A Typical Laser Hair Removal Treatment

When the day arrives for you to have your first laser hair removal treatment, it is normal to feel nervous and possibly a bit anxious. This is because it is something you have never done before and you are not sure what to expect. Try to relax and think of this visit as any other doctor visit.

If there is a wait once you arrive at the office, try to keep your mind busy so you will not worry about the upcoming procedure. Perhaps a friend could accompany you to your appointment, or, if you are alone, read a book or magazine. Having your payment ready will also help you to relax as it will be one less thing you need to worry about.

When it is your turn to enter the treatment room, you will be instructed to remove all necessary clothing and a gown will be provided. If photographs of the area to be treated with laser hair removal were not taken during the consultation, the nurse or assistant will take them now.

The area to be treated will be washed to cleanse it of any lotions, cosmetics, perfumes or deodorants. It will then be prepped with alcohol. Depending on the procedure, the area may, or may not, be shaved. Your skin may be cooled before treatment to help reduce any side effects from occurring. You, and everyone else in the room, will be given safety goggles to wear during the procedure.

The doctor, or technician, who is doing the laser hair removal procedure will preform a patch test. This will give him a chance to gauge your tolerance of the treatment and also select the correct fluence levels. It will also give you the opportunity to experience how the laser feels and hopefully relieve some of your anxiety. A single pulse will be sent to the test area, which will be near the area to be treated. It will be examined for any sings of damage to the skin such as blistering or separation.

When the doctor is ready to start the procedure, he will aim the laser at the hair follicles of the area to be treated. Because the hair follicles have a dark pigmentation, they will absorb the energy from the laser's light. The time that is needed for the procedure will depend on the amount of hair to be removed, the spot size of the beam, and the scanning pattern of the hand piece that the doctor is using. Laser hair removal treatments can take anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes, depending upon the area treated.

Many people say that the laser feels like a rubber band being snapped on your skin. Others describe it as more intense than that. If you are feeling discomfort or pain, you will be given a topical anesthesia or cooling remedies.

Once the laser hair removal treatment is completed, you will be ready to get dressed and discuss post treatment care. You may experience some temporary side effects such as redness and swelling, which usually disappear within a day or two. Once you have experienced your first laser hair removal treatment you will be much more relaxed if you require additional treatments.

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Can Laser Hair Removing Cause Skin Cancer?

Some people who are thinking of having laser hair removal procedures done on certain parts of their body may think that this kind of a process may cause them to have cancer in the long run. The laser hair removal cancer scare is not that rare since a lot of people who think this way do not really understand how the procedure works and how it can remove unwanted hair from the body.

Understanding how laser hair removal works can enlighten a person as to what is going on and what to expect with the procedure.

Facts about Laser Hair Removal Cancer

In light of the laser hair removal cancer myth, here are some facts that you should know about laser hair removal and what exactly is going on:

When you have laser hair removal procedures done on your skin, your laser technician will be using what is called a laser that uses non-ionizing radiation to remove the unwanted hair on your body.

This non-ionizing radiation may be what is causing people to have this laser hair removal cancer scare associated with this procedure due to the term “radiation.” This is a relatively harmless kind of radiation that is actually present around us in many ways like in our household appliances and even in visible light.

People who have this laser hair removal cancer scare should rest assured that this non-ionizing radiation that is used to remove unwanted hair from your body is the kind of radiation that only produces heat to damage the hair follicles—not the skin or the cells of the skin as some radiation types do. Cell damage or mutation does not happen with this type of radiation since only heat is produced by the lasers that are used for this procedure.

Side Effects

While you can get rid of the laser hair removal cancer scare that may have been holding you back from getting this procedure done, you should still know that this procedure is not without risks. Some of the risks and possible side effects that laser hair removal can bring about include skin irritation, some temporary scabbing, and hyperpigmentation may result from the process.

You should also know that despite the debunking of the laser hair removal cancer scare, you should still take necessary precautions when you are having this procedure done. You may be free from the possibility of cancer from this procedure but you might find yourself suffering from a few painful side effects if you do not choose a qualified laser technician to do this procedure on you.

Summary : Laser hair removal does NOT cause cancer because it uses non-ionizing radiation. The United States Department of Labor defines non-ionizing radiation as "a series of energy waves composed of oscillating electric and magnetic fields traveling at the speed of light." This type of radiation produces intense heat but does not cause cell mutation. In fact, non-ionizing radiation surrounds us every day. Sources of this type of radiation include ultraviolet light, visible light, power lines, cellular phones and many household appliances. The lasers used for hair removal produce much the same type of heat as an ordinary light bulb.

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FAQ about Laser Hair Removal

Hair Types

Are you looking into laser hair removal treatments? Are you unsure of just what all is involved? If so, then you are in the right place.in This article you  will find  answers for some of the common questions involving laser hair removal.

Q1- What Is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is the process of using a laser technique in order to help reduce hair growth and get rid of most unwanted hair in any area of your body.

Q2- How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
the essential idea behind Laser hair removal technique is that laser will produce a high amount of heat and when directed at the hair, finds the hair follicle and damages the hair root. This helps prevent the hair growing back.

