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Laser Hair
Removal |
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What is Laser
Hair Removal?Laser hair removal is a procedure by
which hair is removed from the body by utilizing a long pulse
laser. Lasers are developed and designed from years of research.
The laser parameters are carefully defined by studying the anatomy
of the hair follicle and precisely matching the laser light and
pulse duration to the follicle size, depth and location to inhibit
the re-growth of the hair. Laser hair removal is performed
by a specially-trained laser specialist or a doctor depending on
where you go, who distributes the light of a long pulse laser onto
the skin. The laser works by disabling hairs that are in their
active growth cycle at the time of treatment. Since other hairs
will enter their growth cycle at different times, several
treatments are necessary to disable all of the follicles in a
given area.
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Am I a
Candidate for Laser Hair Removal? Both men and
women seek laser hair removal services to have unwanted hair
removed. Hair removal is commonly done on the hairline, eyebrow,
top of the nose, lip, chin, ear lobe, shoulders, back, underarm,
abdomen, buttocks, pubic area, bikini lines, thighs, face, neck,
breast, arms, legs, hands, and toes.
Laser works best
on pale skin and dark coarse hair. The closer you are
to this combination (i.e. the lighter the skin and the
more coarse and dark the hair), the better the results will
generally be. Alexandrite long pulse and diode types of lasers
work best on light-colored skin. Long pulse lasers are better and safer on
darker skin (skin types IV and darker). Since laser works by
being attracted to and targeting the dark pigment, using an alexandrite or
a diode laser on darker skin can result in skin burning or loss
of skin pigment (hypo-pigmentation). Long pulse lasers were created
to cater to dark-skinned patients, so they are safer on the skin
at settings that actually affect the hair than alexandrite and
diode lasers. When choosing your hair removal options,
select an environment whose main priorities are your safety,
health, and results.
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Is Laser Hair
Removal Permanent? The general opinion is that
laser hair removal is permanent, and the Food and Drug
Administration approved it as "permanent reduction," but doesn't
work on everyone. Generally, this means that you shouldn't expect
laser to remove every single hair from an area. Most people need
to follow up with electrolysis treatments for any remaining hairs
for complete clearance as hair becomes too fine for laser to
target and you reach diminishing returns. Most will also need
touch-up treatments 1-2 times a year after the initial set of
treatments for any new growth your body develops with age.
It has also been observed that some people seem to
be non-responders? this is not confirmed and reasons are not known
as not enough research has been done in this area. Keep in mind
that it's also difficult to judge whether someone's lack of
results is due to the person's potential underlying medical
condition that causes continuous growth and makes it seem like
laser isn't working, whether the treatment wasn't performed
properly, or whether for some people it just doesn't work and we
don't know why. Basically, you can¡¯t determine this for yourself
unless you try it. In addition, results also depend on many
variables involved, including the tech's experience, type of laser
used and how settings are set, etc. A set of at least 6-8
treatments at specified intervals are generally necessary to
achieve substantial hair removal with laser. Factors that
determine the length of treatment include the particular area to
be treated, the texture of hair, frequency of treatments, history
of temporary measures to remove hair (waxing, tweezing, shaving,
and depilatories, etc.) etc. Electrolysis is considered a
permanent hair removal method that has been used for the past 125
years. It involves treating one hair at a time and can take a
considerably long time to complete a large area, but IS an option
as well. It is also the recommended method for small areas
(generally, chin, upper lip, eyebrows, etc), as well as for fine
and light-colored hair. The most cost-efficient treatments to
completely clear an area should start with laser to remove the
bulk of the hair and finish with electrolysis to remove the
remaining finer sparse hair.
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How Does Laser
Hair Removal Work? Lasers are optical devices
which produce intense coherent, collimated and mono-chromatic
beams of light. A laser consists of an active medium such as a
crystal, gas or liquid that amplifies light when excited by an
external energy source (a flash amp or electric discharge, for
example). When the appropriate medium is employed, the laser can
be fine-tuned to generate a very narrow band of light wavelengths
(such as the individual colors of the visible spectrum).
