Category: Cosmetic Health

How Lasers Work in Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal works by the process of selective targeting of a specific area of the body and using a specific wavelength to absorb light into that area. It does not work on a hair by hair basis, instead it focuses a wide beam of light that treats many hairs at one time. The wavelength of light absorbed has to be sufficient enough to damage the targeted tissue area while leaving the surrounding area basically untouched. The principle behind this process is called selective photothermolysis.

Lasers are intense beams of monochromatic and coherent light. These light beams are produced by laser devices that contain either minerals or gases. The four main types of lasers are solid state, semiconductor, gas and dye.

An electric current stimulates the gas or mineral properties which excites the atoms. The atoms then emit narrow, cohesive, parallel light beams which are all the same wavelength. The light beams are focused just for a fraction of a second on the dark hair pigment at the matrix of the dermal papilla, which is the small, cone shaped indentation at the base of the hair follicle that the hair bulb fits into. The light beam is absorbed and heats the pigment which vaporizes the dermal papilla. The more intense the light beam the hotter it makes the pigment. This results in the dermal papilla being severely damaged or destroyed.

Most people believe that laser hair removal works best on hair that is in its anagen phase. This means that the hair is actively growing and is attached to the dermal papilla. The theory behind this belief is that if the dark pigment in the hair shaft extends all the way down to the dermal papilla, it will be destroyed and vaporized by the coherent light beam that is focused upon the area. This happens because the light beam will follow the dark pigment all the way down to the derma papilla.

Visible light has wavelengths that range from 390 to 770 nm, or nanometers. Lasers operating in this range allows for successful laser hair removal without causing any damage to the dermal tissue. Lasers with a light source that operates between 700 to 1000 nm targets melanin in the hair shaft effectively. For example, the wavelength of an alexandrite laser is 755 nm, which is red in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum, making its target melanin. The stronger, or greater, the wavelength, the deeper it penetrates target selectively absorbing the wavelength.

Laser hair removal uses several varying wavelengths of laser energy. These wavelengths range from near infrared radiation to visible light. The three most commonly used lasers for hair removal are Alexandrite, Pulsed diode array, and NeoDymium Yttrium Aluminum Garnets, Also know as Nd:YAGs. The wavelengths of these lasers are 755nm, 810nm, and 1064nm respectively.

Laser hair removal utilizes a complex system of science and physics which are precisely balanced to work effectively and safely on the human body. As technology continues to advance in laser hair removal, this process continues to grow in popularity.

How Laser Hair Removal Works on Different Skin Types and

How Laser Hair Removal Works on Different Skin Types and Hair Color

The effectiveness of laser hair removal is dependent upon several factors including skin type and hair color. Lesser factors include the condition of the skin, sun exposure, and the cycle of the hair.

There are four basic skin types – Caucasian European, African descent, Eastern Asian, and Middle Eastern / Mediterranean. Each of these four skin types have several things in common, such as the thickness of the dermis and epidermis, the number of hair follicles, and the skin’s layered components. However, there are many characteristics of each skin type that are very different.

Caucasian Europeans have the most varied skin type of all the groups. This group has light skin with great variation in skin color amongst the people which is determined by heredity. The people from this group are the best candidates for laser hair removal. Generally, they will need fewer treatments and attain the best results. Overall, the effectiveness of laser hair removal on individuals from this group is dependent upon a combination of their hair and skin color.

Individuals of African descent, with dark brown skin or poor candidates for laser hair removal. This is because the laser light is absorbed into the skin pigment, causing possible burns, scars, and keloids. The dark skin causes the laser beam to b drawn away from its target area.

People in Eastern Asian descent, which includes China, Japan and Korea, generally have the least amount of facial and body hair. They are usually good candidates for laser hair removal because their hair is dark, and they have minimal skin pigmentation.

Middle Eastern and Mediterranean people tend to have the most facial and body hair. Their skin color can very from dark white to medium brown. Those people with lighter skin generally make better candidates for laser hair removal. Skin bleaching agents, such as 4% hydroquinone, are sometimes used by people in this group to lighten the skin as much as possible. This is done to make the laser treatment as effective as possible and reduce the risk of burning the skin. This ethnic group has an increased risk of hyperpigmentation.

Hair color combines with skin type to further determine the effects of laser hair removal. Black or dark brown hair is usually coarser and contains the most pigmentation. These factors make it the easiest to treat because the laser light is most easily absorbed by the dark pigmentation. Lighter brown hair usually requires more treatments than darker hair. The lighter the hair color, the more difficult laser hair removal becomes. Red and light blonde hair contain phemelianin pigment which makes light absorption very difficult. Grey or white hair does not contain any pigmentation at all, therefor, they cannot absorb light. The Fitzpatrick Skin Phototype Scale and the Lancer Ethnicity Scale are used by professional technicians to determine the effectiveness of laser hair removal based on skin type and hair color.

