Hair removal is a vague term that has only recently been accurately defined. Temporary hair reduction is defined as a delay in hair growth, which usually lasts 1-3 months, consistent with the induction of telogen. Permanent hair reduction refers to a significant reduction in the number of terminal hairs after a given treatment, which is stable for a period of time longer than the complete growth cycle of hair follicles at the given body site.

Demand for a rapid, noninvasive method for hair removal has resulted in the introduction of various light sources for hair removal. Light source of hair removal commonly focuses on ruby, alexandrite, diode, and Nd:YAG lasers and intense pulsed light sources. These devices are designed to target either an endogenous chromophore (melanin) or an exogenous chromophore (carbon suspension, photosensitizer, and exogenous dye). Laser hair removal is one of the most recent systems of hair removal that has been introduced. Today, a large number of specific laser systems are available in the market, which makes the customer a bit apprehensive about their attributes, selection, treatment protocols and effects. Laser hair removal is one of the light sources of hair removal.
Hair follicles are destroyed by light in a number of ways such as thermal, photomechanical or photochemical mechanism with generation of toxic mediators like singlet oxygen or free radicals.

Thermal mechanism for hair removal has recently been introduced to induce selective damage to hair follicles. Based on the principles of selective photothermolysis, this principle predicts that selective thermal damage of a pigmented target structure will result when sufficient quantity of light at a given wavelength is absorbed by the target in a time equal to or less than the thermal relaxation time of the target.

Melanin is the natural chromophore for targeting hair follicles in the visible to near-infrared region, Lasers or light sources that operate in the red or near-infrared wavelength region lie in an optical window of the spectrum in which selective absorption by melanin is combined with deep penetration into the dermis. Therefore, deep and selective heating of the hair shaft, the hair follicle epithelium, and the heavily pigmented matrix is possible in the 600nm to 1100nm region. However, melanin in the epidermis presents a competing site for absorption. Selective cooling of the epidermis has been shown to minimize epidermal injury.

Photomechanical destruction of hair has been attempted with very short nanosecond pulses. It has been done by the help of Q-switched 1064-nm Nd:YAG lasers, with and without carbon suspension. Short pulses are used to target hair follicles resulting in rapid heating of the chromophore (melanin). It leads to photo acoustic shock waves that cause focal photomechanical disruption of the melanocytes but not complete follicular disruption. Therefore, the Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers are not likely to produce long-term hair removal.

A distinction needs to be made between permanent and complete hair loss. Immediately after laser treatment, the hair shaft shows fragmentation with focal rupture into the follicular epithelium and thermal damage to the surrounding follicular epithelium. The extent of thermal damage is dependent on the pulse width but retains confinement on the spatial scale of the follicle itself. Histological changes are almost guaranteed in the person undergoing laser hair removal. However, such form of hair removal should be carried out under the supervision of a qualified dermatologist as it involves considerable degree of expertise.

Who Should Have It?

The ideal candidate for laser hair removal is the person who has dark colored hair. The darker the hair the more likely it is that the laser can remove it permanently. With that goes the pigment color of the skin. Individuals who have a dark complexion will not be ideal candidates because the hair is harder to see. Light skin, dark hair is the best situation to find yourself in.

You will also need to have a good budget. Sessions of laser hair removal can last upwards of several hours and will require several thousand dollars to complete. If you need multiple treatments, that too can become even more costly. The average is four visits per person.

Melanin is the pigment that gives hair color. You will need the melanin to be able to absorb the energy from the laser and then incorporate the heat into the follicle. The heat will actually kill off the follicle, making it impossible for hair to re-grow. Also, those who have a dark colored skin tone have more melanin, it is necessary to insure that the process will still work well. To help this, a cold compress will be used to keep the affected area cool. The laser will not target the cold areas which are important for it to work properly.

