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Laser Hair removal

Life is too short to be spent shaving, trimming and trying to tame those unruly hairs! Laser hair removal is the next step in the aesthetics game and is what everyone is talking about, doing and trying to get done before their big holiday coming up in a few months. But…. Which laser do I go for? Which is the best one and how do I know that this laser is safe for me, and will it actually WORK?

These are some of the questions that linger in our minds when considering laser hair removal and often leave us going back to just picking up the razor and ditching the idea of it altogether! But fear not, today we are going to delve into a little knowledge about laser hair removal and whether you are suited for it or not!

Firstly, what is laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal is a medical procedure that uses a concentrated beam of light referred to as LASER, to remove unwanted hair. During this procedure a laser machine emits a LASER light that is absorbed by the pigment (colour) in the hair. The light energy is converted to heat, which damages the tube-shaped sacs within the skin (your hair follicles) that produce these hairs. This damage inhibits or delays future hair growth.

Who can have laser hair removal?

LASER hair removal has come a long way and most skin types can have laser hair removal these days, including Fitzpatrick skin types 1-5 as show below. Unfortunately, Fitzpatrick skin type 6 is unable to have laser hair removal at this time due to the laser being unable to differentiate between the melanin (colour) in the skin and the melanin in the hair, thus this could result in the burning of the skin. However, laser hair removal is vastly improving every day and we hope to see Fitzpatrick skin type 6 being able to have laser hair removal very soon. Below you can see a diagram of the scale of Fitzpatrick skin typing and how we categorize each individual based upon this.

Skin Type

Is laser hair removal permanent and how many sessions are needed?

Laser hair removal is for permanent hair reduction and no spa, salon or clinic can guarantee complete 100% hair removal. We always recommended that you start with 6-8 sessions (dependant on area) and then assess the area from there. Body areas where the hair is coarser will need more sessions and it is normal to have ‘top-up’ sessions yearly on areas that have been treated to keep the hair follicles at bay.

What type of lasers do you get?

There are many different types of lasers available on the market, even ones that you can buy to do at home!

The most common ones you will find in your clinics are

Alexandrite
Diode
ND: Yag
IPL

Now you are probably wondering, what do all these words even mean? These are different names, given to different types of lasers, that all target different depths within the skin. Skin-Layers

If you have a look at the image below, you will see the 3 best laser wavelengths that are used today, Alexandrite, Diode and ND:Yag and how they target the hair.

IPL is a very old method for hair removal and is not commonly found in today’s practices or clinics, although it is still used on some individuals for specific reasons.

Alexandrite laser is excellent at targeting blonde/light and thin hair, it is a medium depth penetration laser which makes it great for those clients who have very fine hair, but it can only be used on those who have a very light skin colour as it is a very melanin (colour) sensitive laser. These would be individuals with a Fitzpatrick skin type 1-2 and sometimes even 3, this is all case dependent.

Diode laser has a medium penetration depth, making it better for thicker, darker coloured hair, this laser is not as ‘sensitive’ to explain it in an easy term to the melanin as the alexandrite is, making it a safer alternative for darker skinned individuals, even those with a slighter tan. These would be individuals who are Fitzpatrick 3-4 skin type.

ND: Yag has the longest wavelength or penetration depth, this is the safest for dark skin types and where the hair is coarse and deep without worry of burning the skin or causing damage to the melanin present in the skin itself.

Is LASER safe for me to have?

LASER hair removal is a safe procedure to have, you will not be able to have laser if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on any steroids, skin thinning medications or any other contra-indications which will be discussed with you in a consultation beforehand. You will also have a patch test before having any further laser treatment.

So the question remains… What type of Laser do we use at Skin Sense GP Clinic?

At Skin Sense GP Clinic we use a 3 in 1 LASER which combines the use of the Alexandrite, Diode and ND:Yag all in one machine.

Our laser machine combines the proven benefits of three wavelengths, allowing us to achieve maximum results and versatility when compared to single wavelength alternatives. The laser machine has a built-in cooling/ice tip which allows for maximum client comfort and virtually pain free laser hair removal.

Book in with us for a consultation and start your hair free journey TODAY!

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