When you get one of the devices the first thing you will notice is the laundry list of precautions and possible side effects. I read through these in great detail before ever using the device. It appeared that I was safe to use the device as none of the precaution list applied to myself.
I have fair skin and brown hair so an ideal candidate for IPL. According to the manual I was a skin type II and therefore the recommended setting for the device was a 4/5 (the two highest settings). I did a skin patch test for both settings and after 24 hours had no reaction. I proceeded the next day to treat both my entire legs and bikini area. I alternated between a 4 and 5 setting. All seemed to go well.
Fast forward 2 weeks later. Now according the the manual the recommended treatment schedule is
Recommended treatment schedule
Initial phase
For the first 4 to 5 treatments, we advise you to use Philips Lumea once
every two weeks to ensure that all hairs are treated.
Touch-up phase
After the initial treatment phase (4-5 treatments), we recommend touch-ups
every 4 to 8 weeks, when you see hairs growing back. This is to maintain
results and enjoy smooth skin for months. The time between treatments
may vary based on your individual hair regrowth and also across different
body areas.
so naturally I assumed it was safe to repeat the treatment after 2 weeks. Out of precaution I did another skin patch test on the 5 setting. After 24 hours there was no reaction. The next day I proceeded to treat both of my lower legs. I was in a rush and had decided to do the rest of my legs later the next week. I am grateful now I made that decision because what followed was pure agony.
The day of my treatment my legs where fine. The next day my legs where fine. However on the third day at about 9 o'clock in the evening I noticed my legs where feeling extremely itchy. The next day I awoke to this.
It was at this point I first contacted Philips Customer Service. I was hoping to be told this was a normal reaction and not to worry. Instead I was advised it was not normal and to please send the device to them for testing. I stupidly agreed to send them my device.
This was the beginning of what I believe to be a heartless cover up and lack of customer care/concern on the behalf of Philips. I of course at the time had no idea how bad the infection of my hair follicles would become. But here are some pictures of my legs from June to August 2016.
Philips response to me after "testing" my device was that there was nothing wrong with the device and that the injury was caused my using the device on "too high a setting". My problem with this response is that their own user manual suggests that for my skin type to use setting 4 or 5. The user manual also states "After the skin test, wait 24 hours and check your skin for any reaction. If
your skin shows reactions, choose the highest setting that did not result
in any skin reaction for subsequent use." So one would preclude from reading this that it was safe to proceed after the 24 hours patch test if there was no reaction. So how then can the user be at fault if the setting turns out to be too high, surely this is a fault with the instructions given?
After arguing this matter with Philips they proceeded to infuriate me further by suggesting that the skin reaction had "nothing to do with the Lumea". Can I just point out the below photos? I had shared these with Philips as well. You can clearly see the shape of the Lumea window on my skin and in the pattern of the infection. Whats more, the only area of my body affected by this skin infection was the area where I used the Lumea. But rather than say sorry, they say "I can't prove it".
January 2017
IF YOU DECIDE TO PLEASE DO SO WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION AND DON'T TRUST THE INSTRUCTIONS! PHILIPS ABSOLUTELY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO BUY AND USE THIS PRODUCT. YOU ARE JUST A STATISTIC TO THEM. AND IF YOU END UP WITH AN INJURY DO NOT SEND THE DEVICE TO THEM FOR TESTING. GET IT TESTED YOURSELF. YOU CAN NOT TRUST THEM!
