Laser Back Hair Removal

Hair on the back can be more than just an aesthetic issue. Occasionally the hair can become irritated, and itchy, and the hair follicles may become infected. The discomfort is worsened with exercise, warm weather and associated sweating.

The hair presentation can vary from very dense to sparse. Either way, laser hair removal can be extremely helpful in reducing, or eliminating, undesired hair. As with other areas of the body, the type of laser used must be chosen and applied to the patient carefully to receive the maximum potential outcome. Physician offices that have the greatest experience in the field are most likely to be sufficiently knowledgeable in selecting and treating with the appropriate laser or light source.

Waxing & Shaving Not as Effective

Other options, such as shaving, waxing and using depilatory creams, have limitations on the back. Since the back is difficult to reach, the help of an assistant is almost always necessary when shaving or applying depilatory creams. Of these three hair removal approaches, waxing offers the longest time for hair-free skin--lasting several weeks. But waxing the back can be irritating to skin, which can even result in pigmentation of the skin and, of course, can be a fairly uncomfortable procedure.

Advantages of Laser Hair Removal for Back Hair

Laser hair removal for back hair may not be perfect, but there are important advantages for every patient. Several potential lasers and light sources are available, each having a specific benefit for the patient, depending on the patient's skin color, hair color, hair thickness and hair density. Those physician offices offering the greatest selection of lasers, and other light sources, will increase the likelihood of having the best choice for the patient and the best final outcome.

One laser session can cover the whole back and is relatively well tolerated by the patient. In four to six treatment sessions a permanent reduction in the majority of hair can be achieved. With continued treatments, most hair may become permanently smaller or totally eliminated. Even those patients with thicker, coarse hair may have a significant permanent thinning of the diameter of many of the hairs, in addition to achieving a reduction in hair density. Those hairs that remain may be much less of a concern to the patient. This is especially important to those patients who have recurrent irritation from their back hair. The use of the laser, and other light sources, have allowed for a real advance in the treatment of these patients.

Source : http://www.hairremovaljournal.org/treat_backhair.aspx

Underarm laser hair removal

Laser Hair Removal Effective for Underarms

Underarm laser hair removal is a common practice for people wanting to remove unwanted under arm hair. Each laser light pulse removes the unwanted hair from the underarm region. The laser targets the hairs which are just growing. Hair growth may have cycles, so multiple hair removal sessions may be needed to remove all underarm hair permanently.

Laser hair removal for underarms is quick

Since the armpits are a comparatively smaller area, removal of underarm hair using laser is one of the fastest procedures. The procedures requires only several minutes of treatment.

Facial Laser Hair Removal

Understand Your Facial Hair

Unwanted facial hair on women often appears on the upper lip, chin and sides of the face. Before you decide on the proper removal method first determine that the cause of the hair growth is not hormonal. If you are experiencing an abnormal growth of hair on these facial areas or if the hair is very thick, you should consult your physician to determine the underlying causes before you embark on a removal regimen.

If the hair growth isn’t caused by hormonal abnormalities, you have a number of different options for removal. I find that women often choose to tweeze the hairs. Overall, this is not the best solution because repeated plucking can cause irritation in the hair follicle and, on darker-skinned women, can also result in scarring. Unless you have just a few stray hairs that occasionally pop up, save the tweezers for other uses.

Laser Hair Removal Can Achieve Good Results

Laser hair removal is the newest weapon in the hair removal arsenal. The ideal candidate for laser hair removal has fair skin and dark hair, but good results can be achieved by an experienced laser practitioner on darker-skinned women. Overall, laser hair removal is not very effective on light blonde or white hair.

Things to Consider Before Treatment

Before you begin treatment, you should consult a physician to determine if you are a good candidate for laser hair removal. You also want to make sure that the person treating you (whether it’s a doctor, registered nurse or licensed esthetician) is experienced. The three most important questions to ask during a consultation are:

• Do you own the laser or rent it? If the doctor owns the laser, that tells me they have a high level of commitment and experience.
• How many patients have you treated?
• What kind of results can I expect?

