How Safe Laser Hair Removal Works

The word laser is an acronym for: light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. It's a device that creates and amplifies a narrow, intense beam of coherent light: light that is of one frequency. Lasers are commonly used in medical science and more recently in cosmetic procedures like hair removal.

In a laser, the atoms or molecules of a crystal, such as ruby or garnet, are excited in what is called the laser cavity so that more of them are at higher energy levels than are at lower energy levels.

Reflective surfaces at both ends of the cavity permit energy to reflect back and forth, building up the power in each passage.

With laser hair removal the laser penetrates the top layer of dermis with a specific wavelength of light (as opposed to multiple wavelengths used in Intense Pulse Light treatments), targeting melanin in the hair follicle.

A hair follicle is a sac from which a hair grows and into which the sebaceous (oil) glands open. The follicle is lined by cells derived from the epidermal (outside) layer of the skin.

Each air follicle normally goes through a five-year cycle of growth and rest, with about 90 percent of the follicles growing hair at any one time, averaging about 15 cm of growth per year.

Also called pigment, melanin is a substance that gives the skin and hair its natural color. It also gives color to the iris of the eye, feathers, and scales.

In humans, those with darker skin have higher amounts of melanin. By contrast, those with less pigment have lighter or more fair skin coloring.

Melanin provides many benefits to human beings. One of the most recognised benefits involves ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Melanin provides a natural protection against the harmful effects of these rays. However, it does not provide complete protection from the sun, and individuals with darker skin tones are still at risk from the sun's damaging rays.

When the laser hits the melanin it damages and destroys the regrowth potential of the hair follicle. The specific wave length of light (755nm) enhances the accuracy of the treatment and gives far superior results. At 755 nanometres the laser can achieve the best penetration into the hair follicle. For people with dark hair and light skin, this is the ultimate in hair reduction.

The new 755 nanometre hair removal laser uses a special cooling system that lowers the temperature of the skin during, and after, laser exposure.

This is why the treatment is regarded as a lot less painful than other treatments. Some patients have compared the treatment to the sensation of the snap of a rubber band.

For your safety, the ownership and operation of lasers in most Australian States is highly regulated. Clinics need to have an owner's license, clinic license, safety officers, licensed operators and licensed equipment, which is why very few clinics are fully licensed.

Hair Removal - Bye Bye Love

Hair removal is a personal dilemma for many people. Everyone has unwanted hair somewhere and wonders what's the best way to get rid of it. Epilator? Electric shaver? Electrolysis? Waxing? Here's are various hair removal techniques to keep you from looking like the shaggy dog.

Electrolysis - Hair Removal

The electrolysis hair removal process has been around over a hundred years. As a hair removal process, electrolysis is effective, but has a few drawbacks... it's costly, may cause you pain, damage your damage and grows back before you know it. In short, electrolysis is yesterday's news in hair removal. In the internet age, women prefer an epilator in their purse for a quick shave to a three hour appointment for electrolysis.

Shaving - Hair Removal

Shaving is cool, everybody knows that, it's sexy and does a good job of hair removal. It's long-lasting – you can buy designer shavers and do it at home. How long does this hair removal technique last? Longer than some relations, that's for sure.. As a hair remover, shaving is much less painful that Electrolysis, sorry to disappoint masochists among you. Aside from a few cuts and skin irritation, shaving is ok, but lacks pizzazz. 

Waxing - Hair Removal

Waxing for hair removal is an ancient practice and healing art. It takes a highly skilled professional for the waxing hair removal session to be a success. The treatment involves applying hot wax on your skin and pulling it off quickly. Ouch! A strip of paper or cloth is pressed against your skin and quickly pulled away taking hairs with it. Waxing has some other drawbacks like uneven hair removal and extra time involved. Try it at least once, then go back to your epilator

Epilators - Hair Removal

Epilators are popular hair removal products for soft skin and smooth legs today. They are compact in size, easy to use and remove hair by the root almost with little pain. Compared to electrolysis and waxing, epilators are a breeze. In minutes, a woman may have smooth skin that lasts for weeks because the epilator slows hair growth. Compared to epilators, other hair removal techniques are jilted lovers. Bye Bye Love!

Hair Removal: Which Method Is Best?

Many hair removal methods are available. Your task is to select the right one based on budget, pain, and permanence.

If you're bothered by unsightly hair, you'll find many hair removal methods available. Your task is to select the right one.

Before making a decision, you'll need to (a) research the treatment options available, and (b) answer a few questions about yourself.

Which Area Do You Want To Treat?

The area of the body you want hair-free will determine the method of hair removal you select. Is the unwanted hair on your face or elsewhere? You'll need to narrow it down even more. Do you want hair removed from your arms, legs, eyebrows, back, chest, pubic area, knuckles or where?

When you're clear about which precise area of the body you want to focus on, next you'll need to determine whether your hair problem is hereditary. Some people are simply more prone to growing darker, coarser hair. If that's in your genetic makeup, no amount of treatment is going to completely solve your situation. You will have to settle for improvement rather than cure.

How Much Can You Afford To Spend?

The next step is to determine your budget. It's important to be clear on the available money, because that will eliminate some methods. Also, be aware that most methods will require multiple treatments at various intervals. Costs for hair removal treatments can range from a few dollars a month to several thousand dollars per treatment. On average 5 or more treatments are required to do the job. Your goal is to face up to whether you can afford it, and, if so, whether it will be the best use of your money.

How Much Pain Can You Tolerate?

The next cut on which method to choose is to assess your level of pain tolerance. Seriously. Your selection of hair removal methods will depend in part on how much pain you can handle. A number of hair removal methods are uncomfortable to painful. Although the pain is temporary, only you can judge your ability to tolerate it. Waxing and electrolysis are considered the most painful, so if you can't tolerate pain, these methods will not do.

Hair Removal: Temporary Or Permanent?

You still have 1 more decision to make: do you want a permanent or a temporary hair removal method? Be aware that most methods are, unfortunately, temporary.

To permanently stop hair growth you must damage the hair germination structure within the hair follicle. To date, electrolysis is the only method that has been proven to achieve this goal. Laser therapy comes close, but more experimentation is needed for conclusive proof.

These 2 semi-permanent methods are the most expensive of all the options, so your budget may make this decision for you. A temporary method may be your only option.

Last, but certainly not least, it's very important that you make sure you're undergoing the hair removal process because you want to. It's not wise to let somebody else pressure you into this.