IPL & SPTF HAIR REMOVAL	BRISBANE - GOLD COAST - ROCKHAMPTON

DISCLAIMER

This page contains nude virtual images to assist in identifying specific areas for IPL and SPTF Hair Removal treatments.  It is YOUR choice if you continue.

We're independent so we are able to use whatever brand machines and technology we like.  And we have.  We've tried a lot over the last 10 years including E-lights, laser, and RF enhanced machines.  Always, we keep coming back to pulsed light.

We've also learned that different people want different things from their treatment.  For that reason, we offer 2 types of intense pulsed light hair removal:

- IPL or Intense Pulsed Light (only at Clayfield, Mt Gravatt & Rocky),
- SPTF or Super Photo Therapy Flash (All studios). 

IPL is commonly used in your everyday hair removal centres and beauty salons.  IPL is cheaper than SPTF, session times are faster, and water cooled heads numb the skin, making treatments virtually painless. 

SPTF (formerly called SIPL) is less commonly available from beauty salons etc as the machines are air-cooled and require special training, and the treatments take about 40% longer to perform.  The technology combines IPL with advanced filters and very high energy output.  We do more SPTF treatments than IPL because it is generally more effective on resilient hair, which is why we offer SPTF it at all our studios. 

So, that's the basics.  Below you'll find our prices for SPTF and IPL Hair Removal, and further down the page, the largest Question & Answers section in the country.

We believe strongly in client education as there's a lot of conflicting information on the web, and we encourage you to browse the Q&A so you can see what other people commonly ask about our treatments.

Please don't hesitate to call us if you have any questions or to make a booking, or you can use the handy online booking form in the links up top.

PRICES | QUESTIONS

IPL & SPTF Hair Removal Prices:

* TGA LISTED EQUIPMENT - FULLY TRAINED THERAPISTS
* HIGH ENERGY OUTPUT MACHINES - UP TO 5 TIMES STRONGER THAN ELSEWHERE
* PRICES ARE WHAT YOU ACTUALLY PAY - not "starting from"
* FREE PRE-TREATMENT CONSULTATION IF NEEDED - up to $60 elsewhere
* PRICES INCLUDE GST and are the same for men and women
* CREDIT CARDS WELCOME - Visa, Master Card, EFTPOS, Amex - No add-on charges
* PRICE FREEZE GUARANTEE - we'll honour the first price you paid for 6 months
* SIXTH TREATMENT FREE - No prepayments - No conditions - No commitments
* NO CONTRACTS - We don't need to trap you - The results will bring you back

FACE Pulsed Light Hair Removal	IPL	SPTF
Lip	not offered	$59
Chin	not offered	$59
Neck	$95	$159
Cheeks	not offered	$99
Full Face	$95	$169
Face + Neck		$329
Men's Face & Beard	$199

ARMS Pulsed Light Hair Removal	IPL	SPTF
Under Arms (pair)	not offered	$79
Upper Arms (not deltoids)	not offered	$169
Upper Arms + Deltoids Combo	not offered	$329
Forearms (optional hands)		$289
Full Arms (not under arms)	$349
Hands	not offered	$99

LEGS Pulsed Light Hair Removal	IPL	SPTF
Feet + Toes	not offered	$189
Lower Legs (incl feet + toes)		$499
Lower Legs, Brazilian & Underarms Combo	$599
Upper Legs (not bikini)	$499	$629
Full Legs	$699	$919
Full Legs & Bikini		$1059
Full Legs, Bikini, & Brazilian Combo	$879	$1217

TORSO Pulsed Light Hair Removal	IPL	SPTF
Nape	not offered	$89
Deltoids	not offered	$169
Top of Shoulders (includes Nape)	$129	$179
Top of Shoulders + Deltoids Combo		$229
Nipples (pair)	not offered	$79
Snail Trail	not offered	$109
Chest	$199
Stomach	$199	$299
Full Chest + Stomach Combo
Welcome Mat	$99	$159
Full Bum (Cheeks + Bum Crack)	$249	$369
Full Bum + Welcome Mat		$479
Bum Crack	$120	$199
Perineum	not offered	$59
Lower Back	$199
Upper Back (not shoulders & deltoids)	$299	$399
Full Back (not shoulders & deltoids)	$459	$599
Full Back, Shoulders + Deltoids Combo
Full Back, Sh, Delts, Chest, Stom Combo	$899

BIKINI Pulsed Light Hair Removal	IPL	SPTF
Basic Bikini	$99
G-String Bikini	$119	$139
Inner Thigh Fuzz	$149	$199
Bikini + Thigh Fuzz	$199	$269
Brazilian (any treatment of labia, penis, or scrotum area) - includes perineum	$119
Brazilian + Underarms	$169
Brazilian + Snail Trail	$199
Men's Brazilian + Crack	$199
Brazilian + Full Bum Combo	$399	$529
Lower Legs, Brazilian & Underarms Combo	$599
For detailed Brazilian styles, take this link to our Brazilian Waxing section

SPTF & IPL Hair Removal Questions & Answers:

Welcome to the most comprehensive FAQ section on Permanent Hair Reduction in Australia.  If there is anything that we haven't covered below, please feel free to contact us.

