Remington iLIGHT Pro vs iLIGHT Pro Plus Quartz vs iLIGHT Ultra Face & Body – What’s the Difference?

"What are the differences between the Remington IPL devices that make the difference in price?" - a frequently asked question.

Here we hope to answer this by taking an in-depth look at both the similarities and the differences between the iLIGHT Pro, the iLIGHT Pro Plus Quartz and the iLIGHT Ultra Face and Body models.

First Impressions

Remington iLIGHT Pro

iLIGHT Pro

Remington iLIGHT Pro Plus Quartz

iLIGHT Pro Plus Quartz

Remington iLIGHT Ultra Face & Body

iLIGHT Ultra Face & Body

iLIGHT Pro

iLIGHT Pro

Plus Quartz

iLIGHT Ultra

Face and Body

IPL Technology

Yes

Yes

Yes

FDA Clearance

Male/Female Body (below neck)

Male/Female Body (below neck)

Male/Female Body (below neck)

Female Face

Permanent Hair Reduction

Yes

Yes

Yes

Spot Size

2 sq cm

2 sq cm

3 sq cm body cap

2 sq cm facial cap

Flashes per bulb

1,500

30,000

65,000

Lamp

Glass

Quartz

Quartz

Safety  Features

Tone & Contact Sensors

Tone & Contact Sensors

Tone & Contact Sensors

Cost

$

$$

$$$

At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking that these are all just different coloured versions of exactly the same product.

The base and body are the same, with all the same obvious features and displays.​

​However, with price tags ranging from $200 - $450, there clearly has to be something to justify this variance.

We started by looking at the features shared by each device, and then where they differ, together with the relative benefits of the changes.

The Technology

The technology is exactly the same for all 3 models and uses light-based IPL (intense pulsed light).

iLight Ultra rays

Penetrates into the skin to disrupt hair growth at the root

The way it works is by using ​full spectrum light and low-range infrared radiation, which is filtered to allow a specific range of wavelengths (600 - 1200nm for Ultra model and 650 - 1200nm for the other two).

The light energy targets the dark pigment, known as melanin, which is found in hair and the skin, and in quantity at the base of the hair follicle.

This produces heat, which damages the hair follicle at the root and causes the hair to fall out after a week or two.  

The aim is to damage the follicle sufficiently that the hair will not regrow.

As melanin is more prevalent in darker skin tones, it is for this reason that IPL is not suitable, as the skin will absorb more of the light energy, causing burns.

In terms of energy levels, there is no difference between the 3 models, which all operate at a fluence of 8J/cm sq (+/- 20%).

Safety​

FDA Clearance

The FDA (The US Food and Drug Administration) is responsible for the protection of public health.

The FDA ensures that devices for use at home are less powerful than those used by properly trained professionals, and that certain built-in safety features are included before they approve them.

The fact that all 3 devices have been cleared by the FDA for sale to the general public, for use at home, means that you can be sure that rigorous testing has taken place to ensure that they are safe and fit for purpose.

Skin Tone Sensors​

Remington iLIGHT skin tone sensors

All of the models have a skin tone sensor which needs to be used prior to each use.

This is to ensure that the skin tone of the area you wish to treat is suitable for IPL.

​If the skin tone is too dark, a warning will sound and the device will not operate.

It is an important feature, as using IPL on darker skin tones can cause the light pulses to target the skin as well the melanin, leading to nasty burns and blistering.

Skin Contact Sensors​

Similarly, skin contact sensors are located at the treatment window of all three.

These sensors ensure that the device is completely flush and in contact with the skin before the light pulse is emitted.

iLIGHT Ultra skin contact sensor

This ​guards against accidental flashing of the device or too much light leaking around the edges, which could cause permanent, serious eye damage.

Who can Use Them?

Again, they are all the same in that they are suitable for both males and females with skin tones of I - IV on the Fitzpatrick scale, and dark hair.

The Fitzpatrick scale (shown below) is a universally recognised blueprint for numerically classifying human skin colour:

Skin Type

Skin Colour

Hair Color (darkest)

Eye Colour

Description

1

White or very pale

Blonde

Blue, grey, green

Always burns, never tans

2

Pale white with beige tint

Chestnut or dark blond

Blue

Always burns, sometimes tans

3

Beige to light brown (olive)

Dark brown

Dark brown

Sometimes burns, always tans

4

Light to moderate brown

Black

Brown

Rarely Burns, always tans

5

Medium to Dark Brown

Black

Brownish black

Rarely burns, tans more than average

6

Dark brown to black

Black

Black

Never burns

Alternatively, you can check your skin tone against the chart below to determine whether or not IPL is suitable for you.

iLIGHT Skin tone chart

IPL works best for those with light skin and dark hair, as the greater the contrast between skin and hair colour, the easier it is for the light pulses to target the dark pigment.

This technology does not work on grey and white hair and will be less effective, and probably disappointing, on light blonde or red hair.

Where can They be Used?

There is a difference here between the iLIGHT Ultra Face and Body and the other two models.

