- How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
- Am I a Candidate For Laser Hair Removal?
- How Does Skin Type Affect Treatment?
- What Types of Laser Are Used For Hair Removal?
- How is Symphony’s ELOS Laser Better Than Other Lasers?
- How Many Laser Treatments Will I Need and How Often?
- Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent?
- What is the Cost For Permanent Hair Removal?
- Is Laser Hair Removal Painful?
- Are There Any Temporary or Long-Term Negative Side Effects?
- What Should I Expect Before/After a Laser Treatment?
1. How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
All lasers for hair removal purposes use optical energy to target the pigment in the hair (melanin). Lasers differ by their wavelength, which dictates its depth of penetration. The objective is to get sufficient heat to the root of the hair to damage it permanently. While most lasers function along the same principle, not all lasers are equally effective on the same hair color or skin type.
Many lasers may singe or burn the hair, which will provide only temporary clearance. Other lasers target more energy at the root of the hair and away from the surface of the skin, making treatments safer and more effective. All lasers target pigment in the hair, and generally speaking, the most successful treatments are those performed on course, dark hair, with a lighter skin tone. Fine hair cannot absorb much heat, nor can hair without much pigment (color).
A common misconception is that Intense Pulse Light (IPL) machines are lasers, which they are not. IPL devices do not have the targeted capability that laser energy does, rather distributing the energy more indiscriminately. IPL devices are generally cheaper than laser devices, which is why many clinics choose to use them. Generally, true hair removal lasers tend to achieve better and faster results than IPLs.
Symphony Laser Center uses ELOS technology, which combines focused laser energy with other modalities, making it a more versatile device, effective on more skin types and hair colors than a traditional laser (See Q 4).
2. Am I a Candidate For Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is popular and suitable for both men and women who wish to remove unwanted hair on a long term or permanent basis. Hair removal is done on all body sites where individuals prefer unwanted hair to be removed.
It is extremely important that individuals get treated on the appropriate laser for their skin type and hair color. Laser technology works by targeting dark pigment. Generally speaking with most devices you will find that the best results are achieved on pale skin and dark coarse hair. The lighter the skin, and the darker and coarser the hair, the better are the results. If an individual’s skin is too dark, and he or she gets treated on a shorter wavelength laser, there can be serious implications for burning or scarring the skin.
Fortunately, Symphony Laser Center uses ELOS technology, which combines a longer wavelength laser with other modalities resulting in a safe and effective treatment for virtually all skin types and most hair colors.
3. How Does Skin Type Affect Treatment?
Skin type and color can be critically important factors for those with darker or tanned skin. In such instances, it is imperative from a safety and efficacy standpoint, that patients avoid shorter wavelength lasers, which allow for greater absorption of heat into the surface of the skin.
Symphony Laser Center utilizes ELOS technology, which is very safe for virtually all skin tones and hair colors. This is due to the longer laser wavelength, as well as the other energy sources used to direct sufficient energy into the root of the hair.
A standardized skin classification scale has been used in the laser industry for over 30 years, which is known as the ‘Fitzpatrick Skin Chart’. This scale is largely based upon a person’s response to sun exposure and the corresponding level of tanning, or burning, that may result. One of the very first considerations for any laser treatment is to categorize the patient’s skin type.
Below is an example of the Fitzpatrick Skin Classification table:
TYPE I: This person is very fair-skinned and highly sensitive to sun exposure. Excessive sun exposure almost always results in burns and never a tan. An example of Type I would be someone with red hair with freckles or Albino.
TYPE II: This person is very sun sensitive and easily burns, with very minimal tan. An example of Type II would be fair-skinned, fair-haired Caucasians.
TYPE III: This person has sun sensitive skin and may sometimes burn, but also has the ability to slowly tan to light brown. An example of Type III would be darker Caucasians, or a European mix.
TYPE IV: This person would be considered minimally sun sensitive that minimally burns and always tans to a moderate to deeper brown. An example of Type IV would be someone of Mediterranean, European, Asian, Hispanic, or American Indian descent.
TYPE V: This person is very tolerant and insensitive to the sun, and who burns rarely while tanning exceptionally well. An example of Type V would be someone of Hispanics, Afro-American, or Middle Eastern descent.
TYPE VI: This person is considered the most sun-insensitive, one who never burns, and is deeply pigmented. An example of Type VI would be someone of Afro-American, African, or Middle Eastern ethnicity.
4. What Types of Lasers Are Used For Hair Removal?
Symphony Laser Center utilizes Syneron ELOS technology, which combines diode laser energy with bi-polar radio frequency (RF) and intense pulsed light energies. This unique, multi-faceted approach allows for the safe and effective treatment of the widest array of skin types and hair colors.
5. How is Symphony’s ELOS Laser Better Than Other Lasers?
Symphony Laser Center utilizes Syneron ELOS technology, which combines diode laser energy with bi-polar radio frequency (RF) and intense pulsed light energies. This unique, multi-faceted approach allows for the safe and effective treatment of the widest array of skin types and hair colors.
