Laser Hair Removal Frequently Asked Questions

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Nancy Richardson
7 years ago
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1 Laser Hair Removal Frequently Asked Questions Q: What does laser hair removal feel like? Is it painful? A: Most people with lighter skin should feel no pain as they will undergo laser hair removal with the Light Sheer Duet, which is considered the latest and most pain free hair removal laser system available on the market today. Other people describe the feeling similar to a small pinch or warm massage. Although pain is an individual feeling, most patients express the sensation as tolerable. Q: What should I do before my treatment? A: Avoid sun exposure as much as possible especially 2 weeks before the laser treatment. Hair can be more aggressively treated without a fresh tan. Having hair is essential to having a successful treatment. You cannot wax, tweeze, thread or have electrolysis for 2 weeks before a treatment. The best way to manage hair is to shave or trim the day before you come for your treatment. The day of your treatment the hair will need to be freshly shaved. Q: What should I expect after a treatment? A: After a treatment the skin may be red and bumpy. This is absolutely normal. Post treatment, we recommend protecting the area 1

available on the market today. Other people describe the feeling similar to a small pinch or warm massage. Although pain is an individual feeling, most patients express the sensation as tolerable.

2 from the sun to avoid any additional heat to the area, as well as avoiding activities such as severe exercise, saunas, and other activities which may irritate the area or induce heat for hours immediately after treatment. The area should be moisturized with a soothing cream and cleansed with a mild soap as advised by our registered nurses that perform the laser treatments. Q: How many treatments will I need? A: Hair grows in continuous cycles. The anagen or growth phase of hair contains the largest amounts of melanin and this phase is the laser's target. From scientific studies we understand that any area contains a maximum of 20-30% of anagen hairs at one time, thus, these anagen hairs are affected each treatment. Most clients will require a minimum of 3-4 treatments to start seeing results, although repeated sessions are necessary for better results. Finer hair and dark skin clients may require more than 6-8 treatments. If you suffer from a hormone imbalance, your treatments may be ongoing. To have more effective treatments it is imperative that they be sequenced. Every client's expectations of hair loss are different. Some may be happy with 50-60% loss and may want to discontinue and others will want to continue until they reach their maximum loss of 80-95%. Q: How long should I wait between treatments? A: Waiting time may vary with individuals. The general guideline is 4-5 weeks for neck and above areas and5-6 weeks for areas below the 2

Q: How many treatments will I need? A: Hair grows in continuous cycles. The anagen or growth phase of hair contains the largest amounts of melanin and this phase is the laser's target.

3 neck. As you get more sessions, the frequency of the treatments will decrease (about 7-8 weeks apart). Q: What should I do to manage the hair between treatments? A: You should not have much hair to manage. If you need to, shaving or trimming is the most effective way to manage hair growth between treatments. Q: Are the Results Permanent? A: The LightSheer Duet laser has been cleared by the FDA for hair removal and permanent hair reduction for all skin types. To achieve a satisfactory level of clearance, we recommend at least 6-8 treatments. Q: Does laser hair removal create or treat ingrown hairs? A: The laser will not create ingrown hairs. If you suffer from them the laser will produce an effective treatment to clear the ingrown hairs. Q: Does the LightSheer Duet work on different skin colors? A: The LightSheer Duet diode laser system safely and effectively treats all skin types (Fitzpatrick Skin Types I-VI). For darker skin types appropriate fluences are generally lower and appropriate pulse widths are generally longer to prevent damage to the epidermis. Using the 3

A: The LightSheer Duet laser has been cleared by the FDA for hair removal and permanent hair reduction for all skin types.

4 appropriate treatment parameters, however, people with all skin types can benefit from laser hair removal with the LightSheer Duet. Q: Does the LightSheer Duet work on tanned skins? A: A tan is damage to the skin. When it is damaged it creates "tan" or color. This is "melanin" deposits in the skin. The laser is attracted to melanin. We prefer not to treat skin that has active melanin or a tan. Q: What advantages does the LightSheer Duet have over other laser hair removal systems? A: LightSheer Duet operates at 810nm depth. That is the most effective wavelength of the laser for hair removal, also with its large treatment surface it makes the treatment much faster & much more convenient for the patients as well as the technicians. Q: Is the LightSheer Duet FDA approved? A: The laser was developed in 1994 and the first hair removal study began in July The FDA cleared the device for treatments in December The FDA then granted it's claim for permanent hair reduction in April 1999 after it demonstrated in a 3000 person study a better than 50% permanent hair loss after only 3 treatments. 4

We prefer not to treat skin that has active melanin or a tan. Q: What advantages does the LightSheer Duet have over other laser hair removal systems? A: LightSheer Duet operates at 810nm depth.

5 Q: Why should I use the LightSheer Duet Laser System rather than the methods I've been using for years? A: The LightSheer Duet Laser System's design provides for enhanced comfort during treatment, minimal risk of infection, speed and accuracy. Since the system uses a unique cooling hand-piece, it minimizes skin irritation that other methods may cause. Since it is noninvasive (no needles to penetrate the skin), the risk of introducing bacteria into the skin is reduced. Because the system is fast, it allows for larger areas to be treated, considerably increasing the efficiency of the hair removal process, which allows more patients to be treated during a typical day. The LightSheer Duet utilizes a personal plastic tip for a onetime fee of $10, which is used for sanitary purposes to prevent the spreading of bacteria/infection among patients. Finally, the LightSheer Duet Laser is a precise instrument that can be adjusted to damage only the hair follicle while minimally affecting the surrounding skin. Also because we don t use any kind of anesthetic cream (considering the fact that the procedure is almost painless), the risk of burning with this laser is the lowest. In case a patient feels any burning sensation, he or she can inform the nurse to stop the treatment or decrease the setting if needed. Thank you for choosing Plush Derma Laser Clinic! 5

Since the system uses a unique cooling hand-piece, it minimizes skin irritation that other methods may cause.

Thomas T. Jeneby, M.D. 7272 Wurzbach Suite 801 San Antonio, TX. 78240 210-782-8269/210 270 8595

Thomas T. Jeneby, M.D. 7272 Wurzbach Suite 801 San Antonio, TX. 78240 210-782-8269/210 270 8595 Laser hair removal is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures performed. Unwanted hair grows on various regions of the body. Often, individuals find the presence of hair in certain regions of the body