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WINNER OF THE 2005 & 2006
BEST CHOICE AWARD
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LASER HAIR REMOVAL |
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What are Laser Hair Removal Systems and How Do they Work?
The lasers on the market today come in all shapes and sizes. There are also different lasers that use different wavelengths of light. Some utilize a cooling device and some do not. All laser systems emit a gentle beam of light that passes through the skin to the hair follicle where it is absorbed by the hair.
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The laser energy is then transformed into heat that can disable the follicle.
Today individuals with white or dark/tan skin can utilize lasers to remove their unwanted hair with positive results. Lasers that utilize a cooling device will help protect the skin by cooling the upper layers providing the patient with increased comfort. This cooling selectivity helps to protect the skin while effectively treating the unwanted hair.
There are three principal advantages to laser hair removal technology over electrolysis, however electrolysis is still needed in some instances.
When the hair is white, red or very blonde, NO laser will work, unless the bulb of the hair has some pigment, then electrolysis must be utilized. (Comfort, Speed, Accuracy)
There are four different types of lasers used for permanent hair reduction
— ruby (for very light skin), now an outdated modality
— alexandrite (for light skin)
— diode (for light skin, finer hair)
— Nd:YAG (for dark or tanned skin)
— IPL - Intense Pulsed Light (not recommended for hair removal)
Alexandrite long pulse lasers are very effective when the skin type is light (1-4) and the hair is dark enough to attract the laser within the follicle. Again, just because it is an alexandrite does not make it the best on the market. Precision cooling of the skin prior to laser application, exact delivery of an effective energy beam deep into the tissue and proper training can make all the difference between maintenance and/or permanence.
Nd:YAG long pulse lasers work on darker skin types and are the superior laser when it comes to treating darker or tanned skin types (3-6). Patients of color such as: Afro-American, Asian, Hispanic, Mediterranean, European and Middle Eastern use the Nd:YAG laser. If a traditional laser hair removal device is used on darker skin types, it can result in serious burning or loss of skin pigment (hypo-pigmentation). However, by utilizing a long pulse Nd:YAG, dark skinned and tanned patients will have no problem.
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