Hair Removal

Significant advances have been made over the past decade in the removal of unwanted hair. Many different lasers are currently available for hair removal, each with advantages and disadvantages.

Hair follicles are in one of three stages:

The first stage is the anagen stage. This is when the hair grows. For hairs on the head, this stage can last for 2 to 6 years. For eyebrows or arms it can last only several weeks.

The second stage is the catagen stage, which is an in-between stage—between the first and final stage.

The final stage is telogen. This is the resting stage and the hair is shed.

Lasers only damage the hair follicles that are in the anagen (growth) stage. Therefore, not all follicles can be treated at any given treatment session with any of the systems listed below. Many can experience long termreduction in hair growth after several treatment sessions that can last several or many months. With some of the "permanent" hair removal systems, there is some permanent removal of hair with each treatment session for many patients.

RUBY Laser

The ruby laser (Epilaser^®) can result in permanent hair removal in those with light skin. Darker skinned patients are at risk for permanent discoloration and should not be treated. The ruby laser is the most effective laser system in targeting melanin, the pigment molecule in skin and hair that is the target for all laser hair removal systems. Like nearly all laser systems, there is some discomfort with treatment and patients are often pre-treated with a topical anesthetic cream. Some studies have shown over 20% permanent hair reduction with a single treatment and over 30% with two treatments. Few ruby lasers are used today as it is slow and limited to white, non-tanned skin only.

ALEXANDRITE LASER

The alexandrite is also an effective hair removal laser, but needs to be used with extreme caution in darker-skinned individuals. There is some discomfort with treatment and patients are often pre-treated with a topical anesthetic cream.

INTENSE PULSED LIGHT

Some systems utilize white light (intense pulsed light) that can result in permanent hair removal. By definition, pulsed light machines are not technically lasers as they use more than one color of light. Excellent results can be obtained, but darker-skinned or tanned individuals cannot be treated by most systems due to permanent lightening of the skin that can be unsightly. Treatments are usually well-tolerated and can be extremely effective depending upon which light system is used and what settings are used. White hairs do not respond to treatment and the intense pulsed light machine is not very effective against blonde hairs. This has become one of the most common systems available, is faster than most other systems, and is often more cost-effective.