Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal: has been used since 1997 and has been approved for permanent hair reduction in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration. Laser hair removal has become extremely popular because of its speed and efficiency. Laser hair removal is selective photothermolysis (SPTL). Lasers can cause localized damage by selectively heating dark target matter, (melanin), in the area that causes hair growth, (the follicle), while not heating the rest of the skin. Light is absorbed by dark objects, so laser energy can be absorbed by dark material in the skin (but with much more speed and intensity). This dark target matter, or chromophore, can be naturally-occurring or artificially introduced.

Hair removal lasers selectively target melanin:

Melanin is considered the primary chromophore for all hair removal lasers currently on the market. Melanin occurs naturally in the skin (it gives skin and hair its color). There are two types of melanin in hair: eumelanin (which gives hair brown or black color) and pheomelanin (which gives hair blonde or red color). Because of the selective absorption of photons of laser light, only black or brown hair can be removed.

Laser hair removal works best with dark coarse hair. Light skin and dark hair are an ideal combination, but new lasers for hair removal are now able to target dark black hair even in patients with dark skin. Below are some target areas:

Bikini Area: Hair removal of the pubic area is widely sought after, and effective. 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 hyper-pigmentation 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.

Underarms: Laser hair removal is a common procedure for patients seeking to remove unwanted under arm hair. Each pulse of laser light removes the unwanted hair in the underarm region. The laser targets those hairs which are in their growth phase, and as hairs go through cycles, multiple sessions may be needed to remove all hair permanently.

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.

Laser hair removal of Facial Hair: 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 the hair growth isn't caused by hormonal abnormalities, we 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.