LASER HAIR REMOVAL
About Laser Hair Removal at Christina Clinic
Laser hair removal has become one of the most popular and effective methods for achieving smooth, hair-free skin. Whether you’re tired of shaving, waxing, or dealing with ingrown hairs, laser hair removal offers a long-lasting solution. In women, the most common areas for treatment are upper lip, chin, bikini line, legs and underarms. In men, the most common areas are shoulders and back. Read our FAQs below for more details on our treatments and common questions!
Here’s an in-depth look at what laser hair removal entails, how it works, and what you can expect from the treatment.
What is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a medical procedure that uses concentrated beams of light (lasers) to remove unwanted hair. The laser emits a light that is absorbed by the pigment (melanin) in the hair. This light energy is converted to heat, which damages the hair follicles that produce hairs. This damage inhibits or delays future hair growth.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
- Consultation:
The process usually begins with a consultation where a certified technician assesses your skin type, hair type, and medical history. This helps in determining whether you’re a suitable candidate for the procedure.
- Preparation:
Before the treatment, the area to be treated is cleansed, and a cooling gel or cold air is applied to protect the outer layers of your skin and to help the laser light penetrate the skin.
- Procedure:
During the procedure, a hand-held laser device will be held against your skin. When the laser is activated, the light passes through your skin to the tiny sacs (hair follicles) where hair growth originates. The intense heat and light fluence from the laser damages the hair follicles, which inhibits hair growth. You might feel a sensation of warmth or mild discomfort, similar to a rubber band snapping against your skin. You and the technician will wear protective goggles to avoid exposure to direct or scattered laser light. The area treated should be shaved and sometimes white colored marker will outline the area being treated. The laser will produce a beam of highly concentrated light. The light produced by the laser will be absorbed by the pigment located in the hair follicles. The laser pulses for a fraction of a second, just long enough to vaporize the pigment, disabling several follicles at a time to eliminate, or significantly impede the hair growth.
The laser’s special contact cooling handpiece cools and protects the surrounding skin while bringing the laser energy as close as possible to the hair root. Most patients experience minimal discomfort during a laser treatment. The area may become pink or red within 30 minutes of treatment and may last from a few hours to a few days in very rare instances. - Post-Treatment Care:
After the procedure, you might notice redness and swelling for the first few hours. Applying ice packs or anti-inflammatory creams can help alleviate any discomfort. You must avoid the sun two to three weeks before and after your treatment. For the first few weeks, the hairs will fall out slowly and should be exfoliated gently. At first, your hairs will be present, but after a few weeks, the area will be smooth and hairless until the next cycle of hair growth is activated within your follicles. Following up with laser treatments in a timely manner is crucial to the success of your treatment process. The number of treatments needed for each individual are dependent on causes of hair growth, ethnicity, hair density, growth cycles, medications, hormones, hair location, and metabolism.
WHY DO I NEED MULTIPLE SESSIONS?
The number of sessions of laser hair removal varies on the area and type of hair. Its important to understand how hair grows—which is in three stages. On average, multiple sessions are needed to achieve optimal results because hair grows in cycles, and the laser can only target hair in the growth phase. The active stage of growth is anagen when the hair contains an abundance of melanin and is still attached to the root of the follicle. Light energy is absorbed by the pigment melanin, and transformed into heat energy disabling the follicle. Another stage of hair growth is catagen, when the lower part of the hair stops growing and the hair has not shed. The third stage is the resting phase called telogen. To achieve long term results, the hair must be treated in the anagen or active stage of growth. We must catch the hair in the anagen growth cycle. This is why a series of timed treatments will be needed to achieve long term results.
Benefits of Laser Hair Removal
- Precision:
Lasers can selectively target hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged.
- Speed:
Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs simultaneously. Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute, while larger areas like the back or full legs may take up to an hour.
- Long-Term Results:
After an average of 5 to 9 sessions, most patients experience permanent hair loss in the treated areas.
