UNWANTED HAIR LASER REDUCTION
FOR MEN & WOMEN
If you are a man or woman with excess or unwanted hairs, laser hair removal is the treatment for you. Today’s woman is smart, intelligent & no longer wants to remain within the four walls. She is conscious of her looks & likes to dress well. However, excessive or unwanted hair over areas like the face, neck, arms, mammary region, bikini line and legs is a source of embarrassment to ladies of all age groups. This problem may at times lead to depression and loss of self-confidence. Various methods of getting rid of these hairs are available ranging from use of abrasives like pumice stone, depilatories, threading, plucking and waxing. All the above methods are at their best temporary, messy and painful. Electrolysis has been the only permanent hair removal technique until a few years ago. However, it is painful & involves insertion of a needle into each hair follicle & delivering electrical charge to destroy the follicle. The sessions may have to be repeated for months or sometimes years.
With the advent of lasers specially designed for hair removal, things have become easier. Not all lasers can cause permanent hair removal. After extensive clinical research, the Long Pulse Nd:YAG Laser has been proved to be highly effective in causing permanent removal of hair & has been approved by the US FDA.
What is laser?
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (LASER) produces an intense beam of light of particular wavelength with insignificant dispersion over a short distance. This property is utilized in dermatology to treat various skin disorders.
How does Nd:YAG laser work? What is Nd:YAG hair removal laser system?
Nd:YAG hair removal system is a non invasive light therapy device specifically designed to eliminate undesired hair from all parts of the body. The Nd:YAG laser is approved for permanent hair reduction by the Food and Drug Administration. The Nd:YAG laser generates light at an 1064 nm wavelength which targets the melanin pigment which is there in the hair follicle and shaft
Why use the Nd:YAG over other laser systems?
Simply put, we believe this is absolutely the best laser currently available for permanent removal of hair in men and women of all skin types. We have selected this laser because of it’s proven and unmatched clinical track record in laser hair removal. The long wavelength of this system allows darker skinned patients to be treated with less risk. This laser has been approved by the FDA for permanent reduction of hair in the treated areas, a claim that virtually no laser hair removal system can make.
This is a non- invasive procedure & a large number of hairs are targeted in a single flash of light. This beam of light passes through the skin without destroying it & is absorbed by the pigment ‘Melanin’ which is there in the hair bulb (root of the hair). The hair is thus destroyed completely. There may be a mild stinging sensation during the treatment & one usually requires 6 to 8 (resistant cases require more sittings) sittings at an interval of 4-6 weeks for permanent hair reduction.
It is important to understand that hair growth takes place in three cycles – the active growing phase (anagen), the regression phase (catagen) & the resting phase (telogen). At a given point of time, all the hairs are not in one phase. Only those hairs which are in the active growing phase are destroyed & that is why a single sitting is not enough.
So, all the lovely women who are tired of plucking & waxing and even men who want to be free from shaving daily, Long Pulsed Nd:YAG Laser is the right choice for you. It is safe, reliable, painless & permanent.
FAQs will give you tips on how to know if you are a candidate for laser hair removal. The facts are all here – information on hair growth, expected number of treatments, how to decide when to get laser treatment for hair removal, tips on when to avoid treatment, facts about speed and effectiveness of treatment, advice on what to expect at your first appointment, advice on pre and post treatment skin care and a basic guide to the cost of laser hair removal. Please bear in mind that cost will differ from location to location depending on offers made by different clinics, and the area in which you live.
How does hair grow?
Hair forms in a pouch-like structure below the skin called a hair follicle. What we see as hair is actually the hair shaft, which is the keratinized, hardened tissue that grows from this follicle. Humans have more hair follicles per square inch of skin than most primates, including chimpanzees and gorillas. Because most of this hair is fine and pale (called vellus hair), it usually is not visible to the naked eye. Consider this: the forehead has more hair follicles than any other part of the body. The thicker, fully pigmented hair most people consider “real hair” is called terminal hair. This hair is found on scalp, eyebrows, legs, backs, underarms. Everyone’s hair grows differently, depending on age, weight, metabolism, hormones, ethnicity, medications, and other factors. But all hair goes through three distinct growth phases:
ANAGEN – Active growth phase (called the anagen phase), which lasts up to several years. At any given time, the majority (85%) of our body hair is in this phase. During anagen, the hair has an abundance of melanin.
