Laser Hair Removal, Laser Body Contouring and Tattoo Removal The Laser Genie Los Angeles
Lets Start With A Little Bit of Science:
LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser is a focused beam of high level light, or energy. Laser light beams are ultraviolet, visible, or infrared. A power rating, usually in watts, determines the strength of the laser and what it’s used for. Laser for the purposes of hair removal are a light form that will NEVER CAUSE CANCER.
The first laser was made in a laboratory in 1960, and took several decades to be applied to various technologies. Today, lasers are indispensable to our daily lives as they are used everywhere in medicine, from LASIK eye surgery, lasers instead of scalpels, laser wrinkle removal, laser teeth cleaning to laser tattoo removal and laser hair removal.
Laser Hair Removal, when first introduced in the late 1990’s, was reserved only for individuals with light skin tone (Skin Types 1 thru 3) and dark hair. They were the ideal candidates while those who have more pigment in their skin (Skin Types 4-6) were at extreme risk for hypo and hyper pigmentation. They were advised against laser hair removal because early generations of lasers were unable to distinguish between skin pigment and hair pigment. This has all changed today, and people of all skin types are enjoying removal of unwanted hair far superior to shaving, waxing, tweezing and electrolysis.
The Different Kinds of Laser
The forms of laser hair removal are the following: Ruby, Alexandrite, Diode, IPL Intense Pulsed Light, and Ng:Yag. Each performs laser hair removal by shooting the laser at different wavelengths.
How does laser hair removal work?
A focused energy force is applied to the surface of the skin. This energy, or laser, travels through the skin until it strikes the hair shafts or the bulb (root) of the hair. The bulb is usually where the highest concentration of melanin is located, and where the hair bulb and hair shaft are instantly vaporized as the laser becomes heat energy. This process destroys the hair follicle, the hair bulb and also the shaft of the hair.
This process of “laser hair removal” can be done with many different kinds of lasers and light energy; Alexandrite, Diode, IPL (Intense Pulsed Light), nd: YAG or Electrolysis. They just work in different ways, have their different benefits and drawbacks, but generally speaking they all work the same way to rid of excess, unwanted hair.
Ethics in Providing Laser Services
Any establishment that offers laser hair removal will all claim their laser to be the best, but how do you really know? The web does not offer a complete discussion of the different kinds of lasers for the public use. Therefore, finding the right laser and laser providers for you can be a daunting task. In this report you will find a full discussion of all different types of laser hair removal methods, how they work and which is right for you. Be empowered when making the decision about laser hair removal.
Note About All Lasers
Regardless of what each laser is known for, laser makers have installed software into the machine that allows the settings to be changed to treat different skin types. Some lasers are absolute no-no’s for certain skin types, like Alexandrite should never be used on darker skin tones (Skin Types 3-6). Most ethical laser places should tell you this, however do not expect them to advise you on another laser that might be better for you (one that they don’t have). Please note, that with any laser or light or electrolysis methods of hair removal, that in time, hair follicles can regenerate themselves, and grow hair again. As the body is in a constant state of repair and healing, hair follicles that have been burnt, disabled, from growing hair, will start generating hair again slowly through time. You most likely will not have hair growth like you once did, but you will see some hair come back. This is true regardless of what kind of laser therapy you undergo. Any laser clinic, spa or physician practicing ethical standards must disclose this to you. If they deny that this is true, they are misleading you.
Now understandably you may be thinking, “Why should I be getting laser if it costs more than shaving and waxing, and it will still grow back anyways?” Just think how many times a week you shave, it adds up. How many times a year you wax, it adds up, and it’s painful. How many times do you get ingrown hairs, it adds up, it’s very painful and will leave semi-permanent marks on your skin. Laser hair removal, in comparison is the most superior method of hair removal. Laser hair removal does cost more, but for the amount of time you spend getting lasered, for example, one hour a month for entire legs or one hour a month for entire back, you will not have to worry about any hair until about 5 weeks later. Those hairs that come back will be few and far between, and you will most likely not shave those areas more than once a month. About several sessions, usually anywhere from 5-10 treatments, you will most likely be getting lasered once every couple months. That basically means you are spending one hour every 3-4 months to remove hair. That beats shaving, waxing, creams, threading and far beats electrolysis.
Hair Phases and What it Means for Laser Results
It is important to understand that visible results are not immediate because hair grows in cycles, anagen active phase Anagen is the active growth phase of hair follicles. The cells in the root of the hair are dividing rapidly, adding to the hair shaft.
During this phase the hair grows about 1 cm every 28 days. Hair on the body is different than hair on the scalp, which stays in this active phase of growth for 2-6 years. The amount of time the hair follicle stays in the anagen phase is genetically determined. At the end of the anagen phase the follicles to go into the catagen phase.
