Technology
Handpiece cooling: why the result depends on it
In short
Why does the handpiece need cooling, and what does it affect?
Cooling removes heat from the skin surface that has not gone into the target, and it affects both comfort and the parameters of the treatment. The less the surface is heated, the less pain is felt. For a business, the second point matters more. If the cooling copes, the specialist can work at a higher energy. If it does not cope, the parameters have to be lowered, and the result becomes weaker with the same number of treatments. So cooling is not only about client comfort. Its job is to protect the epidermis while the energy reaches the hair. There are three main methods: contact cooling through the cooled handpiece window or gel, cryogenic spray and cold air. Cooling built into the handpiece works on every flash without separate actions by the specialist. Stability under a steady flow of clients is also important. The system may cope at the first treatment and switch into protection mode by the eighth. Ask how it behaves over ten treatments in a row. Also clarify whether there is a temperature sensor and where it is: in the cooler or at the point of contact with the skin.
What does cooling affect?
| Consequence | What happens with weak cooling |
|---|---|
| Comfort | More pain is felt and the client does not come back |
| Parameters | Energy has to be reduced, the result is weaker |
| Speed | Pauses to cool down, fewer treatments per day |
| Stability | Protection mode kicks in under a steady flow of clients, downtime in the middle of the day |
Cooling is not only about client comfort. The parameters at which the device can work at all depend on it.
Cooling works together with the shape of the pulse: the pauses between pulses also let the skin cool down. A closer look is in the article on three-pulse energy delivery.
The wider the parameter window, the more freely the energy can be matched to the skin type. How the skin type relates to the wavelength is covered in the article on 755, 808 and 1064 nm.
What types of cooling systems are there?
| Method | How it works | Advantages | What to consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact through the handpiece window | A cooled window, often sapphire, touches the skin before, during and after the pulse | Built into the handpiece and works on every flash | Requires firm contact with the skin |
| Cryogenic spray | A short jet of refrigerant onto the skin before the pulse | Cools the thin surface layer | Refrigerant is a consumable; with pulses longer than 10 ms, efficiency is lower |
| Cold air | A separate unit blows over the area | Suits any device, the area stays visible | A separate unit, with a risk of overcooling the skin |
| Gel and ice | Cool the skin before the treatment | Simple and inexpensive | They warm up quickly, and the cooling is unstable |
By timing, cooling can be applied before the pulse, during it and after it. For a detailed review of the methods, see the article by Das et al., 2016.
Why is a temperature sensor needed, and where is it placed?
Contact cooling usually holds the set temperature of the cooler. Where the sensor is placed matters: in the cooler, in the circuit or right at the skin. The closer the sensor is to the point of contact, the closer the reading is to the surface temperature.
So ask the supplier not only ‘is there a sensor’, but also where it is and what the programme does with its signal.
What to ask the supplier
- The type of cooling system and what exactly is cooled.
- Whether there is a temperature sensor and where it is located.
- Behaviour over ten treatments in a row.
- What happens when it overheats: parameters are reduced or the device stops.
- Servicing of the cooling system: frequency.
Where IPLASER fits in
The iPRO MINI hair removal handpieces are not a diode or alexandrite laser, but IPLASER technology. It is IPL with narrow-band filtering and three pulses per flash, and this is how Innovatione devices have worked since 2013. For how the technology works and how it differs from lasers, see the IPLASER page.
Who this article is not for
- If the device is used only occasionally. Then stability under a steady flow of clients is not critical.
- If you need to repair a specific system. That is a matter for a service engineer.
- If you are looking for a treatment for yourself. This article is for buyers of equipment.
Questions and answers
What does handpiece cooling affect?
The comfort of the treatment, the parameters at which work is possible, speed and stability under a steady flow of clients.
What types of skin cooling systems are there?
Contact cooling through a cooled handpiece window, cryogenic spray before the pulse, cold air from a separate unit, gels and ice. By timing, cooling can be applied before, during and after the pulse.
Why is a temperature sensor needed?
So that the programme holds the set temperature and does not overcool the skin. It also matters where the sensor is: in the cooler or at the point of contact with the skin.
What to ask the supplier about cooling?
The type of system, the presence and position of the sensor, behaviour over ten treatments in a row and the response to overheating.
What cooling system does iPRO MINI have?
CoolSense. The temperature sensor is a thermocouple on the metal frame of the sapphire, at the point of contact with the skin. The programme holds the set temperature during the treatment and does not overcool.
Why does weak cooling reduce the result?
Work has to be done at a reduced energy, so the result with the same number of treatments will be weaker.
This material describes technical characteristics and is not medical advice. Checked on 14 October 2026.
