LASER HAIR REMOVAL
Laser hair removal works by targeting the pigment inside the hair follicle without damaging
delicate pores and structures of the skin. Because hair cycles through
"growth" and "dormant" phases, and because during the "dormant" phase
the follicle has no pigment,
4 or 6 treatments will be needed.
The area to be
treated is shaved. A small handpiece, or "wand" is placed against the
skin and a burst of coolant is applied as the laser is activated. The
handpiece is repositioned and the laser is activated again. The size or
the area treated will determine the number of laser activations, or
"pulses", required.
With electrolysis,
the operator inserts a needle into the hair shaft with the intention of
reaching the follicle, then sends a small electrical charge designed to
disable the follicle. The operator then removes that particular hair with a tweezer.
Hair removal is much
faster with a laser as the laser is pulsed about once per second across
the surface of the skin. Each "pulse" of laser light disables a large
numbers of hair follicles. Electrolysis operators can only treat those
hairs that they can see and which they can reach the follicle through
the hair shaft. A laser treats any "active" follicle, even if the hair
has not yet reached the surface of the skin, or if the hair shaft is not
straight.
The number of
sessions will vary for each individual. During the initial visit, the laser light disables those follicles in the "active" phase of the growth
cycle. Follicles in the "dormant" phase will not be affected. Since
follicles cycle through "active" and "dormant" phases, additional
sessions may be desired once the "dormant" follicles become "active".
For this reason, we recommend a series of three treatments.
While some areas of
the body are more sensitive than others, most patients report little or
no discomfort. For more sensitive patients, anesthetic creams can be
applied prior to the treatment.
How is Laser
Hair Removal different from electrolysis?
Electrolysis is a much slower process. With electrolysis a needle
is actually inserted into each hair follicle, one at a time. Once
inserted, an electric shock burns the follicle to retard hair growth. Laser Hair Removal uses the cool light of the laser to scan the
treatment area and within minutes all of the hairs in the laser's beam
are treated. Most patients who have had both procedures say that Laser
Hair Removal is less painful, faster and more convenient.
What are the
benefits of Laser Hair Removal?
• Larger areas may
be treated using lasers than with electrolysis, waxing or tweezing.
•
It combines the speed of shaving with the lasting results promised by
electrolysis.
• Laser Hair Removal is effective on almost any area of
the body where smoother, younger, hair-free skin is desired.