The skin can be kept cool in another way as well. This is multi pulsing laser technology. Laser energy is pulsed or interrupted, rather than streamed. That means there is less heat which helps to cool and at the same time, protect the skin. Other laser removal devices include: Alexandrite, a long pulse laser; Diode, which generally is used on darker skin; Q-Switched Nd:YAG, which delivers two wavelengths that work on both deep and near-surface follicles; and Ruby, that as the name implies, consists of red laser beams capable of targeting melanin.

There are a number of excellent resources on the internet that will help you to discover why or why not laser hair removal is the right solution for you.br
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Laser hair removal works by shining a laser onto the skin where it gets absorbed by the melanin pigment in the hair follicles. Ironically, nobody is exactly certain what causes this hair removal process to work. But it is believed that the heat generated at the hair follicle by the laser breaks down that follicle so that it will no longer grow hair. In some cases it is possible that the follicle may be damaged but not permanently destroyed. Since hair grows in cycles in some cases people have had hair come back after undergoing laser hair removal. The laser can be modulated so that it goes through the skin and directly to the hair follicle without causing significant pain or discomfort.

Laser hair removal does not work for everyone. Results will depend on your skin type. Generally speaking, the results are best with people who have fair skin. However if your skin is too light colored it still might not work. For people with lighter hair, or people with little melanin in their hair it might not be as effective. Be sure to fully understand the benefits to your skin type before paying the money to try laser hair removal.

The laser hair removal procedure is quite simple. A practitioner will guide the laser over the body areas to be treated. Typically this will take about one hour for an entire set of legs.

In order to prevent the skin from getting burned various gels and cooling sprays are rubbed onto the area to be treated prior to the laser beam directed towards the hair follicles. When you have the procedure done youll wear protective goggles to prevent any possibility of the laser impacting your eyes. This removes one of the potential dangers that could exist by having a laser used on your body in this fashion.

Laser hair removal is effective at removing hair all wide range of body parts. Effective areas that are treated include the legs, chest, back, under arms, and facial hair. The chin and the upper lip are the most commonly treated areas.

Laser hair removal can be quite expensive, especially if you have a large area to be treated. In many cases it will take four or five treatments to get the results you are looking for. However, laser hair removal offers a superior alternative to other more painful or less permanent techniques of removing unwanted body hair.

If you are considering trying this technique to remove unwanted body hair, be sure to research practitioners in your area and ask for references. Laser hair removal might be the right solution for some people. But for others laser hair removal will not be as effective. For those who are not good candidates for laser hair removal, or anyone else who is concerned that the procedure might not yield permanent results, electrolysis might be a better alternative.br
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Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent ?

Some say YES, some say NO. Studies show that the best-known method of achieving permanent hair removal is Laser Hair Removal, and if the procedure is performed correctly (using the right equipment), permanency is definitely possible. Thats because laser hair removal actually kills the hair follicle, which impairs its ability to grow. But you need to get the hair at the right stage in the growth cycle to ensure permanent hair removal, which means that you will need to undergo a number of treatments.

You see, hair grows in 3 stages, and Laser treatment in the first growth stage (Anagen stage) is the best for permanent reduction. Laser treatment in the other 2 stages (Categen and Telogen) can be less effective, because in these stages new hairs are being formed which may not be target-able by the Laser. So for permanency you will need to undergo a number of laser treatments over time to kill all the hair follicles in that region.

Which Growth Stage is Best for Permanent Hair Removal ?

Everyones hair grows differently, depending on their age, weight, metabolism, hormonal interactions, genetics, medications and environmental influences. Irrespective of this, hair grows in a cycle which has 3 distinct stages, and the ability of the Laser to target and destroy the hair follicle actually depends on the stage of the hair in the growth cycle. That is because the Lasers used in hair removal actually target the pigment in the hair to zero in on the hair follicle. In the initial growth stage of hair, there is more pigment in the hair, thus the Laser is more effective.