Please note, to save longwinded explanations and duplication of info, questions about IPL below also apply to SPTF unless it specifially says otherwise.

Is Intense Pulsed Light a permanent solution?

In real terms, you could expect as a minimum result, a vast reduction in visible dark hairs.  The end result depends on your suitability to treatment, how many treatments you opt to have, and how regularly you space your treatments. 

A side benefit of IPL is that the technology uses specific wavelengths of light that stimulates cell renewal, increasing collagen production and elasticity of skin.

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

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.

If you have pale hair, we recommend Active Enzyme Hair Removal, a protein denaturing treatment used in conjunction with waxing.

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

We still do SIPL but we refer to it by its precise name now, SPTF.  SIPL has become a blanket term like IPL and everyone seems to use the terms regardless of their equipment.  We've made the change to distinguish ourselves from people using lesser equipment.

Is your equipment listed on the Australian Therapeutic Goods Register?

Yes it is.  We use several brands of machine and all are listed on the TGA register.

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. Ours IPL machines pump out 50J, our SPTF has 65J.

Cheap machines will however strip the melanine out of your hair and once it's gone, you can't get it back.  This means that for the rest of your life, you will never be able to receive a real pulsed light treatment.  So, back to waxing it is.

Is Reef Beauty accredited by Queensland Health for pulsed light treatments?

Queensland Health only issue accreditation for laser, not pulsed light, as laser equipment emits radiation.  We don't use laser equipment.

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

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

All the above terms are similar in that they are based on IPL or Intense Pulsed Light, some with a few tweaks and twiddles.  At the end of the day, it comes down to power output, filters, and skin types.  Remember too that a machine is only as good as the person using it.

We use several brands of IPL machines, plus an advanced variation on IPL called SPTF.  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.


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.

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 SPTF machines are air-cooled. 

With SPTF, 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 SPTF 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 anagen phase of hair growth, and hairs in this early stage of growth are most susceptible to treatment. 

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.  For that reason, you will find that top up treatments from time to time are beneficial.

How painful is Intense Pulsed Light hair removal?

It's not painful.  Clients often say that it's like being flicked with a rubber band.

Does Pulsed Light hair removal work on everyone?

No.  Around 1 in 50 people treated will see little or no effect.  Scientists generally concede that they only know about 2% 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.  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, has no idea of the technology they are using.

Why do I need a preliminary consultation?

Most people don't.  Unless your skin type is Type 5 or 6 - Dark Indian, African, 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 - Aboriginal or African, we may recommend that you try a course of AE 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, Hair Removal creams & sprays, and the use of products containing Retinol, Mitomycin, 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.

How many treatments will I need?

This varies, dependent on your genetic makeup and other factors.  

We usually recommend 5 treatments to start with, followed by a free sixth treatment, as many people are happy with the result at that point. 

That said however, everyone is different.  Pubic and facial hair is more resilient than body hair, and may require 10 or more treatments.

How long should I leave between treatments?

For most body parts, four to five weeks is optimum.

For the face and bikini, we recommend two weeks initially, then spacing out to four weeks as the hair begins to thin.

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.

*UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES USE HAIR REMOVAL CREAMS OR SPRAYS* 

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?

If you specifically want a same-sex Therapist, please tell us when you book and we'll do our best to accommodate you.  We also understand that a lot of female clients prefer a male therapist.

As a general guide to who's on where and when:

In our Brisbane studios, most of our Therapists are female but Steven and Andrew also float between the stores, predominantly in the evenings and on weekends.

Andrew also services Gold Coast on Mondays and every second Saturday.

In Central Queensland, we don't have a female therapist.  Andrew performs all treatments at the Rockhampton store. 

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. 

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 above the sacrum.  It is an extremely painful condition requiring surgery, and unfortunately, it often recurs.  After excision, doctors 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 SIPL and we've set up special rooms and procedures to accommodate this type of treatment.