HAIR REMOVAL

Unwanted and excessive hair growth is a constant source of irritation to many – women and men alike. Most hair removal methods, e.g. shaving or using a hair removal cream, hot wax or epilation devices, only offer temporary effects.

For the past decade, it has been possible to permanently remove dark excess hairs with light or laser RI. The laser light is absorbed by the brown colourant (pigment) in the roots of the hair and turned into heat. The root will burn up and the hair will die off. In this manner, permanent hair removal is possible in a quick, reliable and comfortable manner.

The hair removal laser is most effective during the active growth phase of the hair. Because not all hairs are in that phase at the same time, it will take more than one treatment to achieve permanent hair removal. Furthermore, more hair will be in the active phase at once in certain places on the body, compared to others. In the face, for example, 80% of all hairs are in the active phase, while that number is only 25% for the legs.

HOW DOES THE HAIR REMOVAL LASER WORK?
The laser produces a concentrated beam of light at a specific wavelength. The energy is absorbed by the colourant (melanin) in the hair. As a result, the hair shaft will heat up and carry the heat downward, where it also permanently damages the root of the hair. Darker-coloured hair will absorb more light and be destroyed more effectively. Lighter hairs are heated to a lesser extent, so their permanent removal is more difficult to achieve.

The ideal condition for laser hair removal therefore involves darker-coloured hairs on pale skin. If the skin has darker pigmentation, either naturally or due to exposure to the sun, some of the energy of the laser will be absorbed by that pigment. It can be painful and lessens the effectiveness of the treatment, because some of the energy is lost on the skin itself. This may also create white spots on the skin.

Once the root of the hair is damaged, a hair cannot grow back. Keep in mind, however, that the hairs that were at rest during a treatment will gradually enter the growth phase. A second laser treatment session (generally six to eight weeks after the first) will therefore be necessary. On average, it will take four to six treatments to achieve complete hair removal.

The hair removal laser has a special cooled handle to protect the epidermis from the heat from the laser light. This means more energy can be generated without harming the skin and more hair roots can be destroyed. The laser treatment can be used on both the finer, more sensitive skin of women and the coarser hair of men.