Following is an overview of the 3 different hair growth cycle stages, and how effective laser treatment is in each of these stages:

The ACTIVE or ANAGEN growth phase (lasts 2-6 years), comprises approximately 85 % of our body hair at any given moment in time. During this ANAGEN phase, the hair shaft and follicle has an abundance of pigment and is most sensitive to the laser light. So in this stage, permanent hair removal is very likely. The Laser will destroy the hair follicle and no new hair will grow.

The REGRESSIVE or CATAGEN phase (lasts 1-2 weeks) is the period during which the hair stops actively growing but is not shed. This phase often lasts several weeks comprising about 3 – 4% of our total body hair at any given time. In the early part of this stage, you can expect the same results as in the ANAGEN stage. But later in this stage, a new hair might already be forming, and because it will have no pigment yet, it wont be destroyed.

The RESTING or TELOGEN phase lasts 5 – 6 weeks, at the end of which the hair falls out and a new hair begins to form. Approximately 10-13% of our body hair is in this phase at any one time. Again, the new hair will not have any pigment and the laser will not be able to target it. This new hair will shortly enter the ANAGEN stage, and if it is exposed to a Laser treatment when it has entered the ANAGEN stage, then permanency can be expected.

In summary, each hair on your body will naturally be at a different part of the growth cycle, and that is why it will be necessary in most cases to undergo a number of Laser hair Removal treatments at varying intervals to completely destroy all hair follicles in the region you are targeting. You might be lucky and destroy more than 85% of the hair follicles in the target region with just one treatment, but the statistics point towards needing at least 2 treatments (possibly 3 or more) to totally destroy all hair follicles in any part of the body.br
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For over fifteen years, clinics and doctor’s offices have been offering home laser hair removal as an outpatient process. Patients would go in, get a consultation, and make repeat visits. However, with the advent of home laser hair removal, this is no longer necessary. Before you purchase such a device, there are some things you may want to be sure of, such as the safety of the device, the cost, and how such a procedure would work. Below is a summary of the basic information you would need before considering this system.

Laser Hair Removal at Home is Perfectly Safe

There is very little danger and no long-term health consequences to using a home laser hair removal system. They can be used wherever there is unsightly hair. However, this is safe to use on any part of the body except for the neck and the face.

This device was approved as safe by the Food and Drug Administration a few years ago. As long as you follow the instructions and use the device exactly as specified, this option is perfectly safe and you will not need a professional to be present. This technology has been subject to intense testing and experimentation for well over a decade.

Laser Hair Removal for Home Saves Money

While these home systems are certainly not cheap by anybody’s definition, they are much more affordable than going to a professional and getting treated. Whereas outpatient hair removal may cost anywhere from one thousand to three thousand per body area, a single payment of $500 to $1000 is all that is necessary to buy a home unit.

The Science Behind Home Laser Hair Removal

This device eliminates unsightly hair through a process called “selective photothermolysis”. The darker pigments in your hair molecules absorb the light of the laser, which causes the hair to heat up intensely. This heat causes the hair to fall out and prevents it from growing back.

You will need to perform several treatments to effectively eliminate the hair. This is because, at any random time, only about half of your hairs are actively growing, while the other half lies dormant. The device only has a proper effect on hairs that are currently growing. Every time you use this device, you will treat a new segment of your hair. In order to effectively null the growth of all of the hair in a specific region, you will need to treat the area over a period of months to ensure that you have zapped all of the growing hair cells.

Who Can Use These Devices?

Unfortunately, this system is not yet advanced enough to be used by everyone. Requirements for use of this device include medium to dark hair and medium to light skin tone. You may use this product if you have black, dark brown, or other strongly pigmented hair, and you should not use this product if you have skin that is high in pigments. Consult a physician if you have any questions about your eligibility. These lasers will have no effect on light brown, blonde, gray or red hair; and cannot be safely used by persons with darker colored skin.

