Technology
SHR, BBL, ELOS, triple wavelength: what the names mean
In short
What do SHR, BBL, ELOS and ‘triple wavelength’ mean?
They are names, not separate technologies. Behind each of them is one of two light sources, a pulsed lamp (IPL) or a laser, sometimes with radiofrequency added. SHR is a trade name for a way of working: many low-energy pulses at a high rate while the handpiece moves over the area, so the heat builds up gradually. It is used on diode lasers, and on many marketplace devices the letters SHR are printed on an ordinary IPL. BBL, broadband light, is the trade name of an IPL system. ELOS combines light, IPL or a diode laser, with bipolar radiofrequency. A triple wavelength diode laser emits three wavelengths, usually 755, 808 and 1064 nm, from one handpiece. To compare such devices, put the name aside and ask for the numbers: light source, range in nanometres, pulse structure, cooling, spot size and handpiece life. IPLASER, the technology of iPRO MINI, is IPL with narrow-band filtering and three pulses per flash.
IPLASER: IPL with narrow-band filtering and three pulses per flash
Why are there so many names?
Light-based hair removal has only two kinds of light source: a pulsed lamp with a broad spectrum (IPL) and a laser with one wavelength. Manufacturers give their own names to the way the energy is delivered, to the filter or to an added energy. The names help to sell, but they hide what is inside.
So the first question about any name is simple: is it a lamp or a laser, and is anything added to the light?
| Name | Light source | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| IPL | Pulsed lamp | Broad spectrum, filtered to the needed range |
| BBL | Pulsed lamp | Broadband light: the trade name of an IPL system |
| SHR | Diode laser, sometimes IPL | Many low-energy pulses in motion, gradual heating |
| ELOS | IPL or diode laser | Light plus bipolar radiofrequency |
| Triple wavelength | Diode laser | Three wavelengths from one handpiece, usually 755, 808 and 1064 nm |
| IPLASER | Pulsed lamp | IPL with narrow-band filtering and three pulses per flash |
What is SHR?
SHR stands for super hair removal. It is a trade name for a technique: the handpiece moves continuously over the area and fires many low-energy pulses at a high rate. The heat in the follicle builds up gradually instead of arriving in one strong pulse.
The idea of gradual heating is sound. But the letters SHR do not tell you the light source, the wavelength or the energy. On many marketplace devices, SHR is printed on an ordinary IPL. Ask what is actually inside and how the pulses are delivered.
What is BBL?
BBL, broadband light, is the trade name of an IPL system, usually promoted for skin rejuvenation. Technically it is a pulsed lamp with filters, the same family as any IPL. Compare it like any IPL: by the filtered range, the pulse structure, the cooling and the spot size.
What is ELOS?
ELOS combines light with bipolar radiofrequency. The light part can be IPL or a diode laser. The radiofrequency adds energy that depends less on the pigment in the hair, which is why ELOS is promoted for light hair. It also has two energies to set, so ready protocols for skin types matter even more. The details are in the article diode laser and ELOS.
What is a triple wavelength diode laser?
It is a diode laser whose handpiece emits three wavelengths at once, usually 755, 808 and 1064 nm. The idea is to cover more skin and hair types with one handpiece: the shorter wavelength for fine and light hair, the longer one for dark skin. ‘Triple wavelength’ is a description, not a brand.
What to check is the share of each wavelength in the total energy, and whether it can be changed. How each wavelength behaves is explained in the article 755, 808 and 1064 nm.
How the three pulses work is explained in the article three-pulse energy delivery.
How to compare devices with different names
- Light source: lamp or laser, and whether radiofrequency is added.
- Range in nanometres for each handpiece, and for a multi-wavelength laser the share of each wavelength.
- Pulse structure: one pulse, several with pauses, or many small pulses in motion.
- Cooling, and where the temperature sensor is.
- Spot size and handpiece life in pulses.
- Protocols for skin types and areas, and who trains on them.
Compare the numbers behind the name. Two devices with the same label can have nothing in common inside.
Questions and answers
Is SHR better than IPL?
SHR is a technique, not a light source: many low-energy pulses in motion. On many devices it is printed on an ordinary IPL. Compare the range, the pulse structure and the cooling, not the label.
Is BBL the same as IPL?
Technically, yes. BBL, broadband light, is the trade name of an IPL system.
What is a triple wavelength diode laser?
A diode laser that emits three wavelengths from one handpiece, usually 755, 808 and 1064 nm.
What does ELOS add to light?
Bipolar radiofrequency, an energy that depends less on the pigment in the hair.
Is IPLASER a laser?
No. IPLASER is IPL with narrow-band filtering and three pulses per flash.
This material explains technical principles and trade names in general terms and does not assess specific brands. Checked on 11 November 2026.