The iLIGHT Pro and Pro Plus Quartz can be used on the male and female body below the neck, so for legs, bikini-line, arms, underarms, back and chest​.

In addition to these, the iLIGHT Ultra face and body has a newly developed facial treatment cap​ for use on female facial hair.

Naked male and female facing away from camera

The cap is interchangeable with the body cap for this model, and specifically designed for purpose.​

iLIGHT Ultra Facial treatment areas

Facial treatment areas for the iLIGHT Ultra

Unfortunately, the dense and difficult to treat nature of male facial hair means that it cannot be used on the male face.​

​I should also point out that it cannot be used anywhere near the eyes, so not for eyebrows, eyelashes etc.

However, if you are female and would like a device to tackle both body and facial hair then, of the three, this is the one for you.

Lamp Cartridges

Here we have an obvious difference between all three of the models.

The 1,500 flashes from the glass-bulbed iLIGHT Pro (IPL6000 model) more or less guarantees that you will need to replace the bulb cartridge fairly regularly, given that you need to carry out multiple treatments over a lengthy period of time to achieve permanent reduction in hair growth.

​As a guide, one cartridge will give approximately 2 - 3 full body treatments of underarms, lower legs and bikini line (even less for larger areas such as chest). Replacements are currently available for around $20.

iLIGHT Pro Plus Quartz replacement cartridge

iLIGHT Pro Plus Quartz Cartridge

It is easy, therefore to immediately see one advantage that the longer-lasting quartz bulb devices offer, with a hefty 30,000 flashes (sufficient for around 50 of the described treatments) for the Pro Plus Quartz and more than double that at 65,000, for the Ultra Face and Body model.

Treatment Area (Spot Size)

Beyond this, the iLIGHT Ultra also has a larger treatment area for the body, speeding up the treatment time, particularly for larger areas.

iLIGHT Ultra spot

The Pro and Plus Quartz models have a 2 cm sq treatment window, whereas the Ultra has a 3 cm sq window body cap (with 2 cm sq facial cap).

All three models have a glide function, so that you can keep the flash button depressed whilst gliding to the next treatment spot, which also reduces treatment time.

Results

In terms of efficacy, there is no reason to believe that any one of the three devices performs better than the others.

They operate at the same energy levels, using the same IPL technology.

All three can lead to permanent hair reduction if used according to manufacturers' guidelines, over time.

What is meant by permanent hair reduction

Permanent hair reduction is defined as: "the long-term stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing when measured at 6, 9 and 12 months after the completion of a treatment regimen".

It is important to understand that it will take several treatments, over time, to achieve good results.

This is because IPL is only effective on hairs that are in the actively growing stage. There are three stages of hair growth, and the hairs all over your body are in different stages at any one time.​

If you would like to know more, see our article ​The Life Cycle of Hair and Electrolysis/Laser Hair Removal

Price​

In terms of cost, you can pick up the iLIGHT Pro for around $200, the Pro Plus Quartz for $400 and the Ultra for $450.

Looking at the difference in cost between the three Remington IPL devices featured, then I would say that, for light usage the Remington iLIGHT Pro will probably give you the results you are looking for at a good price.

You will need to replace the light cartridges for sure, but at around $20 a piece, you can buy quite a few with the money saved between that and the iLIGHT plus Quartz.

However, if the choice is between the Plus and Ultra model, I would say that the $50 or so additional cost is well worth it for the additional flashes and flexibility of use, especially considering that the cost of a replacement cartridge for the Plus model is around $100 in itself.

Summary​

The table below summarises and compares key features of each model:

iLIGHT Pro

iLIGHT Pro

Plus Quartz

iLIGHT Ultra

Face and Body

IPL Technology

Yes

Yes

Yes

FDA Clearance

Male/Female Body (below neck)

Male/Female Body (below neck)

Male/Female Body (below neck)

Female Face

Permanent Hair Reduction

Yes

Yes

Yes

Spot Size

2 sq cm

2 sq cm

3 sq cm body cap

2 sq cm facial cap

Flashes per bulb

1,500

30,000

65,000

Lamp

Glass

Quartz

Quartz

Safety  Features

Tone & Contact Sensors

Tone & Contact Sensors

Tone & Contact Sensors

Cost

$

$$

$$$

Conclusion​

They all have similar safety features, are FDA cleared, offer 5 energy levels and the glide function for speedier treatments.

I will leave you to decide whether you feel the difference in specs merits the relative difference in cost - I guess it really depends what you want it for and how often you will use it.

Of course, if you wish to purchase a device that works for both body and facial hair, the Ultra is the one for you.

I just hope that this article has helped you with your choice.​

Sue
 

For the past 12 months, I have been testing and playing with all sorts of hair removal products for Hair Free Life. My goal is to provide the most accurate and up-to-date hair removal consumer information on the internet. When I'm not photographing, reviewing and researching hair removal products I play the drums in a samba band and am a volunteer for the Swindon Lions! Got any questions? Write to us below:

>