How Often Should You IPL Your Underarms? A Simple Schedule That Gets Results

If you’re using IPL on underarms at home, two worries show up fast: “Am I doing this too often?” and “Why aren’t my armpits smooth yet?” Underarm hair is usually thicker, the skin is sensitive, and deodorant adds one more thing to think about. Here’s the good news: you don’t need daily zapping to get results. You need a consistent plan, because IPL works best when it catches hairs in the right growth stage. With most at-home devices, you’ll notice early changes in a few weeks, and a much bigger change around 6 to 12 weeks. This guide lays out a starter phase plus maintenance, along with quick safety guardrails (shave first, don’t overuse, and go easy on deodorant and heat for 24 to 48 hours). The simple underarm IPL schedule that works for most people Underarms respond well to IPL when you treat them like a routine, not a sprint. Think of hair growth like a neighborhood of porch lights that turn on and off at different times. Each session “catches” the hairs that are active right now, and the next session catches the next group. Before you pick a schedule, do three basics: Start with clean, dry skin (no lotion, no deodorant). Shave (do not wax or pluck). Patch test a small spot if you’re new or increasing intensity. If you want a quick refresher on the mechanism (and why timing matters), read how IPL removes underarm hair. Starter phase: how many times per week, and for how many weeks? For underarms, most people do best with one of these starter plans: Plan A (steady and gentle): 1 time per week for about 10 to 12 weeks. This is the easiest schedule to stick with, and it’s friendlier for sensitive underarm skin. Plan B (faster start if your device allows it): 2 times per week for about 6 to 8 weeks. Choose this only if your device instructions support it and your skin stays calm (no lingering redness, no stinging with water, no peeling). Why underarms often need the full starter phase: Underarm hair is often coarser, so it can take more consistent sessions to see a big drop. The area is small, so it’s tempting to “do extra,” which raises irritation risk without faster results. Sweat and friction can make the skin reactive, even when the flashes feel fine. A simple rule that prevents overthinking: pick one starter plan and stay consistent. Skipping around (three sessions one week, none the next) is a common reason progress feels slow. Also, always follow your device guide first. Brands test schedules for both results and skin comfort, and some devices are designed for more frequent early use than others. Maintenance phase: how often to touch up once you see a big reduction Once you’ve reached a point where you’re shaving less and regrowth looks patchy or softer, switch to maintenance. For most people, maintenance underarm IPL looks like: Once every 4 to 8 weeks for the first few months after the starter phase Then every 1 to 2 months, based on what you see Some people only need occasional touch-ups long term. Underarms, though, can need them a bit more often than legs because the hair can be stubborn and the area is influenced by hormones. It also helps to set expectations: IPL is known for long-term reduction, but it’s not always fully permanent. New hairs can enter the growth cycle later, and hormonal changes (puberty, pregnancy, PCOS, perimenopause) can wake up follicles that were quiet before. If you ever feel tempted to treat every other day to “finish faster,” use this as your guardrail: risks of overusing IPL on underarm hair. How soon you will notice results on armpits (and what’s normal) Underarm IPL is usually a “small area, big payoff” situation, but it’s still gradual. Results come in layers: slower growth first, then patchiness, then longer stretches of smoothness. A realistic timeline: early changes in weeks, bigger changes by 6 to 12 weeks With consistent weekly treatments, many people notice: Weeks 2 to 3: hair feels softer, growth looks slower, and you may shave less often Weeks 6 to 12: a more obvious reduction, with thinner regrowth and bare patches that last longer One confusing thing is “shedding.” About 7 to 10 days after a session, some hairs can look like they’re growing. Often, they’re actually loosening and working their way out of the follicle. Two practical tips that keep you sane: Track sessions in your phone calendar. Take one quick photo every two weeks in the same lighting. Why you cannot speed it up by flashing more often IPL mainly affects hairs in the active growth phase, and not all underarm hairs are in that phase at the same time. Flashing more often doesn’t instantly catch hairs that are still “resting.” It mostly increases the chance of irritation. If results feel slower than expected, common reasons include: Very light hair (less pigment for IPL to target) Very dark skin (device limits for safety) Hormonal shifts Inconsistent schedule (the biggest one) If you’re comparing to in-clinic laser hair removal, the timeline is different. Many clinics recommend about 6 to 8 laser sessions for underarms, spaced several weeks apart, then maintenance as needed. Laser can be long lasting, but it’s not guaranteed “forever” for everyone, especially if hormones change. Underarm IPL safety: avoiding irritation, deodorant timing, showering, and shaving Underarms are a high-friction zone. Skin rubs, sweat builds, and deodorant ingredients sit on the surface. That doesn’t mean you can’t IPL here, it just means aftercare matters as much as the flashes. A quick trust note: Ulike has focused on optical skincare tech since 2013, with a large in-house R&D team and a deep patent portfolio. The brand also cites independent market research (Frost and Sullivan, survey completed Oct 2024) that ranked Ulike No. 1 globally in IPL device sales volume for 2023. None of that replaces safe use, but it explains why the schedule and safety rules are taken seriously. Can you overuse IPL or damage skin if you do it too often? Yes. Overuse can irritate underarm skin and, in worse cases, lead to burns or post-inflammatory dark marks. Use this simple safety rule: Don’t treat more often than the recommended schedule. Pause if skin is red, sore, or peeling. Lower intensity if you feel lingering heat or tenderness. Also be extra careful if you: shaved very recently and feel razor sting tanned recently (including self-tanner that darkens skin) have tattoos in the area (avoid tattooed skin) have dark moles (avoid flashing directly over them) Aftercare basics: when to apply deodorant, when to shower, and whether to shave every time Do you have to shave every time you do an IPL session? Yes. Shaving keeps the energy focused below the skin surface, instead of burning hair above the skin. Skip waxing, sugaring, threading, and plucking because they pull the root out, and IPL needs that target. How long after IPL can you put deodorant on? A safe baseline is 24 to 48 hours, or until the skin feels fully normal (no sting, no warmth, no redness). If you need something sooner, choose fragrance-free and alcohol-free, and stop if it tingles. For deeper detail, see deodorant aftercare following IPL treatment. Can I wash my underarm after an IPL? Yes, gentle washing is fine after the skin cools down. If you’re sensitive, avoid hot showers, heavy scrubbing, and strong fragrance for the first day. Quick comfort tips if your underarms feel warm: cool compress for a few minutes light, fragrance-free moisturizer skip sweaty workouts for 24 hours if the area feels irritated Conclusion For most people, the best underarm IPL plan is simple: start with weekly sessions for 10 to 12 weeks, or twice weekly for 6 to 8 weeks if your device allows it and your skin stays calm. Once you see a big reduction, switch to maintenance about every 4 to 8 weeks, then space out touch-ups as needed. Keep the safety basics tight: don’t overuse, shave before each session, and take a break from deodorant and high heat for 24 to 48 hours. Follow your device guide, patch test when in doubt, and let skin comfort set the pace, because steady treatments beat extra treatments every time.