50-70% Overall Reduction in Hair After 3 Treatments

Although laser hair removal is often billed as permanent, a 50 percent to 70 percent reduction after three treatments, performed six weeks apart, is more realistic. On facial areas, maintenance treatments are usually necessary for complete removal. Depending on what part of the country you live in, charges for laser hair removal should range from $150 to $350 per facial area.

Avoid laser treatment around the eyes- - on the brow area and in between the eyes. Because laser rays can penetrate deeply, this is an area better treated by tweezing, waxing or electrolysis.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis uses low-level electricity to kill the hair follicles. On the upside, results last longer than with waxing and depilatories. However, the process can be time consuming and costly. Finding a reputable practitioner is key, because electrolysis performed incorrectly can cause scarring. Before you begin treatment, ask for referrals from former clients, and make sure that a new needle is used for each session. I generally recommend electrolysis for women with white or very blond hair and for women who have areas with isolated hairs.

Depilatory Creams

Depilatory creams dissolve the hair at the base of the follicle. They are ideal for widespread areas (like the legs), but can be problematic when used on the face because they irritate the skin and usually don’t remove all of the hairs. On the plus side, depilatory creams are a relatively inexpensive option. On average, results will last for one to two weeks.

Waxing

Waxing is one of the most popular solutions among my patients. Generally, it is an effective method to remove hair on the upper lip and fine hair on the side of the face, but I don’t recommend it for the chin area, where hair tends to be more coarse. Waxing can also be problematic for darker-skinned women, who sometimes experience discoloration due to irritation and inflammation. Depending on the type of hair you have, waxing results should last from two to six weeks.

Bikini Laser Hair Removal

Experience Counts

Like other anatomical areas, laser hair removal of the bikini area is dependent on such factors as hair color, skin color, hair strand thickness and density. These factors will be evaluated by physician offices to help choose the most appropriate laser system for each patient. Those physician offices with the most experience in the field of laser hair removal have the greatest potential for choosing the most appropriate laser or similar light source.

Laser Reduces or Eliminates Razor Bumps and Redness

Although hair removal of the pubic area is widely sought after, and effective, there are more than just aesthetic concerns when treating this area. The bikini area is also a region of common occurring folliculitis, inflammation and infection of the hair follicles. Not only does this result in itchy and painful lesions, but fairly often secondary hyperpigmentation and darkening of the skin occur from the inflammation. Fortunately, the laser has been very helpful in reducing, or eliminating, hair growth and diminishing, or stopping, recurrent folliculitis.

Not only does laser hair removal stop the folliculitis, and subsequent skin darkening, but some of these laser systems are beneficial in reducing hyperpigmentation, and persistent skin redness, which occurred from earlier episodes of folliculitis. This exciting secondary benefit to laser hair removal is very appreciated by the patient. Having a bikini area that is free of hair, irritation, and discoloration, can be very desirable.

Laser Hair Removal is Highly Effective

Although other forms of hair removal--such as electrolysis, depilatory creams or waxing--can be used, each has its own limitations as to effectiveness and ease of use. In three to six treatments, bikini laser hair removal may accomplish a permanent reduction in the majority of pubic hair. The procedure is very rapid and well tolerated. Even the hair that remains is many times reduced in diameter, making them significantly less of a cosmetic issue while also reducing the irritation of the hair follicle. Overall, this procedure is commonly performed with high patient satisfaction. Remember lasers are medical devices that need a high level of expertise to be used safely. Physician offices specializing in these procedures increase not only effectiveness but also the safety of the procedure.

