology uses specific wavelengths of light that stimulates cell renewal, increasing collagen production and smoothing the appearance of your skin.

If you are thinking of coming to us for hair removal treatments and collagen or pigment treatments in the same area, get the hair removal out of the way first and you may find that you don't need the other treatments.  This proves to be the case a lot especially with faces and arms.

What will I notice between treatments?

There are two common responses during the weeks that follow a treatment, and we hark back to the inability of science to explain many of the wonders of the human body.  We've thought about it a lot though, and both responses seem to be just as good as each other.  Let's look at two hypothetical clients, Bob and Mary.

Bob has his treatment and over the weeks that follow, the hair in the treated area simply stops growing.   Even when his next treatment comes around, there still isn't much there.  Our theory on this response is that Bob's hair enjoys a particularly long anagen period, which keeps most of the hair shaft quite moist.  Instead of just destroying the hair bulb during the treatment, we dissolved the shaft as well.  Bob's body absorbs whatever proteins remain and the rest of the debris simply joins the lymphatic flow and passes out of the body unnoticed in his urine.

Mary on the other hand, finds that her hair keeps growing normally as though she didn't have a treatment at all, BUT at about the 3 week mark, something "miraculous" happens.  She molts.  She wakes up one morning with a bed full of hair or it sloughs off one day in the shower.  The reason for this 3 week delay is that every hair shaft has its own muscle, the arrector pili, which is the muscle that makes your hair stand on end when it's cold.  The hair is also surrounded by other connective tissue that holds it firmly in place.  At around 3 weeks, the dead hair, now disconnected from its nutrient supply and out of range of the muscle, simply falls out, leaving nice smooth skin.

Fascinating stuff.  If you've heard of any scientific studies conducted on the subject, we'd love to hear about it.

How many treatments will I need?

This depends on many things, including your age, hormonal activity in your body, ancestry, medications or medical conditions. Essentially there are two types of hair that grow on the body (not counting the scalp).  These are body hair which is generally thinner and softer, and pubic hair which is more coarse.  Body hair usually responds faster to treatment than pubic hair.

Lower legs, arms, lower backs, and bums are generally body hair.  Genitalia, faces, chests and stomachs, and inner thighs are generally pubic hair.  Underarms, upper backs and shoulders, upper legs, and bum creases can be a mix of the two.

What we recommend to new clients is to accept that they will need 6-8 treatments for body hair, and 6-10 for pubic hair.  At that point, around 80-90% of people walk away happy with the result, while others elect to have more treatments.

Facial hair is usually the most resilient, and can take upwards of 20 treatments.

Why is the number of Joules important?

Joules equal the number of watts per square centimetre per second, and the higher the number of joules, the more energy (in conjunction with your skin type) we're able to get down to the target cells.

When a hair is successfully eliminated, that's the end of it, but when a hair is targeted and the treatment fails due to insufficient power, a natural defence process kicks in.  The body realises that its cooling system is under attack, and strengthens the hair against later attacks, i.e. further treatments. 

The hair grows thicker, the root grows in size, and the surrounding tissue tightens its grip on the hair.  Our waxing rooms see the results of low-joule light treatments every day.

Andrew's rant on the subject
"A Toowong client has allowed me - in fact, asked me - to tell her story.  Lana rang one day and said, 'I used to go to Reef but then I started going to a beauty salon that had a cheaper special, but I got no result and I didn't like what was happening to my body.'  She didn't want to discuss it in great detail over the phone so I arranged to meet her on my next Brisbane trip and I looked at the result.  It had been 10 days since her last treatment at the beauty salon, and to my horror, she had blisters and pustules on her labia and anus because the salon either assessed her skin type incorrectly or used the wrong filter.  The incorrect setting had also bleached the surrounding skin. The skin damage still hadn't healed by the time I assessed her.  Lana had mentioned the burns to them and they told her 'it was normal and they would go away'.  Lana is 22 years old and part of a close-knit Indian community, and she was too embarrassed to see her doctor.  I referred her to my own family doctor across town who I know to be discreet, but the damage had been left too long.  The infections are healed but Lana will need plastic surgery for the scarring which has left 'chicken pox' indentations.  As if the skin trauma wasn't bad enough, all the melanin was stripped from her hair because the joule settings were too low.  Result:  Around half of Lana's hair was effectively removed by our treatments.  The remaining hair which was treated by the beauty salon is wispy and white.  Combined with the disfigurement and hypopigmentation, her pubic area looks like that of a woman of 80.  Lana has to live with the result and hope that some new technology comes along in the future, as no form of light based hair removal presently on the market will remove it."

What is the difference between liquid cooled and air cooled machines?

When it comes to air-cooled or liquid-cooled (some call it crystal), we favour air cooled machines, simply because they're more efficient.

It's simple science.  The target temperature for permanently disabling a hair bulb is 73 degrees celsius.

On a water-cooled machine, the head is pre-cooled to around 4 degrees.  Therefore it has to generate 69 degrees to achieve the target result.

Our IPL machines are water cooled, while our PTF machines are air-cooled. 

With PTF, we cool the head manually with special gel packs to keep it between 15 and 40 degrees - close to or slightly higher than room temperature.

When the pulsed light flashes on one of our units, it only has to produce say 40 degrees variance instead of 69 degrees to achieve the desired result, making a shot from an PTF machine up to 70% more effective.

On the flip side of the coin, normal IPL is a quicker treatment, hence their popularity with most beauty salons and hair removal centres.

Why doesn't Intense Pulsed Light remove all the hair at once?

