IPL and DPL Machines

A laser emits one wavelength. An IPL handle fires a xenon flash lamp that emits a broad spectrum, roughly 400 to 1,200 nm, and a filter in front of the lamp blocks the wavelengths below a cutoff so the pulse that reaches the skin starts at, say, 560 nm or 640 nm. That is why one IPL console can treat several targets: a lower cutoff for vascular redness, a mid cutoff for pigmentation, and a higher cutoff for hair, where melanin in the follicle absorbs the longer wavelengths.

DPL narrows the band further. Instead of a single cutoff filter passing everything above it, a DPL filter passes a defined window, which concentrates the energy where the target absorbs it and reduces the energy wasted on the rest of the spectrum. The DR10 and DRT10 use gemstone crystal filters, six on the DRT10, each matched to a treatment: hair, pigmentation, redness, and a near infrared window used for photobiomodulation sessions.

Pulsed light vs laser

• Energy density. A laser concentrates all its output at one wavelength; pulsed light spreads it across a band. For hair removal a diode or alexandrite laser is faster and works on a wider range of hair and skin types. See Diode Laser Machines.
• Versatility. Pulsed light treats hair, pigment and redness from one handle by changing the filter; a laser needs a different source for each.
• Skin types. Broadband light is absorbed by epidermal melanin as well as the target, so IPL and DPL are used on lighter skin types and with caution on tanned or darker skin. Contact cooling on both systems protects the surface.

• [Winkonlaser NIR DPL DR10](/products/winkonlaser-nir-dpl-dr10-laser-hair-removal-machine), $4,500: DPL and NIR pulsed light console with UK xenon lamps, gemstone crystal filters, a single handle with contact cooling, listed for hair, melasma and redness treatments.
• [Winkonlaser DRT10 DPL NIR](/products/winkonlaser-drt10-dpl-nir-laser-hair-removal-machine), $4,100: the portable version with six gemstone crystal filters, a single handle with contact cooling, listed for hair, pigmentation, redness and NIR photobiomodulation.

Filter wavelength bands, energy per pulse and spot size for both models are being confirmed with Winkonlaser (see our running supplier list) and will be added to the compare table. Both product listings carry "laser hair removal" in the title because that is how buyers search; the technology is pulsed light, not laser, and we describe it that way.

• One console for a skin menu (hair plus pigmentation plus redness): a DPL system. The DR10 for a fixed treatment room, the DRT10 where the console needs to move between rooms or locations.
• Hair removal as the main service: a diode laser instead. The DK50 starts at $3,100 and the quad-wavelength AresLite and AresMix systems cover more skin types faster; see Laser Hair Removal Machines.
• Pigment and vascular work beyond what pulsed light handles: a picosecond or Nd:YAG laser; see Picosecond Laser Machines and Nd:YAG Laser Machines.

Specs to compare

• Filters. How many bands ship with the console and what each is for; six on the DRT10.
• Lamp. Xenon lamp quality and rated shot life decide the cost per session; the DR10 lists UK xenon lamps.
• Cooling. Contact cooling at the handle tip is standard on both and is what makes higher fluence tolerable.
• Spot size and repetition rate. Larger spots and faster firing shorten full-leg and back sessions.
• Portability. The DRT10 is the mobile unit; the DR10 is the room console.

Consumer IPL devices

Handheld IPL devices sold for home use run the same principle at a small fraction of the energy, with fixed filters and tiny spots. They are not comparable with a professional console in speed, range or results, which is why we do not list them here.

Pulsed light hair removal reduces hair over a course of sessions, commonly 6 to 10 spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, with maintenance afterward; it is slower than a laser and less effective on fine or light hair. Pigmentation and redness treatments show changes over 3 to 5 sessions. No pulsed light system removes every hair or clears every lesion permanently.

Because broadband light is absorbed by epidermal melanin, IPL and DPL carry a burn and pigment-change risk on tanned and darker skin, and treatment of Fitzpatrick V and VI is generally avoided. Other contraindications: photosensitizing medication, recent sun exposure or self-tanner, pregnancy, active infection at the site, and a history of keloid scarring. Protective eyewear for operator and client is mandatory. Several states regulate pulsed light hair removal like laser hair removal; check your state board. Regulatory status belongs to a specific model and intended use; ask us for the documentation before advertising a claim.

Buying from us

Free shipping to domestic USA addresses in the lower 48, including freight consoles; Alaska, Hawaii and international by quote. Winkonlaser systems carry a 3-year manufacturer warranty and Shape Tactics systems 2 years, handled through us as your US point of contact. We send the manufacturer's spec sheet, handle list and consumable pricing for any model before you order, and quote multi-unit pricing for clinics and groups.

Trademarks

Lumenis is a trademark of Lumenis Ltd. and BBL is a trademark of Sciton; Longevity Based is not affiliated with either. The DR10 and DRT10 are sold under their own model names with their own specifications, warranties and documentation.