source : http://www.hairremovaljournal.org/treat_bikini.aspx

Problems In Treating Darker Skin

The most apparent problem in treating darker skin types is the amount of epidermal melanin present. This melanin acts as a competing chromophore for the laser or light energy. If a significant amount of energy is absorbed by the epidermal melanin, acute problems such as blistering and crusting, as well as long term complications such as scarring and dyspigmentation, may occur. Melanosomes in black skin are not only increased in number compared to white skin, but are distributed throughout the entire epidermis, including the stratum basale, granulosum, lucidum, and corneum. The melanosomes are larger, individually dispersed, and have a higher melanin content than the smaller, aggregated melanosomes with less melanin found in white non-tanned skin. These melanosomes are able to absorb more light and therefore less light reaches the intended chromophore within the hair follicle, making the procedure essentially ineffective. As mentioned above, the majority of black patients have spiral shaped hair and the follicles themselves are curved. Together, this makes black patients more prone to the condition of pseudofolliculitis barbae. Other differences in hair follicles have been studied, and perhaps not surprisingly, black hair is more heavily pigmented compared to white hair. Melanosomes are present in both the outer root sheath and in the bulb of vellus hairs in black patients, but not in white patients. The total hair density and total number of terminal hair follicles is significantly lower in African Americans compared with white subjects.14 This is particularly important in hair removal, as a higher density of hair follicles leads to more thermal energy absorption and therefore a greater risk for adverse effects. Although studies assessing the thickness of the epidermis and dermis find no difference between white and black skin,15 there is a difference in composition of the dermis. Fibroblasts are larger and increased in number compared to white skin. The collagen fiber bundles are smaller and more closely stacked in black skin. Although we are unsure of the importance of these findings, there may be some contribution to the higher incidence of keloid formation seen in darker skinnedindividuals.

Theory of Laser Use For Hair Removal

The use of laser or light sources to remove unwanted hair is based on the theory of selective photothermolysis.4 This concept allows the user to transfer light energy into heat and destroy the hair follicle with minimal to no effect on surrounding tissue. The target of the laser or light source is endogenous melanin present in hair follicles. The absorption spectrum for melanin is broad, and ranges from ultraviolet (400 nm) to infrared light (1200 nm). In theory, any of these wavelengths could be used to destroy the target melanin, however, melanin absorption is greatest with shorter wavelengths, and decreases as longer wavelengths are utilized. In order to selectively target melanin within the hair follicle and avoid epidermal injury, the laser or light source will ideally be able to reach deeper into the skin to the level of the bulge area of the hair follicle, as well as the dermal papilla or bulb. The bulge portion of the outer root sheath of the hair follicle is thought to contain epithelial stem cells responsible for regenerating follicles in the anagen stage. The bulb is the lowermost portion of the hair follicle where the matrix cells exist and proliferate. Pigment in the hair shaft is produced by melanocytes interspersed among the matrix cells. Targeting both the bulge and bulb will theoretically provide permanent hair reduction. The bulb is approximately 4 mm from the skin surface, and the bulge is approximately one-third the distance from the surface of the skin to the bulb. Longer wavelengths such as the 1064 nm neodymium:yttriumaluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser will reach approximately 5 mm below the skin surface, which roughly corresponds to the level of the hair follicle bulb. In addition to selecting the appropriate wavelength, other parameters may be adjusted to selectively target deeper hair follicles while minimizing damage to the epidermis. According to the principle of selective photothermolysis, selective thermal destruction will occur if sufficient energy is delivered at a wavelength well absorbed by the target within a time period less than or equal to the thermal relaxation time of the target. The thermal relaxation time is the time it takes for the target to cool to half of its baseline temperature by transferring the heat to surrounding structures. Tanned or darkly pigmented skin has greater melanin content and more