The catagen phase is a short transition stage where a new hair is being formed. Although laser hair removal does vaporize hairs in this phase, it does not effectively target hair future hair growth of this hair because the hair bulb is not intact with the blood supply, therefore no profound effect is done on the hair follicle to disable hair growth.
The telogen phase is the final phase where the hair follicle is resting and is shedding. At any given time, 10%-15% of all hairs are in the telogen phase. This phase lasts for about 100 days for hairs on the scalp and much longer for hairs on the eyebrow, eyelash, arm and leg. Pulling out a hair in this phase will reveal a solid, hard, dry, white material at the root.
During any single treatment, some hair follicles will be dormant with no visible hair growth and some will be in a growth cycle, where the hair is visible on the surface of the skin. To benefit from laser treatment, the hair must be in the growth cycle (visible prior to shaving) during treatment.
Only hairs in ANAGEN phase are effectively lasered.
Alexandrite Laser
Specifications
Wavelength: 755
Pulse width: 2-20
Fluence: 10-40
Spot size: 5-10
Repetition rate: 1-5
The alexandrite laser has a shorter wavelength system with a specific light energy of 755nm and recommended for those with very white skin, pale white skin, who usually have blue or hazel eyes, blond or red hair, freckles or are Albino. Alexandrite machines usually come as combination machines, meaning several makers of this type of laser make the machine able to complete various functions, such as tattoo removal and freckle removal.
Alexandrite machines shoot a blast of chilled air before the laser fires off. They are reputed to be extremely painful and physicians always apply numbing cream and ice packs to numb the treated areas prior to treatment. Since laser hair removal can now be done “painlessly” the Alexandrite laser machines are best reserved for skin treatments, such as vein and freckle removal, but not laser hair removal.
Bottom line: Use this machine for treatments of skin issues, not for hair removal.
Alexandrite Laser Machines: These are some laser makers and names of machines.
Candela’s GentleLase
Cynosure’s Apogee
Cynosure’s Elite (Alexandrite and Yag wavelenths)
EpiTouch Plus
EpiTouch Alex
Prowave 770 is an Alexandrite machine that also utilize Diode, and Yag wavelengths, Wavelengths 770 - 1100 nm.
Apogee-40
Ultrawave II by Adept Medical
Asclepion MeDioStar Effect using radio frequency.
All these machines work by zapping the treatment areas in a spot-by-spot or inch-by-inch fashion. Therefore making is highly possible to miss areas. Candela and the Cutera Prowave are the most painful of these machines, even with numbing cream. Prowave cannot be used on Skin Type 6.
Side effects are NOT minor and include:
Pain during treatment, and frequent stopping due to pain factor.
Skin turning pink and open sores to occur. Very common for treatment of freckles.
Redness, peeling, swelling that will take a few days to heal.
Sometimes blistering can occur especially for tattoo removal.
Hypo or Hyper pigmentation if the operator is negligent and does not properly test the machine on your skin.
Bruising, rare, but can happen.
Combination Laser Machines
Some laser makers create machines that are combination machines, meaning they can have their wavelengths altered to perform more than just hair removal. Alexandrite and Yag machines are examples of this, which treat skin issues such as varicose veins, port wine stains, freckles, scars, and remove tattoos.
Are they inferior to machines that perform strictly one function? Maybe, maybe not. With our research, we felt most comfortable utilizing a machine that only does strictly laser hair removal. However, success can be attained with these combination machines as well.
Take a look here: Candela Gentle Lase:
Cynosure:
Epitouch: no videos found !
Ultrawave: no videos found !
Cutera Prowave:
Alexandrite VS Lightsheer:
Diode Laser
Specifications
Wavelength: 800-810
Pulse width: 5-30
Fluence: 10-40
Spot size: 9
Repetition rate: 1
Diode systems delivers a longer wavelength (longer than the Ruby (694 nm wavelength) and the Alexandrite (755 nm wavelength) lasers, but a shorter wavelength than the Nd: Yag (1064 nm wavelength) laser. Because of the form of wavelength, Diode machines are able to surpass pigment in the skin to penetrate into the hair follicle without causing epidermal injury as the Ruby or the Alexandrite. This fact allows the Diode laser to be used on darker skin colors. Diode systems have been called the “gold standard” in laser hair removal because they are the ultimate solution for those who are tanned, dark skin or of Asian descent including the traditional candidates for laser hair removal, individuals with light skin and dark hair. The advantage is that you DO NOT have to refrain from sun tanning while under laser therapy. However people with sensitive skin will have to exercise caution and apply sunscreen generously.
Side Effects:
Folliculitus. Red bumps resembling ingrown hairs that most likely will occur after treatment as the hair makes it way out of the skin. Takes usually 2 weeks to heal, sometimes more for those with thick hair and thin skin and areas of the body where tight clothing are worn like the thigh area.
