Laser Hair Removal
Aesthetic Medicine Minute with Dr. Darm
by NW32TV
Hair Removal
Aesthetic Medicine Minute with Dr. Darm
by NW32TV
Unwanted hair can occur anywhere on the male or female body and a huge amount of time, effort, energy and money are spent getting rid of it, especially in Western cultures. Women in particular are anxious to eliminate unwanted hair on the face, underarms, bikini and leg areas, but also hair on the chest, nipples, arms, back and abdomen. Men are generally more concerned with extra hair on their back and neck. African Americans can suffer from a disease known as pseudofolliculitis barbi which can cause small bumps on the face and neck. This syndrome can easily be improved with laser hair removal using a certain type of laser. Sometimes patients can get an infection in the hair follicles known as folliculitis which can be improved by laser hair removal. Laser hair removal is a cheap and effective way to remove unwanted hair anywhere on the body.
Hair growth occurs in 3 distinct phases; growth, regression and resting. During the growth cycle the hair literally grows and gets longer and the root is surrounded by many blood vessels. It is during this phase that a hair can be “killed” by a laser by destroying the follicle or “root”. The laser harmlessly penetrates the skin, heats up the hair follicle and destroys the blood vessels nourishing the follicle. That hair will never grow again but other unborn hairs in surrounding areas will eventually grow. Over time and with multiple treatments timed to catch each new growth cycle virtually all the hairs can be destroyed. The second growth cycle is called the regression phase where the hair is present but has stopped growing. Since this hair is already “dying” and is not being nourished by blood vessels surrounding the root it cannot be “killed”. This hair will eventually fall out on its own but stays embedded for a while to give the body a little extra protection. The final growth cycle is called the resting phase where there is no hair present at all and put simply this represents an unborn hair. This hair cannot be killed until it begins to grow.
Each area of the body has a different growth cycle and therefore responds differently to laser hair removal. Facial hair grows the fastest but has fewer hairs in the growing phase at any given time and will therefore take many more treatments to remove. Hair in the bikini and underarms grows the slowest, has many more hairs in the growth cycle at any given time and therefore takes fewer treatments to reduce, typically 3 – 5. Facial hair may take as many as 15 treatments to effectively remove. Other areas such as the legs, chest and abdomen are intermediate. Hair on mens backs is very deep and may take as many as 15 treatments to effectively reduce. Nonetheless with each treatment since growing hairs are killed clients may not see any hair growth in the area for 3 – 6 weeks. Laser hair removal can therefore be used to permanently reduce growth but also to give clients a “ hair free interval.” There is a tremendous variability of response from one person to another and from one area to another on each client.
We are proud to announce that we are using the most advanced technology for laser hair removal, ELOS™ (electro-optical synergy) technology. Syneron’s patented ELOS™ technology couples the Hair Removal “gold standard technology”, an 810nm diode laser, with a secondary color blind energy source. This allows us to provide you, our patients, with safer AND more effective laser hair removal treatments. As a result of the inherent safety of this technology we can safely and effectively treat all skin types. Because we can safely deliver in excess of 3 times the energy of all other standard laser and IPL hair removal systems we can give you a much more effective treatment!
Visit Dr. Darm and call us at (503) 697 9777 for a free consultation.
