Technology
How an IPL xenon flash lamp works
A short guide to the lamp inside an IPL handpiece, and to the choices you make when you replace it.
A glass tube, two electrodes, and a flash
The tube is filled with xenon. A high-voltage pulse between the electrodes ionises the gas, and the arc between the electrode tips releases a brief, intense flash. The distance between the tips is the arc length.
Choices when you replace a lamp
Questions
What is an IPL xenon flash lamp?
A sealed quartz tube filled with xenon gas. A high-voltage pulse across its two electrodes makes the gas emit an intense flash of broadband light. The flash is the light source of IPL handpieces.
Why do lamps wear out?
Each flash wears the electrodes and clouds the quartz a little, so output falls over time. The expected life is counted in shots. Two models here are listed at 150,000–200,000 shots.
German quartz or Chinese quartz?
Both are offered in the same sizes. German quartz versions are priced higher than the Chinese quartz versions. See the quartz page for the models.
Can I use a lamp of a different size?
Not safely. Outer diameter, arc length and overall length all have to fit the handpiece. Send photos with a caliper and we will match it.