Some itchiness, very mild in most cases. Can be treated with topical solutions like hydrocortisone cream.
Diode Machines
Soprano by Alma
Laserlite
Epistar
Lightsheer EP/SC/SP
Lightsheer Duet, Vacuum Asist
See how it works:
VersaPulse
Mediostar
Apex 800/1000
IPL or Intense Pulsed Light
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) sometimes called photo-rejuvenation or photo-facial, is a skin treatment that uses a xenon flash lamp, high intensity pulses of visible light, to improve skin problems such as sun damage, wrinkles, stretch marks, vascular lesions, spider veins, port wine stains, rosy cheeks, rosacea and age spots.
IPL systems work on the same principles as lasers. Here light energy which is absorbed by pigment in the skin, is converted to heat energy, which causes damage to the specific target area. IPL systems are different to lasers in that they deliver many wavelengths (or colors) in each pulse of light instead of just one wavelength. Most IPL systems use filters to refine the energy output for the treatment of certain areas. This enhances penetration without using excessive energy levels.
The pulses of light produced by IPL equipment are very short in duration, so discomfort and damage to non-target tissues is minor. Most people who undergo IPL epilating only experience slight irritation similar to that of a minor sunburn though under certain circumstances, blisters may occur. Men undergoing the procedure experience greater discomfort as male body hair is generally thicker than women's. Depending on the instrument settings and intensity, treating sensitive areas such as the chest and face can result in pain comparable to waxing the same areas; however this pain dissipates immediately. The light that emanates from the IPL wand is filtered to remove any ultraviolet components, eliminating the possibility of UV skin damage.
IPL's (Intense Pulsed Light) work more directly on the top layers of the skin and do not penetrate deep enough to damage hair cells in follicle.
Intense pulsed light is frequently misquoted as being a laser, but is not. Light is being used, not laser.
Side effects are minor and include:
Pain during treatment.
Redness, and itching after treatment.
Hyper and Hypo pigmentation.
Blisters may occur.
Intense Pulsed Light Machines
Epilight or Epilight Plus
Multilight
VL/PL/HR
Vasculight or Vasculight Plus
Quantum HR/SR
Spatouch
Aculight
Ellipse
Lumenis
Elos by Syneron using IPL, laser and Radio frequency.
Nd: YAG: Specifications
Wavelength: 1064
Pulse width: 10-50
Fluence: 20-100
Spot size: 3-5
Repetition rate: Up to 10 Hz
This laser has the ability to deliver two different wave lengths of light. The first is an infrared light used for deep penetration. This wavelength is used to get to deeper into hair follicles. The other wavelength, a green light, is used for treating hair follicles closer to the surface of the skin. In both cases, the Q-switching device emits rapid bursts of laser light to the area being treated.
Nd: YAG offers the longest wavelength of 1064 nm, and is the best system for darkly pigmented people. Nd:YAG technology also allows for effective treatment of large blood vessels and certain vascular lesions. Q-Switched Nd:YAG technology uses nanosecond pulses to create acoustic shock waves to fracture and remove black and dark blue tattoos and some benign pigmented lesions.
Yag Machines:
Dermablate Effect by Asclepion
The Tria at home hair removal system:
Tria also works by method of selective photothermolysis. The Tria system targets the dark pigment in the hair, disabling it from growing. Tria is no way equivalent to laser hair removal machines utilized by licensed businesses offering hair removal. Since any person can operate the Tria, as opposed to trained and licensed Registered Nurses and Physicians of laser hair removal businesses, the power of this machine, is, of course not as powerful.
In contrast, Tria suggest one treatment every other week for the first three months then one treatment per month for 3-5 months, thus taking more time that having laser hair removal. This is the average amount of time estimated, and thus your results may vary. The benefit of the Tria system is that you can have a somewhat more powerful method of hair removal (vs shaving, waxing or creams) in your hand.
Tria advises that the TRIA System SHOULD NOT be used:
• On or around the eye area, including the eyebrows.
• On or around the face, head, ears, neck, nipples, genitals, or anus.
• On or by anyone under 18 years of age.
Cost Comparions
What to expect for the cost of laser hair removal.
Electrolysis
What is Electrolysis?
Electrolysis was the predecessor to laser hair removal. This was a popular method of hair removal before prevalence of laser. Electrolysis uses a needle to penetrate each hair follicle to burn the hair at the root by an electric current. Electrolysis is reputed to be very painful and very time consuming. It is still liked by some, however we believe only those with white hair should get electrolysis (since white hair cannot be effectively targeted by laser hair removal machines.)
Only hairs in ANAGEN phase are effectively lasered.
