Remington Brings IPL Hair Remover To US

Spectrum Brands’ Remington unit is rolling out i-Light Pro, an FDA-cleared light-based hair removal system, to the US market.

Employing exclusive ProPulse Technology to harness the power of intense pulsed light (IPL), i-Light Pro is said to deliver long-lasting results similar to laser hair removal or IPL in-office treatments, the company said.

The first-generation Remington IPL system already has sold more than 100,000 units worldwide and became the number-one selling home IPL device in continental Europe following its launch in early 2010, according to GfK Panelmarket data cited by Remington.

For the unit, Remington has partnered with Shaser BioScience, Inc., a leader in developing FDA-cleared, energy-based aesthetic dermatology devices for home use.

Exclusive to i-LightPro, the proprietary ProPulse Technology works similar to laser hair removal devices by disabling growth of the hair follicle with a laser-like flash of light that targets only the unwanted hair, while helping to keep surrounding skin cool and protected for optimal comfort. The device offers a two-second flash rate, the fastest of any FDA-cleared IPL on the market, enabling treatment of an entire area in just minutes without any down time for re-charging, according to Remington.

“Only ProPulse closely matches the key light output characteristics of the best clinical hair removal devices by delivering long 110 millisecond pulses at wavelengths above 650 nanometers,” said Dr. Jeffrey Dover, a board certified dermatologist and co-founder and medical director at Shaser BioScience. “

The global retail hair removal market is estimated at approximately $16.5 billion annually, including blades, razors and other depilatories used in homes. As recently as 2009 in the U.S. alone, professional laser hair removal/IPL were the second most popular procedure with more than 1.3 million annually, as these procedures could offer longer-term and even permanent reduction in hair re-growth, said Remington.

“We’re excited the FDA has cleared the device for over-the-counter sale in the U.S. and, since ‘longer-lasting results’ is the number-one unmet consumer need in this category, Remington is pleased to add this next-generation system to our growing product portfolio,” said Dave Lumley, CEO of Spectrum Brands Holdings.

Remington plans to launch i-Light Pro in Brazil and several other Latin American countries.