- Less Painful than Other Methods:
Compared to waxing or electrolysis, laser hair removal is relatively less painful and causes minimal discomfort.
Ideal Candidates for Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal traditionally has worked best on people with light skin and dark hair because the laser targets the pigment (melanin) in the hair. However, at Christina Clinic we have invested in the newest technology in laser hair removal so we can treat all skin types including darker tones. We also offer electrolysis for grey, white, or blonde hair that the laser cannot destroy. With over 40 years in business you can be assured of experienced and caring professionals for your hair removal needs.
BEFORE + AFTER GALLERY
Laser Hair Removal
BEFORE
Female Upper Lip – Before and after 3rd treatment
AFTER
Female Upper Lip – Before and after 3rd treatment
BEFORE
Female Abdomen – Before and after 1st treatment
AFTER
Female Abdomen – Before and after 1st treatment
BEFORE
Female Arm – Before treatment
AFTER
Female Arm – 5 months after 1st treatment
Cutting-Edge Technology
SPLENDOR X by Lumenis
SPLENDOR X is unlike any other hair removal system in the world. It is the first Nd:YAG and Alexandrite laser system to be powered by BLEND XTM technology for unprecedented power, speed, versatility and cover- age rate. What’s important about this new laser system is the speed and the ability to treat finer and thicker hairs at the same time using two wavelengths.
LightSheer® DESIRE™by Lumenis
High-Speed Integrated Vacuum Assisted Technology uses a unique vacuum mechanism that activates the skin’s tactile and pressure receptors to inhibit the transmission of pain. ChillTip™ Technology improves patient comfort by cooling the skin prior to treatment and continuously cooling it throughout the treatment.
FAQS: LASER HAIR REMOVAL AT CHRISTINA CLINIC
The near-infrared laser light emitted by the system is preferentially absorbed by the pigment located in the hair follicle. The laser is pulsed, or turned on, for only a fraction of a second. The duration of each pulse is just long enough to damage the follicle, while the system’s unique, patented contact-cooling handpiece cools the skin during the laser energy delivery.
Theoretically, damage to the hair follicle can remove unwanted hair permanently, but because of the nature of hair and the many factors that influence the growth of hair, the results are variable. The effect of repeated treatments is cumulative. In fact, most people experience long-term hair removal.
This process performed with a diamond dust-coated wand, is a safe and e ffective technique for improving… chnique for improving…
As with any medical treatment, use of the LightSheer Diode System can have some side effects. However, side effects have been minor and manageable in clinical use. The precise laser parameters used for the LightSheer Diode System were carefully defined by studying the anatomy of the hair follicle and precisely matching the color of laser light and the pulse duration to the size, depth, and location of the hair follicle. This research has resulted in a safe technique that effectively eliminates the risk of scarring and substantially reduces most other complications following treatment.
No treatment to remove unwanted hair is completely painless. The LightSheer Diode System is fast which reduces treatment time. It provides long-lasting hair removal, reducing the need for repeated treatment. The cooling lens helps reduce discomfort while protecting the skin surface from thermal injury during delivery of the laser light. If large or sensitive areas with unwanted hair are to be treated, a topical anesthetic cream may be applied to the site to further reduce discomfort.
Immediately after treatment, the site will be somewhat swollen, appear slightly red in color, and will feel like a mild sunburn. This reaction subsides over a few hours, and then the treated sites usually return to their normal appearance. The amount of discomfort after this procedure is usually minimal and does not limit most normal physical activities. Since light is used to remove the hair, there is no bleeding and no open wound is created. For this reason, there is no need to apply a bandage and wound care is generally not required.
Each pulse of laser energy from the LightSheer Diode System will treat a square area of skin of approximately half an inch (12mm). For this reason, the amount of time required depends on the size of the area requiring treatment. For example, the upper lip and bikini line may require only 5-15 minutes of treatment. While a longer period of time will be required to treat the back or legs.
LEARN MORE
Dark Hair Laser Hair Removal
Light and Dark Hair Removal - Laser and Electrolysis
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