Definition
Intense pulsed light, a registered trademark, describes the use of intense pulses of non-coherent light distributed over a range of wavelengths from 500 nm to 1200 nm, for removal of hair and other purposes. A related but distinct technique is laser hair removal; the primary difference is that laser treatment uses laser-generated coherent and monochromatic light.
Regulations governing IPL and laser hair removal vary by jurisdiction.
The two techniques are often confused. One cause of confusion is the range of names used for intense pulsed light treatments, as intense pulsed light is a registered trademark, which was strongly policed during the early days of the technology, hence the introduction of new names and trademarks for similar or identical treatments.. IPL and equivalent treatments are referred to as VPL, SPL, SPFT, SPTF, SIPL, PTF, CPL, AFT, E-Light, ELOS, M-Light, and other names.
A distinction is sometimes made between beauty-grade and medical-grade machines. Beauty-grade IPL is generally defined as having a maximum pulse energy of 50 joules, while medical-grade uses higher energies.
Read more about this topic: Intense Pulsed Light
Famous quotes containing the word definition:
“... we all know the wag’s definition of a philanthropist: a man whose charity increases directly as the square of the distance.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)
“Although there is no universal agreement as to a definition of life, its biological manifestations are generally considered to be organization, metabolism, growth, irritability, adaptation, and reproduction.”
—The Columbia Encyclopedia, Fifth Edition, the first sentence of the article on “life” (based on wording in the First Edition, 1935)
“It is very hard to give a just definition of love. The most we can say of it is this: that in the soul, it is a desire to rule; in the spirit, it is a sympathy; and in the body, it is but a hidden and subtle desire to possess—after many mysteries—what one loves.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)