Q3- Who Qualifies for Laser Hair Removal?

Unfortunately laser hair removal is not suitable for everyone. It is better for people with dark hair and light skin.
peoples with dark skin will want to discuss laser hair removal with their practitioner. Laser hair removal will not work on blonde, red, white or grey hair. People that tan will have to let their tan fade before doing laser hair removal.

Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent?

Laser hair removal will only reduce the hair growth. Each patient will have a different laser hair removal experience.

What Is The Cost of Laser Hair Removal?

The cost of laser hair removal will vary depending on the clinic, your area and region. Contact a laser hair remover facility of your choice to find out more.

Are There Any Side Effects to Laser Hair Removal?

Unfortunately yes. Just like any other technique such as laser hair removal. A person could experience many different things such as:

· Temporary Rash · Skin Discoloration · Blistering · Scarring · Crusting · Scabbing · Skin texture change

What Parts of the Body Can Be Used for Laser Hair Removal?

There are actually quite a few areas you can do. Here are some of the many choices: Face, Neck, Chin, Toes, Feet, Upper Lip, Bikini Line, Fingers, Between the Brow, Arms, Legs, Chest, Stomach, Ears, Hairline

What Kind of Results Can You Expect With Laser Hair Removal?

You can expect to see around fifty to eighty percent of hair reduction growth. It will depend on each individual having the treatment done. Some might experience better results than other with laser hair removal.

Before and After Laser Hair Removal

Before you can do this procedure there are things you should know. If you are tanning you must let your tan fade first before using laser hair removal. You also do not want to pluck, wax, sugar or tweeze before your treatment. This will leave no hair left to be treated!

Do not moisturize before your treatment. This means you cannot use any body lotions, moisturizers, perfumes or sunscreen. After your laser hair removal treatment you do not want to mess with your treated skin.

Do not pick at it, etc. You also do not want to interfere with the treatments effectiveness by plucking or waxing. Try to avoid any direct sun exposure to your skin.

When your treatments are complete use sunscreen and avoid tanning beds. Try not to do anything that will cause you to sweat. This could cause irritation to the treated skin. Talk with your practitioner after your treatment to discuss any further details or instructions. 

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What is Laser Hair Removal ?

Laser hair removal 

Laser Hair Removal

Epilation by laser was performed experimentally for about 20 years before it became commercially available in the mid 1990s. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) epilators, though technically not a laser, use xenon flash lamps that emit full spectrum light. Laser and light-based methods, sometimes called phototricholysis or photoepilation, are now most commonly referred to collectively as "laser hair removal". One of the first published articles describing laser hair removal was authored by the group at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1998.

The efficacy of laser hair removal is now generally accepted in the dermatology community, and laser hair removal is widely practiced. Many reviews of laser hair removal methods, safety, and efficacy have been published in the dermatology literature.

Mechanism of action

The primary principle behind laser hair removal is selective photothermolysis (SPTL). Lasers can cause localized damage by selectively heating dark target matter, (melanin), in the area that causes hair growth, (the follicle), while not heating the rest of the skin. Light is absorbed by dark objects, so laser energy can be absorbed by dark material in the skin (but with much more speed and intensity). This dark target matter, or chromophore, can be naturally-occurring or artificially introduced.

Hair removal lasers selectively target melanin:

• Melanin is considered the primary chromophore for all hair removal lasers currently on the market. Melanin occurs naturally in the skin (it gives skin and hair its color). There are two types of melanin in hair: eumelanin (which gives hair brown or black color) and pheomelanin (which gives hair blonde or red color). Because of the selective absorption of photons of laser light, only black or brown hair can be removed.

Laser works best with dark coarse hair. Light skin and dark hair are an ideal combination, but new lasers are now able to target dark black hair even in patients with dark skin.

Hair removal lasers have been in use since 1997 and has been approved for "permanent hair reduction" in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)."Permanent" hair reduction is defined as the long-term, stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing after a treatment regime. Indeed, many patients experience complete regrowth of hair on their treated areas in the years following their last treatment.

Laser hair removal has become extremely popular because of its speed and efficacy, although some of the efficacy is dependent upon the skill and experience of the laser operator, and the choice and availability of different laser technology at the clinic which is performing the procedure. Some will need touch-up treatments, especially on large areas, after the initial set of 3-8 treatments. It has also been noted that some people are "non-responders" –this occurs when the the incorrect device is being used, the device parameters are too low or the patient is simply not a good candidate for treatment.

Comparison with electrolysis

Electrolysis is another hair removal method that has been used for over 135 years. At this time, it is the only permanent option for very fine and light-colored hair. The FDAcurrently allows the term "Permanent Hair Removal" for electrolysis only. Unlike laser epilation, electrolysis is effective on all hair colors.

A study conducted in 2000 at the ASVAK Laser Center in Ankara, Turkey comparing alexandrite laser and electrolysis for hair removal on 12 patients concluded that laser hair removal was 60 times faster, less painful and more reliable than electrolysis.

from WikiPedia

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