For many men and women, unwanted hair can be a nuisance or a nightmare.
Until recently, getting rid of it was painful, inconvenient, expensive and usually temporary.
Now, FDA approved laser technology can take care of unwanted hair safely, affordably
and permanently. Laser hair removal is effective on just about any area of the body where smooth
hair-free skin is desired, such as underarms, face, legs, bikini, back, chest and shoulders.
Treatment of a small area can be done in just minutes, while large areas can be done in less than
one hour. Permanent hair reduction can be seen after each treatment.
A series of treatments in recommended to achieve best results. A treatment schedule
is customized for each patient.
It's Waterfront Laser Aesthetics'
lunchtime solution to unwanted hair.
The LightSheer Diode Laser
FDA APPROVED FOR PERMANENT
HAIR REDUCTION
Until recently, the only lasting method of hair removal was
electrolysis, a tedious insertion of an electrode into each hair follicle. Newer advances
in laser technology have brought about the change from laser hair removal systems which
only produced temporary results, to the LightSheer Diode system which has, after a 4 year
multi-centre clinical study, proved to give permanent reduction.
DERMAL FILLERS
are different. Some deep lines and folds occur because of the loss of fat beneath the skin.
This produces smile lines and drooping of the corners of the mouth. Dermal Fillers, such as
Juvéderm® Injectable Gel and Restylane are smooth gels made from hyaluronic acid, a natural skin component.
They are injected beneath the skin to instantly restore your skin's volume and smooth away
facial wrinkles and folds. Dermal fillers are most commonly used to treat smile lines or
nasolabial folds (the creases that run from the bottom of your nose to the corners of your mouth).
They are also used to raise sagging corners of the mouth, plump up thinning lips, or to
enhance cheek bones.
Many individuals assume that if a laser is FDA approved,
the treatment will be permanent. This is incorrect. The LightSheer laser was approved for
safety in 1997. In 1999, the FDA certified the LightSheer laser for permanent hair reduction.
Some centres use Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) for hair removal which is not a laser. When
selecting a treatment centre for hair removal, be sure to ask if they use a laser which
is FDA approved for permanency.
How does laser hair removal work?
Light is absorbed by dark colours. If the summer sun shines on a car with black seats,
the seats become extremely hot. White car seats do not. Laser light works in the same way.
Hair removal lasers selectively target melanin, which gives hair a darker colour. White,
blond or gray hairs, which lack this same melanin, cannot be effectively treated with lasers.
When the energy of a laser is absorbed by a brown or black hair, the heat created can damage
the hair follicle. The hair follicle is the part of the skin which grows hair. Damaging the
follicle prevents further hair growth. Only hairs rooted in the follicle can be damaged by the
laser which occurs during the anagen growth phase. Because of this, only a portion of the hairs
are permanently removed during a laser treatment. A series of treatments are therefore required
to get the best results.
What is the hair growth cycle and how does hair growth work?
Under
normal circumstances hair growth in each hair follicle occurs on a cycle. There are three main
phases of the hair growth cycle: anagen, catagen and telogen.
Anagen (active) is the growth phase when the hair is rooted
in the follicle. During anagen, the hair contains an abundance of melanin. This
is the phase during which laser hair removal treatment is effective.
Catagen (resting) is when the lower part of the hair stops
growing, but does not shed, and the follicle shrinks.
Telogen (shedding) ) is the last part of the hair
growth cycle. It is the phase during which the old hair falls out in preparation
for the development of new anagen hair.
How many treatments are required?
This depends
on several factors, especially the area being treated. In general, five treatments
are needed for most body areas to achieve good results. Treatments are usually recommended
every six weeks. Facial hair in women usually requires more treatments. These are recommended
every four weeks. Men with back hair also benefit from more than five treatments for best results.
What areas can be treated?
Almost anywhere.
The only area we avoid is the eyebrows. (too close to the eyes)
Who are the best candidates?
The best candidates
for laser hair removal have dark coarse hair and fair coloured skin. In these people,
most of the laser’s energy is being absorbed by the hair and not by the skin, resulting
in the most damage to hair follicles. When is comes to hair colour, good results may
be seen with brown or black hair.
The laser has no effect on white,
blond or gray hair. Although some lasers can only treat certain skin types, our LightSheer
laser is specifically engineered to treat all skin colours.