Intense Pulsed Light targets a chemical compound in the hair called melanin, which gives hair its dark pigmentation. 

Melanin is most prevalent in hair during the early anagen phase of hair growth (when the hair root is still "juicy") and hairs in this stage of growth are most susceptible to eradication. 

Hair grows in different cycles, usually between 6 and 12 months, and ongoing treatments are needed to catch each hair as it passes through this early-anagen stage of development.

Will I have to come back for top-up treatments?

Some hair can lay dormant for long periods or emerge for the first time as you arrive at a certain stage of life.  We can only kill hair bulbs that are actively sprouting.  For that reason, you will find that top up treatments from time to time are beneficial.

Why do I need a preliminary consultation?

Most people don't.  Unless your skin type is Type 5 or 6 - Dark Indian, African, Maori, or Aboriginal - and assuming that there are no other contraindications to treatment, we can perform the treatment on your first visit.

Our equipment utilises the latest filtering systems which also enables us to treat most Asian skin types.  If your skin is extremely dark, we may recommend that you try a course of Active Enzyme Hair Removal treatments instead.

What other contraindications could prevent a treatment?

Factors that could prevent us performing a light-based treatment include epilepsy, PCOS, excessive tan (fake or natural) in the area to be treated, the recent use of Hair Removal creams & sprays, and the use of products containing Retinol, Mitomycin, Minocycline, Doxycycline, Tetracycline, St Johns Wort, and Accutane.

This is not an exhaustive list, however we will discuss possible contraindications with you before the first treatment.  Please call us if you have any doubts or concerns you would like to discuss.

What are the side effects?

Intense Pulsed Light converts light energy into heat, and it's the heat that destroys the hair at its root.  There are generally no significant side effects, but we will give you a detailed information sheet before your consultation. 

After your treatment, you can expect pinkness or a mild "sunburn like" effect in the area, but it usually passes quickly.  It isn't real sunburn, only heat permeating back out through the skin.  You can go about your normal activities after a treatment, but be sun smart with treated areas and cover up or use a sunscreen.

Any possible risks to treatment are thoroughly described during your initial consultation and you also have the opportunity to ask about anything that may concern you.

How long do treatments take?

Your Intense Pulsed Light session takes around the same amount of time as a wax treatment for the same area.

Allow an extra 15 minutes for your first treatment, as we need to assess your skin type and suitability for treatment, and discuss the procedure with you.

I'm male.  Will a Brazilian Intense Pulsed Light treatment affect my sperm?

No thorough research has yet been conducted to establish conclusive results.

Intense Pulsed Light is essentially heat energy, and general industry consensus suggests that the effects of Intense Pulsed Light on sperm is no different to sitting in a hot bath, which decreases your sperm count for the short term.

That said however, this is merely an educated guess, not a stated fact.  The choice is yours alone, and we make no guarantee as to the long term effects of Intense Pulsed Light on sperm.

Andrew's rant on the subject
"In the absence of any formal research out there, I self-experimented in 2009.  I had arranged to have a vasectomy just before Christmas, so I saw this as the perfect opportunity.  Three months prior, I had a very high sperm count.  I fast tracked a series of 8 Brazilian treatments on myself on the highest setting on an air cooled machine, which pumps out the most power.  I spaced the treatments one week apart instead of the usual month apart.  Immediately following the last treatment, my living sperm count was around 70% of the prior test.  Two weeks later, it was 105% of the first test, which to me at least, indicated a temporary reduction in sperm count then an eventual return to normal.  As far as I am aware, this is the only sperm count testing ever performed for this purpose, and it represents only one person.  I should also point out that I have always had a very high sperm count (hence the wish for a vasectomy :).  It is not intended to convince you one way or the other, and as stated above, the decision to receive a Men's Brazilian treatment is yours alone and should not be taken lightly if you intend to have children one day."

I told my Reef Therapist to turn up the machine to maximum power and they refused.

That's because they're thoroughly trained in using our equipment and you're not.

It's very common in some Asian countries and even some clinics here in Australia to disregard safety protocols when it comes to skin types and filters.  We don't.

You cannot fight your biology, and we have zero tolerance for pushy clients who try to threaten, guilt, or bribe staff to break the safety protocols that we've established from the experience of over 100,000 treatments. 

I'm pregnant and my top lip is sprouting thick dark hair.  Can you help?

Unfortunately no - You'd be throwing your money away.  

Hair growth during pregnancy is hormonal, and no amount of treatments, whether through us or someone else, will make the least difference.  In the case of pregnant clients, we recommend waxing until the end of term.

Our policy in general is not to treat pregnant clients with pulsed light.  While there is no scientific evidence to suggest that pulsed light can harm an unborn child, we prefer not to take the risk, especially in view of the fact that a treatment would serve little purpose.

I've had a pilonidal sinus excised. Will IPL stop it coming back?

Pilonidal sinus is most prevalent in men and usually takes the form of massive localised swelling around the sacrum.  It is an extremely painful condition requiring surgery, and unfortunately, it often recurs.  After excision, the surgeon will usually recommend that hair from the area be removed to reduce the risk of another pilonidal sinus forming.

IPL will progressively reduce hair growth in the area and is generally regarded as the best method for achieving the desired result.  We do not recommend depilatory creams, waxing, plucking, sugaring, or electrolysis for combating pilonidal sinus. 

Can you wax my chest and IPL my stomach at the same appointment?

Yes, if you tell us when you book.  For various reasons, people often combine waxing with IPL and we've set up special rooms and procedures to accommodate this type of treatment.