A few months ago I started using Philips' Lumea IPL* to help combat hair regrowth on my legs. I've tried shaving and waxing, but let's face it any method of hair removal requires patience and time. And more often than not I leave myself with very little time in the morning to get ready, let alone shave. And my patience, well you'll have to ask Scott about that ;)

Aside from committing myself to trying a new device, I also have to believe in the potential positive results. Every two weeks (well, four in my case) I sit down on the couch and reach for my fully-charged Lumea. Before firing the device, be sure to hand your loved one sunglasses; we wouldn't want to blind them, do we now?

I bet you're wondering about the benefits, timeliness and ease of use. After shaving, but before moisturising is the best time to use the Lumea; it's important to note your moisturiser can act as a barrier and reduce the effectiveness of the device. And the manual, read it -- it's useful and addresses who can and can't use it; women or men with auto-immune diseases and skin sensitivities should give the Lumea a miss. Also take a look at the back of the box, there's a table which helps you asses your skin and hair type -- if you're a match, then live long and prosper! Erm, go for it!

Once you've gone through the important stuff and read the fine print, it's time to point and shoot. So where do we go from here?

Test an inconspicuous spot to see which level of light intensity you can handle; ranges from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest).
Shave desired areas you wish to treat.
Turn on your Lumea IPL and switch it to the appropriate level of intensity.
Press the head of the gun firmly onto skin until the "Ready" indicator turns green, shoot, slide device to a new area and repeat.
If you want to use the Lumea on your face or underarms, simply switch to the smaller interchangeable head.

The perks of using Philips' Lumea IPL:

I'm down to shaving my legs twice a week.
My hair has stopped growing in some spots on my legs and in other areas is coming in blonde/fine.
Fast and easy to use! I can finish one leg in about eight minutes.
It's cordless.

The cons:

It's expensive. The suggested retail price is $1,299.95 AUS!!
The manual can scare a user off from even attempting to try it.
It takes a while to notice the promised final results.

This particular hair removal process is a work in progress. I'll check back soon to give you my final thoughts and let you know where my leg hair stands (or falls).