At Skin Therapeutics, we treat all areas of the body for laser hair removal. Please call us at (207) 878-9776 to set up a free consultation
Bikini Back
Brazilian Forearms
Abdomen Lower Legs
Underarms Upper Legs
Upper Lip Neck
Chin Nostrils
Sideburns Hands
Feet Breast
Buttocks
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Laser Hair Removal
Using the GentleLase Laser System
How does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Lasers
target pigment granules in the hair (melanin) in an effort to destroy
the hair follicle. Hair follicles are capable of producing hair of
various thickness and colors. Dark hair contains the pigment melanin,
which serves as the target for energy delivered by the laser. The
laser energy is absorbed by the pigmented hair shaft and transferred
to the surrounding follicle. The heat build-up caused by the
absorption of energy by the hair itself is capable of creating
follicular damage to prevent future hair production by the follicle.
Gentle pulses of laser light pass through the skin to the hair
follicle. The laser light turns to heat, which disables the hair
follicle and leaves the surrounding skin unchanged. Because the laser
beam is larger in diameter than the hair follicle, a large number of
hairs can be treated simultaneously.
Is It Safe?
Yes. The treated area may become slightly pink or red afterwards. This will go away within a few minutes to a few hours and in some cases a few days. When cold packs are used, the skin usually goes back to normal soon after treatment. The energy that the laser utilizes is a wavelength of light, which means, that the light that penetrates the skin is passive, and it passes through your body and does not leave a residual. For example, when you go to the hospital to get x-rays, they ask you how many x-rays you’ve had in the past 12 months. That is because x-rays leave a residual in the body and if you have too many in a year there can be a health risk to the people that get the x-ray. The laser does not leave a residual in the body; therefore it is safe.
Do the Laser Treatments Hurt?
The
feel of the laser on the skin has been described in many different
ways. Some say it feels like a pinch on the skin. Others say it
feels like a mild rubber band snap on the skin. The special cooling
process protects the skin during treatment for added comfort and
protection. GentleLASE Laser safely removes unwanted body hair
without damaging the delicate pores and structure of the skin.
A very effective topical numbing cream can be applied to the skin
30-45 minutes prior to treatment of the area to minimize discomfort
during your laser session. The skin is further protected during
treatment by a cooling process where cryogen is sprayed onto the
skin, cooling the upper layers and providing increased comfort. This
dynamic cooling system helps to protect the skin while the laser
light safely eradicates hundreds of hair follicles in seconds.
What Are the Risks?
Laser
hair removal has proven to be a relatively safe procedure. Since
laser pulses are a constant energy, there is little or no chance of
scarring associated with this process. In certain instances temporary
increased or decreased pigmentation will be noted within the treated
areas, especially in more darkly pigmented patients. In certain cases
there may be some degree of crusting during the postoperative period,
which is treated by the use of bland emollients and on occasion,
topical antibiotics.
Hair removal is much faster with a laser because each "pulse" of laser light disables a large numbers of hair follicles and pulses can be delivered as often as twice every second. Electrolysis operators can only treat those hairs that they can see and which they can reach the follicle through the hair shaft. The GentleLASE laser treats all "active" follicles, even if the hair has not yet reached the surface of the skin, is "ingrown", or if the hair shaft is not straight. Because the laser beam is larger in diameter than the hair follicle, a large number of hairs can be treated simultaneously in a much shorter period of time.
How Long Will the Procedure Take?
That depends on the area you are having done. An entire back can be done in 1 ½ to 3 hours. Underarms can be done in 1-2 minutes. An upper lip in less than 10 seconds. These are just a few examples. Here is a comparison of time between laser and electrolysis to clear an area once:
| Men: | Laser | Electrolysis |
| Back | 1 - 2 hours | 100 - 200 hours |
| Shoulders | 30 - 60-minutes | 25
- 50 hours
|
| Women: | Laser | Electrolysis |
| Underarms | 1 - 2 minutes | 5
- 15 hours
|
| Bikini | 3 - 6 minutes | 5
- 10 hours
|
| Upper lip | less than 1 min. | 30 - 60 minutes |
| Chin | 2 - 3 minutes | 1 - 3 hours |
| Legs | 1 ½ - 3 hours | 75 - 150 hours |
|
| | |