The best combination of skin type and hair color for laser hair removal is light skin with dark hair. These people will have the best results with the least treatments.

Finding a Laser Hair Removal Clinic

You want to take proper precautions when searching for a laser hair removal clinic. Some may believe if the clinic offers the procedure, they must know what they are doing. This is not always the case at all.

You want to be sure the practitioner is highly qualified to perform laser hair removal. Having an unqualified one could result in an improper procedure and an unhappy client; you.

If you think you have found a great place after only checking out one or two, look again. You want to have as many options to choose from. You want to do the extensive research of places like you would for a doctor.

After you do the research, visit the places most appealing to you. Find out if they give free consultations. Have questions ready when visiting a laser hair removal clinic. Ask them any and all questions you might have. Remember, no question is dumb!

Knowing the types of lasers they use is beneficial to you. The more you study about the lasers the more you will understand how the procedure works. Find out how long the practitioner has been in practice for laser hair removal. How many procedures has he done?

You can find a clinic using your local yellow pages or doing a search online. IF you do not mind traveling to a clinic, you could do an extensive search. You might find one you prefer the most at a location other than your own town.

When visiting a laser hair removal clinic, remember to take notes on your surroundings. Do they keep the place in clean condition? Are the people helpful and friendly? Go with your instincts on the way the place in general makes you feel. You want a clinic that you are comfortable being in. Also ask to meet the laser hair removal practitioner if possible.

If not, ask if they offer free consultations. If they do, make an appointment to meet with the practitioner. Laser hair removal is something to be carefully considered just like any other similar procedure.

Think of any questions you can before you have your consultation. Write them down in case your practitioner does not cover them all with you during your consultation. Find out how much it is going to cost you, how many sessions you are going to have. Also ask what type of side effects you could experience.

Depending on the patient having laser hair removal done and the area they choose, the side effects could easily differ. Just knowing what you might expect will make you feel more comfortable. Ask about the procedure and how it works. Can you expect to feel much pain?

How many times have they performed laser hair removal? How effective have the results been? What kind of lasers do they use? No question is too dumb when it comes to laser hair removal. You want to know all you can before proceeding with a laser hair removal treatment.

The Costs of Laser Hair Removal

Are you considering laser hair removal? Are you aware of what it could cost? It will depend on what area you want treated, the clinic you use and your region.

Are you leaning towards a practice that offers only laser hair removal? Or a practice that offers laser hair removal along with other things? Surprisingly this will have an effect on the cost you spend for laser hair removal.

You will also play a factor in the cost of laser hair removal. Do you qualify for laser hair removal? Depending on your skin color, you might not qualify.

The clinic you use will play a factor in the cost of your laser hair removal as well. The clinic might base their fees on how long the procedure takes or the number of laser pulses used. Some clinics might have packages on the area you want treated. Packages may or may not be for you.

Other clinics might base their cost of laser hair removal on the following:

Area being treated
Size of the area
How many sessions your treatment requires
How much hair is being treated

The average number of sessions for each patient is three to five. Keep this in mind when getting a consultation.

You want to find a highly recommended laser hair removal clinic. They might be a bit pricier but you will get better and more effective results. The more experienced laser hair removal clinics can average around five hundred dollars for each treatment. The average of four treatments is usually recommended by practitioners.

Large areas considered for laser hair removal, like your entire legs or back can range higher than five hundred dollars a session. Small areas like your chin might cost less. You can only know by contacting the laser hair removal clinic of your choice.

Maybe you know someone that has had laser hair removal done. You could ask them if they can recommend the clinic they used to you. If they do not recommend this place ask them why not and go by what they say in your search.

When you visit a laser hair removal clinic ask to meet with the practitioner if possible. If they are busy see if they offer a free consultation. If so, make an appointment to go in and have a chat with the practitioner. Find out all you can about the facility itself as well as the practitioner that would be operating the treatment.

You want them to be highly qualified otherwise you could end up with results that are unsatisfying. An unqualified practitioner could even damage your skin by using the wrong laser or technique during your laser hair removal treatment.

When it comes to your skin you can never be too careful and you cannot trust just anybody like you would want to do. Ask any and all questions and make sure you are comfortable. You want to go somewhere that doesn’t give you bad gut feelings or anything. This will result in a better session.