Once the laser’s
energy is absorbed by the hair shaft, heat is transmitted from the hair shaft to the
surrounding tissue for several milliseconds after the laser pulse. The LightSheer laser
has a cooling sapphire tip which protects the skin and surrounding tissue by absorbing
any heat transmitted from the destroyed hair shafts.
Is laser hair removal permanent?
The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration approved the LightSheer Laser for “permanent hair reduction” in 1999.
Generally, this means that one shouldn't expect laser treatment to remove every single
hair from an area. Each laser hair removal treatment will result in hair reduction. Also,
the remaining hairs will become lighter and finer with each laser treatment. It takes more
than one treatment to affect all hair follicles growing in an area. Most people achieve
satisfactory clearance after a series of treatments, but individual results may vary
depending on medical, genetic and hormonal factors, hair and skin colour and the area
of the body treated. Lighter coloured hair may require more treatments than darker
coloured hair. The underarms, bikini lines and legs are areas which respond best to
laser treatments. A woman’s facial hair or a man’s back hair may require more treatments.
At the end of a full course of treatment, the desired outcome is 50-95% clearance in the
treated area. Some patients may have an infrequent touch-up after the initial set of
treatments for any growth that develops as the body ages.
It has also been
observed that some people are non-responders. The reason this occurs is usually unknown,
but may be due to an underlying medical condition.
How should I prepare for treatment?
-Avoid tanning for 4 weeks or self tanning products for 2 weeks.
-Avoid waxing, tweezing and threading for 4 weeks.
-Avoid medications which cause photosensitivity reactions.
-Avoid Accutane for 6 months.
-There should be no tattoo, permanent make-up, rash or skin infection in the area to be treated.
-Patients prone to herpes should consider taking antiviral medication before and after treatment.
-Shave the area to be treated the day before treatment. It is best if the outline of where hair is
growing is just slightly visible.
-You should not be pregnant or trying to become pregnant.
-You must never have received gold injections
What should I expect after treatment?
The healing process after laser treatment varies with several factors including
skin colour and the area treated on your body. Slight redness or swelling usually
only lasts a few hours, but can last longer. Visible stubble may occur for 2-3 weeks
due to old hair being expelled from disabled follicles. This hair falls away easily with gentle rubbing.
Things to do:
-Apply aloe vera gel to the treated area until healed. Keep moisturized.
-When showering or washing, gently pat dry and do not rub.
-A “cold pack” may be placed over the area to reduce swelling for the first day.
Things to avoid:
-Avoid using any harsh topical creams (AHA, acne creams, anti-wrinkle creams, etc.)
-Avoid any heat such as hot baths, hot tubs, saunas or exercise that induces sweating for at least 3 days.
-Avoid friction from clothing, rubbing, scratching and do not pick or remove scabs and crusts.
If there are no scabs or blisters, make-up may be used but removed gently.
-If underarms were treated,
avoid deodorant until the next day.
-Avoid sun exposure of the treated area for 1 month. Cover up and use SPF 30 or higher should
be applied to the area for the next 2 months to avoid skin changes and “browning” which
may occur with even minimal exposure to sunlight.
Is laser hair removal treatment painful?
Most patients are quite comfortable during treatments. Some describe a sensation
resembling a rubber band being snapped against the skin. The LightSheer laser has
a built in sapphire chill-tip that cools the skin while it does its work. This
increases the patient’s comfort level. In addition, a cryogen cold air device is
available during treatments. This helps to further numb the skin and reduce any
sensation. Most people do not require the use of an anesthetic cream, such as EMLA,
but one may be used for very sensitive patients or skin areas. The amount of hair
remaining is relative to the energy patients can tolerate.
Are there any possible risks, side effects or complications
from laser hair removal?
Although the LightSheer laser has been proven
to be safe and effective, there is still the possibility that some side effects
or complications may occur, including the following:
Normal Side Effects
-Redness or swelling for a few hours but in some areas can last for a few days.
Rare Side Effects
-Crusting, scabbing or blistering.
-Bruising.
-Purpura (purple coloring of the skin) on tanned areas.
-Infection.
-Temporary skin pigment change.
-Moles or freckles may lighten.