Lasers designed for permanent hair reduction emit
wavelengths of light designed to be absorbed by the pigment in the
hair (melanin). If the surrounding skin is relatively light
compared to the color of the hair, then the entire energy of the
laser will be concentrated in the hair shaft, effectively
destroying it without affecting the skin or follicle. Hair removal
lasers target the dark pigment in the hair. That's why laser hair
removal works best on light skin (so laser passes right through)
and dark coarse hair (has most pigment). The ability
of the laser to produce a very narrow bandwidth on a consistent
basis is the key to a safe efficient treatment. The types of lasers
used for permanent hair reduction include the ruby (old machines
only safe for very pale skin types - not recommended), diode,
and alexandrite. While the laser emits a beam that only
heats the hair shaft, heat is transmitted from the hair shaft to
the surrounding tissue for several milliseconds after the laser
pulse. Several lasers possess cooling attachments which cool the
surrounding skin to fully absorb any heat transmitted from the
destroyed hair shafts. Be aware that hair removal systems
that use traditional light for treatment (Intense Pulse Light
machines or IPLs) are not true hair removal lasers. These devices
use a highly concentrated beam of traditional incoherent light,
often in conjunction with a cream or gel, to burn the hair shaft.
A serious flaw with these systems is that they lack the laser's
ability to produce a selective bandwidth of light that will only
affect the hair shaft (selective photothermolysis). These devices
produce a wide bandwidth of light that can heat up all of the
surrounding tissue. IPLs are generally cheaper devices and are
used for various skin procedures first and foremost, with hair
removal as more of an afterthought. Judging from consumer
feedback, true lasers usually achieve better and faster results
for hair removal purposes.
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What Should I
Expect Before and After Treatment?You should shave
the area to be treated 1-3 days before treatment (some clinics
will offer to do this for you, but beware of irritation caused by
disposable razors etc). No waxing or removing hair with the root
with any other way is allowed 4-6 weeks before and throughout the
course of treatment as hair needs to be in place to be targeted by
laser. The area should be shaved as closely as possible so that
laser can target the most energy towards the hair follicle and not
waste energy on the part of the hair above the skin's surface. If
your hair is the type that you can't see where it was right after
you shave, make it a bit easier on your tech not to miss the spots
you want treated by shaving 1-3 days before so the outline of
where hair is growing is just VERY slightly visible. After
treatment is completed (underarms take under 10 minutes, back
treatment can take 1 hour or so), you should apply aloe vera to
soothe the skin for a few days. Within 2-3.5 weeks, you should
experience shedding of all treated hair. At first, hair will look
like it's growing back in, but it is just coming through the skin
to shed. Shedding starts at about 1.5 weeks and can last until 3.5
weeks post-treatment or so. Exfoliating and/or scrubbing gently in
the shower with a loofa can help speed up the process. After
shedding finishes, you might experience little black dots still
"stuck" in the skin. These are commonly referred to as
"pepperspots" and will shed eventually, but might take a bit
longer. Exfoliate to help those out as well. After
shedding occurs, you should experience a hairfree period for a few
weeks, until next set of hair that was dormant before starts to
come in. Once you have enough to justify one, go in for another
treatment. This usually happens within 6-10 weeks post-treatment.
Patient continues this process until he/she has reached
diminishing returns and the remaining hairs are too fine for laser
to target, or until you have reached you desired reduction.
If you don't experience shedding, the settings used might
have been too low and you should inform your technician that it
didn't happen. Also, if you feel that a lot of hair didn't shed,
the technician might have missed a lot of areas, and you might
consider asking for a free touch-up. This should be done 4 weeks
after treatment as by then shedding will be complete and you will
know that whatever remains wasn't affected. Certain clinics might
offer these touch-ups free of charge when you sign up for
treatments as their standard practice.
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How Many Laser
Treatments Will I Need and How Far Apart are They Scheduled?