melanin distributed throughout the epidermis and stratum corneum than white, nontanned skin. Tanning from ultraviolet exposure also causes epidermal thickening. Thus, thermal relaxation time of the absorbing epidermal layer can vary from 100 μs for white nontanned skin to as much as 25 ms for a thick epidermis in the case of tanned or darkly pigmented skin. The pulse duration is the amount of time laser energy is applied to the surface, and can range from nanoseconds to milliseconds. It is an important determinant of efficiency and morbidity associated with hair removal procedures. The pulse duration used in laser hair removal is approximately equal to the thermal relaxation time of the hair follicle. If the pulse duration exceeds the thermal relaxation time of the basal cell layer (approximately 0.1 ms) or the entire epidermis (approximately 10 ms), these structures will cool as they are heated during the laser pulse. Larger targets such as hair follicles with longer thermal relaxation times (approximately 40 ms), can be selectively injured more than these smaller targets even though they contain the same target melanin. Longer pulse durations allow the hair follicles whose diameter is larger than the epidermal thickness and which contain heavy concentrations of melanin, to accumulate heat. Simultaneously, the epidermis with its shorter thermal relaxation time than the hair follicles, is essentially allowed to cool down. For any given wavelength, increasing pulse duration allows the delivery of higher fluences in dark skin types.10 Fluence is the total energy delivered per unit area and is measured in joules per centimeter squared (J/cm2). Higher fluences have been shown to be more effective at achieveing permanent hair reduction. Therefore, the goal is to deliver the highest fluence possible without causing epidermal injury. Fluence is the main parameter causing adverse effects by overheating the surrounding tissue of the hair follicle or of the pigmented epidermis, and must be adjusted cautiously. The biology of the hair follicle also influences the effectiveness of the laser. Human hair grows in a cyclical pattern. The growth phase, or anagen phase, is followed by a degradative phase, or catagen phase, and then by a resting period when no growth occurs, the telogen phase.6 It is thought that for the laser treatment to be most effective, the hair must be in the anagen growth phase. This may be due to the higher concentration of melanin within the hair follicle at this stage. Approximately 80–85% of hairs are in the anagen phase at any one time depending on location, age, and gender; the remainder are in catagen (2%), or telogen (10–15%).9 Table 6.1 shows the percentage of hair follicles in anagen according to location, as well as hair density and follicle depth which are also site dependent, and important considerations in laser hair removal. Four clinical responses may occur after light exposure.11 Heat induced destruction of the hair shaft without damage to the germinative area may cause the hair shaft to fall out and then regrow at the next scheduled anagen cycle. Partial injury to the germinative zone of the hair follicle may result in trichoregulatory dysfunction, telogen-shock response, prolonged telogen dropout, and eventual regrowth of normal hair once the anagen phase begins again, or may lead to the development of thinner, finer hairs with variable hypopigmentation. Ideally after therapeutic light exposure, total germinative zone injury results in long term hair loss. Laser hair removal is generally considered safe; however, as with any procedure, there are risks involved. Side effects may include erythema, edema, vesiculation, hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, growth of thinner or paler hair, induction of hair growth, and scar formation. These risks are much higher in individuals with darker skin types. New methods and technologies are under development that will aid in the safe treatment of darker skin types. Before treating an individual with type V or VI skin, a strong understanding of the principles of laser technology, as well as a consideration of available cooling devices, will be useful. The following discussion will assist the provider in the use of laser therapy for hair removal in types V and VI skin.

Background - Laser Hair Removal in Ethnic Skin

Laser hair removal was first approved by the FDA in 1995 and has become an increasingly popular procedure over the past several years. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, there were over 1.5 million laser hair removal procedures performed in 2005, an increase of more than 300% over 5 years ago. It is the second most commonly performed nonsurgical cosmetic procedure, and the most common procedure for individuals 18 years and younger. Initial laser and light based technology was designed for the treatment of dark hair on light skin. Although the indications for hair removal are mostly considered cosmetic, in darker skinned patients hair removal may relieve chronic folliculitis or pseudofolliculitis barbae. This condition is common in dark skinned patients with spiral shaped hair, and may cause pruritus and discomfort, in addition to permanent scarring and pigment alteration in severe cases. It is often very difficult to treat, and the use of lasers has shown promising results.