Laser Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal Information

• Laser hair removal has come a long way since the first laser for hair removal received FDA clearance in the mid 1990s. Older generation lasers were slow, very painful and worked only on individuals with very dark hair and very light skin.
• Today, lasers can work on all skin tones, and some lasers are even safe for treating tanned skin. Lasers for hair removal can be performed on any area of the body.
• Types of lasers used for hair removal
• There are several lasers for hair removal available. No single laser is ideal for every individual. Depending on your skin and hair color, some lasers will be more effective than others.
• Ruby Laser
  See also
  Razor bumps
  Folliculitis
  Hypotrichosis
  Alopecia
• * First laser introduced for hair removal
  * Laser beam is well absorbed by melanin pigment in hair, making it good for removing finer, lighter hair
  * Should be used for hair removal on patients with fair skin, as it may burn those with dark or tan skin
  * Slow repetition rate and relatively small spot size, which may mean a longer, more expensive treatment with greater discomfort
• Alexandrite Laser
• * The fastest hair removal laser
  * Large spot size (up to 18mm) and high repetition rate
  * Can rapidly treat large body areas - an entire back can be treated in less than 30 minutes
  * Suitable for patients with fair to olive complexions
• Diode Laser
• * Longer wavelength allows deep penetration into the skin and safety for darker skin types
  * Not effective for lighter and finer hair
  * Smaller spot size, which results in longer treatment time
  * The longer treatment time necessary for diode laser hair removal may result in greater expense and increased discomfort
  * The TRIA Beauty home laser hair removal system is a diode laser
• Nd:YAG laser
• * Can be used on all skin types, including tanned skin
  * Large spot sizes and fast repetition rates allow large areas to be treated quickly
  * Provides less effective treatment for fine and light hairs than some other hair removal lasers
• Intense pulsed light (IPL)
• * Used for hair removal, but primary use is to treat skin pigmentation problems
  * Unlike lasers, IPL devices emit the full spectrum of light wavelengths
  * Works best on patients with fair skin and dark hairLaser hair removal can provide permanent hair removal from specific areas

• The laser device delivers quick pulses of energy that target dark hair follicles

• Laser hair removal costs on average $1,500, which may be more cost effective than Electrolysis

• Nearly 900,000 laser hair removal treatments were performed last year, a 21% increase from 2000. View laser hair removal statistics
• Electrolysis
• While laser technology was still developing, electrolysis was essentially the only cosmetic treatment available to permanently remove or reduce hair.
• Although electrolysis is known for being tedious and somewhat painful, it can be very effective, especially for reducing fine or light-colored red, blonde, and gray hair on which, laser hair removal is typically ineffective.