CATAGEN – Regressive phase (catagen phase), which lasts about two weeks, during which the hair stops growing but is not yet shed. About 3 – 4% of our body hair is in this phase at any given time.
TELOGEN – Resting phase (telogen phase), which lasts 5 – 6 weeks, at the end of which the hair falls out and a new hair begins to form. Approximately 10-13% of our body hair is in this phase at any one time.
The laser most effectively disables hair that is in the active growth (anagen) phase. Because all the hair in a treated area may not be in the anagen phase, more than one laser treatment may be necessary to remove the hair that subsequently enters the growth phase.
What is the level of comfort?
Anesthetic is not usually needed, but can be given. Some forms are topical creams or ice packs. In rare cases a prescription medicine may be given. Treatments feel like a rubber band snapping against the skin and tend to hurt less for people with lighter skin tones. The sensation is best described as discomfort rather than pain. Treatments take from two minutes for an upper lip to 10 minutes for a bikini to one hour for a back. People usually have pinkness after a treatment, and feelings of a slight sunburn and can almost always go about their business as usual.
How many treatments will I need?
Everyone will need at least six treatments for good results, because while all hair is temporarily disabled during each treatment, not all hair is destroyed. A series of treatments is necessary to allow results to accumulate. Most people do not need to continue beyond six treatments. People with hormonal imbalances or people who have waxed or plucked a lot may need more than average. After the treatment regimen is completed, hair may grow very sparsely. If this occurs, electrolysis may be a good idea for the remaining hair.
How fast is Laser Hair Removal?
The greatest advantage of laser is speed of treatment in conjunction with long lasting results. So it is especially great for large areas such as backs, or legs when compared to electrolysis, which is permanent, but excruciatingly slow for large areas. A back with laser only takes one hour, while a full back with electrolysis usually takes 125 hours. Another advantage of laser is that if hairs that do grow back, they are typically finer in texture.
What can I expect at my evaluation appointment?
During a treatment you and the technician will wear special glasses to filter out harmful light. The technician will evaluate you to determine your skin type and decide how to set the laser appropriately. The technician may do some test spots before beginning actual treatment.
What are the pre/post treatment instructions?
Pre Treatment
Do not get laser when you have a suntan or sunburn.
If you have a darker skin tone, you should begin a bleaching regimen at least two weeks before treatment.
It is not necessary to shave, but it will quicken treatment time. A shadow or stubble should be visible.
Bleaching or plucking should be stopped for a couple of weeks before treatment.
If you get cold sores or have genital herpes, start taking Zovirax, or similar medicine before treatment.
Post Treatment
After the treatment, you may have redness or bumps. This is normal. You may use a cold compress if needed.
Makeup may be used. Moisturizer is good to use.
Use sun block of SPF 25 or more for a couple of weeks after your treatment.
The only other acceptable hair removal method during your treatment regimen is shaving if needed.
Hair will shed up to three weeks after treatment. It may seem like new hair growth, but it is just the hair coming out. You can help the hairs out by using a loofah or washcloth.
Body Hair Removal Guide
Popular body hair removal methods vary somewhat by the location, density, and color of the body hair to be removed. Additionally, common areas of unwanted body hair on women vary from unwanted male body hair. Excessive body hair on anyone, male or female can be embarrassing and even affect self esteem. Below is a guide to the options available to remove body hair.
Facial Hair Removal for Female
Women who have dark or excessive facial hair are often embarrassed to have it. Unbalanced hormones can play a role in excessive facial hair, and should be controlled by a physician before attempting permanent hair removal on the face. Bleaching upper lip hair is a common alternative to permanently removing the hair. It can work well if there is not too much hair on the upper lip otherwise it just looks like a blonde moustache.
