Why One Lamp is Smarter Than Two: The Truth About IPL Hair Removal Devices

Why One Lamp is Better Than Two: The Truth About IPL Hair Removal Devices

If you’ve been researching at-home IPL (intense pulsed light) hair removal devices, chances are you’ve come across some flashy claims about “dual-lamp” technology. Sounds high-tech, right? Twice the lamps must mean twice the power – right? 

Not quite.

We’re here to clear things up. Because when it comes to getting real, long-lasting hair removal results at home, it’s not about how many lamps your device has – it’s about how well it works. Let’s break it down.

First things first: What actually matters in IPL?

You don’t need a degree in physics to understand this - promise. Here’s the simple version:

IPL devices work by sending light into your skin to target the hair follicle. That light turns into heat, which disrupts the hair’s ability to grow back.

For that to work properly, three things have to line up:

• Energy (fluence): How powerful the light is
• Wavelength: The type of light used to reach the right layer of skin
• Pulse duration: How long that energy hits the follicle 

If those are well-balanced, the hair stops growing. If they’re not, nothing happens - or worse, you get patchy results or skin irritation.

The dual-lamp myth

Some brands say that having two lamps makes the treatment faster or more powerful. But here’s what they don’t tell you:

• More lamps don’t mean more energy. Most dual-lamp devices actually split the power between two bulbs, which weakens the results.
• Extra lamps don’t fix coverage. If the light isn’t concentrated enough, it can miss spots or treat them unevenly.
• Two lamps = more heat. That can lead to discomfort, redness, or even burns if not properly cooled.

In short? Dual-lamp setups often add complexity without improving the results.

Why SmoothSkin Pure Switch only needs one lamp

We are the originators of IPL technology. Our founder brought the first one to market in 2009, after developing the technology for salon and medical use for decades. 

We have a dedicated R&D team with combined 40 years of expertise who’ve spent their time perfecting the best performing IPL products. Balancing speed and power to deliver the most effective devices. 

Stuart, Director of Development at SmoothSkin says “the greater impact you do with a single flash, the fewer times you need to do it”

What does this mean?

A single, well-engineered lamp does a better job. 

Dual-lamp IPL devices rely on cumulative impact, e.g. it takes 4 x flashes to deliver the same combined energy of 1, effective flash.

Okay, what does this mean?

In simple terms, to achieve the same energy (needed for results), it takes 4 pulses with a Dual-Lamp IPL to achieve the same energy as it does with 1 flash with SmoothSkin Pure Switch. 

SmoothSkin Pure Switch is more powerful per single flash than the leading competitor. 

This means fewer treatments are needed = less effort and time

Ultimately, it comes down to how long a treatment takes, and how often you have to do it, right? 

SmoothSkin Pure Switch is our most effective IPL, clinically proven to deliver up to 93% hair reduction in 2 treatments, and 1 year of smoother skin. Here’s how our regime compares to the leading competitor. 

Treatments per week

• SmoothSkin – 1
• Leading competitor – 3-4

Flashes per treatment area

• SmoothSkin – 1
• Leading competitor – up to 4 (depdending on mode)

How many uses to see results

• SmoothSkin – 2
• Leading competitor – 6-8

Max energy per flash

• SS – 6 J/CM²
• Leading competitor – 3.1/CM²

So, why the gimmicks?

It’s simple: Dual-lamp marketing sounds impressive. But when you look at the science, it doesn’t hold up. You don’t need more lamps, you need the right energy, delivered the right way.

SmoothSkin Pure Switch is built for people who want:

• Real results without the marketing noise
• Science-backed performance they can trust
• Comfort and safety at home 

If that’s you, welcome. You’ve just found your match.

Ready to make the Switch?

Say goodbye to over-complicated devices and underwhelming results. With SmoothSkin Pure Switch, you’re choosing proven performance, not promises.

Because one powerful lamp, built by the experts, really is all you need.