The biggest difference between this technology and other lasers is this system is so much more than just a laser. The ability to use other energy-producing technologies, such as bi-polar radio frequency (RF) and intense pulsed light (IPL) in conjunction with the diode laser; means more energy can be targeted and absorbed at the root of the hair, with the least amount of absorption in surrounding tissue. This enhances overall safety. In addition, ELOS is safer for dark skin types, since lower optical energy may be used. Finally, the ELOS Technology is more efficient for light, fine, and deep hair due to the colorblind nature and deeper penetration of the Radio Frequency energy.
The Symphony ELOS technology is the safest form of treatment for permanent hair removal with the highest degree of patient safety. It also results in superior results in fewer treatments.
6. How Many Laser Treatments Will I Need and How Often?
During any moment, your body has hairs that are actively growing, while others are dormant. This plays a very significant role in permanent hair removal, since only actively growing hairs can be targeted in any one given treatment. The Symphony System for permanent hair removal, provides for a series of six (6) treatments, at intervals of 4 to 8 weeks apart, depending on the body site being treated.
7. Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent?
The permanence of laser hair removal treatments have been debated since the introduction of lasers for these purposes. Hair removal lasers have been used since the mid 1990’s, at which time clinical results were submitted and reviewed by the FDA. It was around this time that approval was provided for “permanent reduction.” Herein lays a tremendous gray area; what does permanent reduction mean? Typically the definition means “some” hair will be permanently disabled.
What should be kept in mind is that 100% of hair will not be removed even in the best circumstances, as finer and lighter hairs are often left behind. However, Symphony Laser Center’s permanent hair removal treatments using ELOS technology, provide for the safest and most predictable results of any device we have ever used.
8. What is The Cost For Permanent Hair Removal?
Pricing is probably the single most commonly asked question regarding hair removal services. Many facilities will offer very enticing single treatment fees. However, these services are typically for long term rather than permanent clearance. If you are interested in permanent hair removal, Symphony Laser Center will cater a treatment program for you consisting of six (6) sessions. We do not list a “price chart,” because our pricing formula is based upon many variables; including the number of body sites being treated, the amount of hair in a given area, and even the payment option chosen.
If you are truly interested in hair free skin with permanent results, we encourage you to call us to schedule a free, private consultation. During that time we can answer any and all questions you may have, including providing a very specific fee schedule for the services that you may require.
9. Is Laser Hair Removal Painful?
Often compared to the pain of waxing or the snap of an elastic band, traditional laser treatments can provide a significant amount of patient discomfort, depending upon the site being treated, the type of laser being used, the skin type, and the color of hair.
Thankfully, Symphony Laser Center’s hair removal treatments using ELOS technology, represent perhaps the most tolerable treatment of all hair removal devices. A mild pinching sensation may be felt, but the use and application of topical anesthetics are not necessary.
10. Are There Any Temporary or Long-Term Negative Side Effects?
With physician supervision, and when performed by trained and experienced professional clinicians, laser hair removal is extremely safe. The risk lies in the inappropriate use of shorter wavelength lasers on darker skin types. Keeping in mind that laser energy is attracted to the pigment (melanin) in your hair, which is the same pigment present in your skin, if sufficient energy is absorbed in the skin, a temporary darkening or lightening of the skin, can occur (hypo or hyper-pigmentation). In extreme cases a burn can occur, and if the burn is significant enough, it can leave a permanent scar.
Symphony uses ELOS technology for hair removal, which involves a combination of laser energy, bi-polar radio frequency (RF) and intense pulsed light (IPL). This method produces minimal absorption of energy into the skin, even for darker skin types, resulting in the safest treatment with the most optimum results. Even though sufficient energy is used to permanently disable the hair follicle, these Symphony ELOS treatments only produce very short-term effects visible in the skin, which can include slight redness or swelling in the treatment area. These temporary effects – if they occur at all – usually dissipate within a few minutes, a few hours, or (in the rarest of cases) a few days.
11. What Should I Expect Before/After a Laser Treatment?
Patients should not wax, epilate, or remove hair with the root using any other hair removal method for at least 4 weeks prior to their first session and throughout their course of treatments. The root of the hair needs to be in place as a target for the laser energy as destruction of the root is necessary to achieve permanent results.
Other than the initial treatment, where your Symphony Laser Clinician may wish to take a pre-treatment photograph of the site to be treated, the hair should be shaved 1-2 days prior to treatments. If not shaved beforehand, hairs above the surface of the skin may absorb some of the laser energy which does not promote permanency.
Symphony laser treatments are relatively quick. Bikini and underarms can be treated in less than 30 minutes. The largest body site typically being full legs, can take approximately 90 minutes. After the treatment, you should find some mild erythema (redness) and even possibly edema (swelling) in the treatment area. This will dissipate within a few hours in most cases. Thereafter, the damaged hair should shed within 1 to 3 weeks following treatment.
During the shedding phase, hair may look like it is growing when it is actually being expelled by the body. Gentle body exfoliation can expedite the hair shedding process. The post-shedding period should leave patients with the experience of a hair-free period for several weeks. At the stage when new hair has begun to grow in, patients should come in for their next session. Retreatment timing is largely contingent upon the body site being treated, as different body sites have different growing cycle durations. Generally speaking, patients will be retreated no sooner than 3 to 4 weeks apart, and no longer than 8 – 10 weeks after the previous treatment.