Facial Hair Removal for Male
It is often the norm for a man to have a smooth face and neck, and most choose electric razors or conventional razors to shave their facial hair and neck hair. It is not common for men to use depilatory cream, waxing, or electrolysis for removal of facial hair. Laser hair removal is becoming a popular choice for men who want facial hair and neck hairs gone permanently.
Chest Hair Removal
Chest hair can be sign of masculinity, but excess hair on the chest can still make a man feel self-conscious. Laser hair removal for unwanted hair on the chest takes less than one hour, and can be very time and cost effective. It is easier to remove this hair by shaving, but necessary to contend with the constant stubble. Depilatory creams can be a viable option since it is easy to apply a depilatory cream to one’s chest hair. Waxing is also an option, but the cost and ingrown hairs resulting can be prohibitive.
Leg Hair Removal
It is not difficult to remove leg hair by shaving, depilatory creams, or waxing, but there are pros and cons to removing leg hair by these methods. It is very quick to remove your own leg hair by shaving, creams or even by waxing. Shaving such a large area can be tedious though, and many people have to shave their legs daily to keep them smooth. The legs take 1-1 ½ hours each session and require about 4-8 sessions to obtain permanent hair reduction. Electrolysis for legs will often time permanently remove the hair, but can take much longer, and cost more than laser.
Back Hair Removal
Back hair removal is very important for a man’s self image if he has excess back hair. A man has very few viable options if he doesn’t know anyone who will slather on depilatory cream or shave his back every three days or so. Removing the hair on the back by laser is quick and affordable over time. Back hair will be permanently reduced after 5-8 one hour sessions.
Genital or Pubic Hair Removal
Complete, or almost complete bikini hair removal has become more common for women today partially bolstered by the fashion craze of low-rise jeans and hipster skirts. Now more than ever women are choosing to go bare. Bare or not, excess genital hair can be quite embarrassing at the beach.
Pubic hair removal only takes about 15-30 minutes per session, and many machines are approved to claim “permanent hair reduction.” The pubic area will require only 4-8 sessions or fewer to be smooth.
Removing hair from the bikini area comes with its unique problems. The skin of the bikini area is prone to irritation, and ingrown hairs. Shaving, waxing and sugaring can exacerbate this. Furthermore it is necessary to wait for a certain amount of outgrowth before waxing and it can be embarrassing to be seen on the beach with so many hairs. Let all women be warned, OOOUCH – bikini waxing and Brazilian bikini waxing can really hurt! It can even leave bruising. Depilatory creams, better known as hair removal creams don’t have the above problems, but the cream can cause chemical burns if left on too long. The results of these creams only last a few days. Electrolysis requires some outgrowth, and can take many hours to complete.
Men and Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is becoming increasingly popular for men. Clinics say that at least 50% of their laser hair removal clients are men. Most want to remove unwanted hair on their back, chest and legs.
Laser hair removal is quickly becoming the preferred choice for hair removal for men due to the large amount of hair in these areas. Other hair removal methods for this large an area can be quite costly, time consuming, and painful. Laser hair removal is able to remove large amounts of hair with one laser pulse and with relatively little pain.
Skin Types
Type I
Always burns in the sun. Never gets tan. Fair skin, light eyes.
Type II
Sometimes burns, but will turn into a tan. Fair skin, medium to dark eyes, light brown / brown hair.
Type III
Usually tans, can burn as well. Medium skin, medium to dark eyes, brown hair.
Type IV
Seldom burns. Possibly of Mediterranean, Asian or Hispanic descent. Olive skin, dark eyes, brown/black hair.
Type V
Almost never burns. Turns dark in the sun. Possibly of Mediterranean, Asian or Hispanic descent. Dark skin, hair and eyes.
Type VI
Very dark. Never burns. Possibly of African-American, Indian or West Indian descent.