Most people need at
least 6-8 initial treatments spaced 6-10 weeks apart. This is because hair
grows in 3 phases and is killed in the first "anagen"
active growing phase. Several treatments are needed to target ALL hair
in the active growth phase. Approximately 6-10 weeks
after every treatment, additional treatment is required to eliminate the hairs that
came out of the dormant phase and are now active. After
6-8 treatments or so, patients should experience a
considerable percentage of hair reduction. Depending upon hair type
and genetic factors, some clients may require additional
treatments beyond these initial treatments. If it seems like the treatments
are not working after 6-8 treatments, patients should
look into possible underlying reasons. Usually, treatments are
spaced 6-8 weeks apart to start, and gradually move to 8-10 weeks
apart after the initial 2-3 treatments. Instead of following an
arbitrary schedule, wait until you have experienced shedding of
the treated hairs (should complete within 2-3.5 weeks) and you see
enough hair come in after the hairfree period to justify the next
treatment.
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Is Laser Hair
Removal Painful? In one pulse, the laser
can remove all the hair on a patch of skin the size of a
nickel (depending on the specific laser spot size ranging from 9-18mm
on average? i.e. the "head" of the laser from which the power is
coming with every pulse). Everyone's pain threshold is different,
but generally laser hair removal is not much more painful than
waxing, but the sensation is different. It resembles a rubber band
snapping against the skin for a quick second with each pulse. Most
people do not require an anesthetic cream (like EMLA), but one may
be used for very sensitive patients/areas (can be provided or
prescribed at the clinic). Be aware that using anesthetic creams
is only safe on small areas (like upper lip, bikini, or underarms)
and in small quantities. Using it on large areas like the back can
cause adverse effects or even death. Consult with your tech and
doctor if unsure. |
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Vein
Treatments |
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What is Sclerotherapy?
Injections of Sclerosing agent (usually salt and water) to destroy the incompetent veins.
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Where?
Face, Hands, Legs, Breasts
a. Are they frequent?
Varicose veins affect an estimated 40% of women and
25% of men.
b. What are the causes?
The major cause is heredity. Pregnancies, heat,
standing for lengthy periods of time, are predisposing
factors.
Heredity - One of the most important factors. If your
parents and grandparents had the problem, you are at increased
risk.
Gender - Women have a higher incidence of varicose
vein disease due in part to female hormones and their effect on
the vein walls.
Pregnancy - Blood volume increases during pregnancy
and hormonal effects contribute to vein enlargement.
Age - The tissues of your veins walls lose elasticity
as we age causing the valve systems to fail.
Prolonged standing - occupations that involve
standing for a long period of time cause in increased volume and
pressure of blood in the lower limbs due to the effect of
gravity.
Obesity - Increases in weight often increase
abdominal pressure which may worsen vein problems.
Hormonal levels - Treatments like birth control pills
and post- menopausal hormone replacement may cause the same
hormonal effect as pregnancy.
Physical trauma - Injury to the lower limbs can
damage underlying blood vessels and add to the problem.
c. What are the symptoms?
Pain (an aching or cramping feeling)
Heaviness / Tiredness
Burning or tingling sensations
Swelling / Throbbing
Tender areas around the veins pulling
d. how varicose veins occur?
Arteriescarry blood from your heart to your
extremities (hands, feet, head, skin) is delivering oxygen deep in
the tissue. Veins then return the "de-oxygenated" blood (now
bluish in color) to your heart to be re-circulated. Nearly 75% of
the body's blood is found in your lower limb (legs). To return
this blood to the heart, your leg veins must work against gravity.
Muscles in the leg squeeze the deep veins to help push blood
forward. Small, one-way valves in the veins open to allow blood to
flow upward, towards the heart, and then close to prevent it from
flowing backwards. While deep veins are assisted in their efforts
by muscles, a second type of leg vein, lying outside the muscle
layer and closer to the skin (superficial veins) are not.
The largest superficial vein is called the Great
Saphenus Vein (GSV), which begins at the ankle and ends at the
groin.
Varicose veins occur when the valves in the
superficial veins malfunction.
The vein walls can loose elasticity (due to age or
hormones) causing them to stretch. When this occurs, the valve may
be unable to close, allowing blood that should be moving towards
the heart to flow backward (called venous reflux). Blood collects
in your lower veins causing them to enlarge and become
varicose.
In this manner, faulty valves high on the leg may cause varicose vein
lower down (e.g., mid or lower leg). |
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