Hair Removal

Laser and IPL have been used to remove unwanted hair for many years with a high degree of success, however, to be actuate we must call this “Permanent Hair Reduction.” According to FDA rules manufacturers may not claim that laser (or IPL) hair removal is permanent unless the FDA determines that there is sufficient data to demonstrate such results. Several manufacturers have received FDA permission to claim, “permanent reduction,” but NOT “permanent removal.”

What this means in practice is that although most hair will be removed over a course of treatment, some hair will remain and some may re-grow, usually much lighter and finer, therefore, occasional top-up treatments may be needed.

Laser and IPL use energy in the form of light to destroy the hair follicle. The energy directed from the handpiece is absorbed by the melanin in the hair follicle, momentarily heating it to around 70 degrees centigrade killing the follicle and thus preventing further hair growth. However to complicate matters most people also have melanin in their skin that also absorbs light energy creating heat in the skin. If this heat is excessive it will cause blisters or burns. For this reason the ideal candidates for these treatments are those who are dark haired and fair skinned like the typical Irish complexion, whereas suntanned Danes with very fair hair are poor candidates.

We always insist that clients stay out of the sun for a few weeks prior to treatment so that the level of melanin in the skin is as low as possible and therefore wintertime in the UK is the ideal time for treatments.

With care most people can be treated but some may require many more treatments and any white, grey or even some red hairs will respond poorly (or not at all) to light based hair removal treatments. These will require many more treatments at a much lower power level and the operator will have to be extremely careful to ensure that the machine is correctly set to avoid skin damage.

Thankfully, most modern laser and IPL devices make this process much easier but it is still necessary to have a highly skilled operator and here in the UK all establishments must be registered with the Health Care Commission before they perform any laser or IPL treatments.

Hair grows in cycles and many factors influence it’s growth including age, ethnicity, weight, hormones, diet, medication and metabolism along with your hair’s location, thickness and resilience. Only hair that is in it’s growing cycle will be destroyed at each treatment session. The number of hairs growing at any one time and the length of time between treatments varies, but generally we allow 4 to 8 weeks.

There is sometimes mild pain associated with laser treatments. This discomfort ranges in intensity and has been described as mild as the snap of a rubber band to the sensation of a hot pinprick. When treating sensitive areas, (upper lip and bikini areas) some practitioners often elect to use a topical anaesthetic cream, which helps to reduce any discomfort.

There are two big difference between Laser and Intense Pulsed Light systems. One is in the area that can be treated in one go and the treatment speed. Generally IPL treatments heads are up to 8 times larger than the small spot produced by lasers and therefore treatments are much quicker.

The other difference is the wavelength of light produced. Lasers produce light with one specific wavelength whilst IPL uses an entire waveband. Different wavelengths penetrate the skin to different depths so using IPL is like using a group of lasers in a single treatment.

In our clinic we use an Ellipse Flex that with I?PL technology employing dual-mode filtering which removes water absorbing wavelengths from the output spectrum of the system. With the older intense pulsed light technology, water absorbing wavelengths are absorbed in the skin creating a non-specific thermal injury, which can lead to an increased risk of side-effects particularly burns.

To remove the infrared light, the Ellipse I?PL? system has a unique extra filter consisting of circulation water. This means that the light components that normally would ?heat? the water in the skin now ?heat? the water in the system instead. By eliminating these wavelengths, the Ellipse I?PL is able to more specifically generate heat in the hair follicles rather than the skin. The unique Ellipse I?PL? Technology eliminates the unwanted wavelengths, and standardizes the light use, meaning less energy is required to achieve a clinical effect. As a result, pain is reduced, while minimizing side-effects. With this new technology there is no need for thick, messy gels and contact cooling which makes the patient’s experience more pleasant.

Two classes of IPL systems are available; those that HAVE been tested for safety and performance by accredited, independent testing facilities, such as the European Union Medical Devices Directive (EU), as well as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration ? US Government), and those that HAVE NOT been subject to such third-party testing.

Such untested systems are labelled with the standard CE mark but without an EU number. A system with a CE or FDA accreditation provides certainty that the system has undergone and passed stringent safety tests, that the manufacturer has documented that the system can perform the stated clinical treatments efficiently, and that possible risk and side effects are of an acceptable level for the results obtained.

The ELLIPSE IPL systems, have obtained accreditation and approval from both the EU as well as the FDA.

For your own safety when deciding on your treatment ensure that you choose a clinic that is registered with the Healthcare Commission, if not they will probably be un-insured, that uses a well known, tested and proven device. You must have a comprehensive consultation and patch test several days before you undergo any treatment and make sure you are not seduced by outlandish claims or discounts.

Body hair removal is gradually becoming one of the most important trends of our generation and probably generations to come. Not only that. The demand for removing hair on one’s body is not only been done by women. Nowadays, more and more men find themselves feeling more comfortable in removing unwanted body hair such as the back, chest, armpits and last but not least, private areas.

As popular as body hair removal has become, it is also one of the biggest challenges that most people have to face. Some of the reasons for this are because even though there are so many methods and tools on the market to effectively remove body hair, none of them can really remove hair permanently, are quite painful, can be a little messy, or can be a little to very expensive.

However, without dwelling too much on the negative aspects of body hair removal, many of the methods and tools above are quite effective as well as allow each individual to choose a tool or method that they feel the most comfortable with.

Some people feel that they are willing to put up with the pain of waxing unwanted hair off their bodies because the effects are by far longer lasting than shaving, which generally has to be done on a daily basis. Others on the other hand don’t like the pain associated with waxing, yet still want to have unwanted hair off their bodies for long periods of time. These types of people therefore don’t mind paying the high prices of laser hair removal which is a method that can effectively keep hair of the body for very long periods of time.

With every method and tool that has been created to remove body hair, there will be pros and cons.

What ever route you take, make sure that it is the most comfortable method and that the after effects are not disappointing. After all, we all know what a pain it is to have ingrown hairs or razor burns.

Societal images of what is desirable or beautiful have changed several times in history. What is popular today may not be considered beautiful in the next generation, just as what people considered beautiful a decade ago is now seriously out of fashion. However, knowledge of these ever changing aesthetic standards does not discourage people from doing all they can to improve their appearance.

Excessive facial and body hair is currently considered as unattractive on both women and men, so laser hair removal has become quite popular. In spite of the dangers involved with laser hair removal, people of all backgrounds are using it to remove unwanted hair on their face, arms, back, legs, chest, and anywhere else that you can think of. Information about laser hair removal are available all over the Internet and on certain magazines.

This beauty enhancing treatment is often offered at discount rates to entice people to try this treatment, but it is not without risks. One of the biggest risks of laser hair removal is the excessive use of lidocaine as an anesthetic. Laser hair removal can be an extremely painful procedure; therefore people often need pain-dulling cream to reduce the pain involved.

Many people are allergic to this cream, and even if they are not; they are still exposed to danger. Excessive use of lidocaine can lead to double vision, difficult breathing, and in worst cases, death. People who are not adequately informed of the possible dangers will not be able to decide to cancel their treatment due to potential life threatening dangers.

Nevertheless, despite of the potential dangers involved, laser hair removal also offers some advantages. One of the best things about this treatment is the convenience. If you are unhappy with your body hair, there is no other alternative besides waxing, which is very painful.

Shaving is also a solution, but this is not applicable to back hair problems that make many men feel insecure. A few sessions of laser hair removal will get rid of your hair problems once and for all. There will be no more need to shave, wax, or apply any cream again, and so in the long run this treatment can save you time and money.