Side effects occur infrequently and, as a general rule, are temporary. If patients have
any concerns they should contact Dr. Billinkoff.
What are the possible causes of excessive hair growth and
how can they affect treatments?
The causes of excessive hair growth
pattern are many and varied. They include the following:
-Heredity.
-Pregnancy.
-Glandular and/or hormonal imbalances in women, including diseases causing these effects.
-Insulin resistance issues.
-Reactions to certain medications.
-Normal aging processes.
-Excessive temporary removal methods like waxing, tweezing, creams and depilatories, etc.
Candidates for laser hair removal with excessive hair growth should explore a
possible underlying cause before starting laser treatments. If there is something in the
patient’s body consistently triggering hair growth, laser treatments may appear to be
ineffective because the body will keep developing new hair. In these cases it will always
seem like there has been no hair reduction after treatment, when in fact it’s NEW hair
that is being produced. Women with hair growth pattern consistent with Polycystic Ovary
Syndrome (PCOS) such as upper lip, chin, cheeks, etc. should see an endocrinologist and have
hormonal tests taken before embarking on a course of laser hair removal treatments.
Men can get tested for insulin resistance etc. Patients should speak to their primary care
physicians if they are concerned that an underlying medical condition is causing excessive hair growth.
Remember, laser can affect the hair that’s currently present, but cannot prevent NEW hair from developing.
How do I determine my Fitzpatrick skin type?
In 1975, Thomas B Fitzpatrick, MD, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, developed a classification
system for skin typing. This system was based on a person's response to sun exposure in terms
of the degree of burning and tanning the individual experienced. For successful removal of
hair, wrinkles, veins, sun spots, and scars using LASER technology, it is necessary determine
your correct skin type.
TYPE I: Highly sensitive, always burns, never tans.
Example: Red hair with freckles or Albino.
TYPE II: Very sun sensitive, burns easily, tans minimally.
Example: Fair-skinned, Fair-haired Caucasians.
TYPE III: Sun sensitive skin, sometimes burns, slowly tans to light brown.
Example: Darker Caucasians, European mix.
TYPE IV: Minimally sun sensitive, burns minimally, always tans to moderate brown.
Example: Mediterranian, European, Asian, Hispanic, American Indian.
TYPE V: Sun-insensitive skin, rarely burns, tans well.
Example: Hispanics, Afro-American, Middle Eastern.
TYPE VI: Sun-insensitive, never burns, deeply pigmented.
Example: Afro-American, African, Middle Eastern.
Can tanning affect laser treatments?
Although many lasers cannot be used in patients with tanned skin, the LightSheer laser
has special settings which allow it to treat hair safely. It is probably best, however,
to wait 4 weeks after sun tanning to begin laser treatments and to use SPF 30 or greater
for four weeks after each treatment.
How does Winnipeg’s Waterfront Laser Aesthetics Inc. differ
from spas, salons, and other medical offices?
One of the benefits of
Waterfront Laser Aesthetics Inc. is the high level of physician involvement with
your care. Dr. Errol Billinkoff personally meets with every patient to review their
medical history and to discuss all aspects of their treatment. Dr. Billinkoff directs
all treatments and is present when treatment is started to ensure the ideal laser
settings and patient comfort. In addition, all laser treatments are performed by
our laser technologist, Jody Carlson.
We use state of the art laser
technology designed specifically for laser hair removal. At other centres, treatments
are sometimes given by whichever technician is working that day, using whichever
machine is available when you arrive. There is no consistency. At Waterfront
Laser Aesthetics Inc. you get the same technologist with the same laser each time.
What should I expect during my office consultation?
You will be asked to complete a brief questionnaire to help plan your treatment. You will
then be shown a brief video all about laser hair removal. Dr. Billinkoff will then meet
with you to answer all of your questions. If time permits, those who wish can usually
have their first treatment following their consultation. (see: How should I prepare for
treatment?)
Our laser works rapidly making treatment times very brief. Facial
treatments can be done in just minutes, while underarms and bikini lines usually take just
10 to 15 minutes. Most patients can easily return to their usually activities, though
slight redness may be present for a few hours. Expect to be in the office for 30 to 45
minutes for your consultation. Subsequent appointments can be much shorter, depending on the area being treated.
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