The technology is not quite advanced enough to treat people with these skin and hair types. Because the laser only has an effect on darker-colored hair, it can only treat hair with dark pigments. Lighter-colored hair simply doesn’t absorb this kind of laser energy. On the same vein of thought, people with dark skin can burn themselves when the pigments in their skin react and absorb the laser.

This is no different from having it professionally done, with the exception being that there are some solutions for those with dark skin.

How Well Does Home Laser Hair Removal Work?

If you fully treat yourself, you will reduce the number of new growing hairs by up to 80%. These results can last for an entire year, and can be lengthened with a few maintenance treatments.

Where Can I Buy These Laser Hair Removal Systems?

These products are often sold from the offices of aesthetic physicians such as plastic surgeons. They can also be bought directly, online.

Learn more about home laser hair removal. Discover more about the benefits of this amazing technology that allows you to have laser hair removal at home.

Until recently, shaving, plucking, waxing, and electrolysis were the only methods of removing unwanted hair. In the early 1990′s, the first reports of using laser energy to selectively damage and disable actively growing hair follicles were published, and since the mid 1990′s, laser hair removal has become the “Gold Standard” for the management of unwanted hair.

People started to crave for the newly discovered laser hair removal, but as they undertook the treatment they found out several side effects. Nonetheless, it should be noted that the side effects are only temporary.

There are several laser hair removal systems available today, but they all work using the principal of selective photothermolysis, in which a carefully timed pulse of laser energy passes through the skin and is absorbed and converted to heat energy at the hair follicle.

Because longer wavelength laser light penetrates deepest, the most common lasers used are the Ruby, Alexandrite, Diode, and Nd:YAG lasers, all red or infrared lasers. The bottom line, all of these may be the cause for some side effects that a patient may experience.

The possibility exists that some side effects of laser hair removal can be one of the following:

? Redness- this could be an initial side effect on the part of the client after undergoing the laser hair removal which is usually caused by the heat that transpires on the skin to the hair follicles.

? Swelling- this complements the redness of the patient’s skin after treatment.

? Itching- it is commonly experienced by the patients during treatment sessions.

? Pain, tingling, or feeling of numbness (cold spray) – this is why the surgeons advised the patients not to apply any cream prior to the treatment that may cause their numbness.

? Crusting/scab formation (on ingrown hairs).

? Bruising- this is noted to be one of the rarest cases being brought up by the patients after the laser hair removal treatment.

? Purpura (Purple Coloring of the skin) on tanned areas- the laser hair removal is not that advisable for individual who have tanned skin because this is the most crucial problem that they could encounter after treatment.

? Temporary pigment change- it could be classified as either hypo-pigmentation or hyper-pigmentation on the client’s skin.

Although there are some risks in laser hair removal treatment, there are still other clients who have tested the treatment that have described it as simply as having a feeling of being snapped by a rubber band. Most patients tolerate the procedure well, but some areas of the body are more sensitive than others which is why they experience these side effects. This is very normal even with other forms of skin treatments.

Immediate side effects if any are frequently minor and short lived. Most people return to their normal activities right away.

People should not be upset if there are some side effects brought by the laser hair removal because the lasers that are used at out-clinic are non-invasive and are designed to be gentle enough to treat an individual’s sensitive skin and effective enough to remove even a man’s beard or back hair. Each has an active cooling system to gently treat hair while protecting the appearance of the surrounding skin.

Even though there are a few side effects with laser hair removal we must bear in mind that these are unavoidable, and for most people the outcome still outweighs this annoyance.

You can save, boot up, wax, bleach or pluck, but the inherent problem with unwanted hair is that it always grows back. Laser Hair Removal, seems to be one of the only permanent solutions to removing hair in places I'd rather be without. Laser hair removal has been conducted since the mid-90s or so. Even considers that the procedure is fairly new, more efficient techniques are being developed by researchers. Men and women around the world have found relief from unwanted hair through laser hair removal. Women prefer to be "without" hair in facial areas, legs, arms, underarms and bikini area. While men are increasingly beneficial for laser hair removal for excessive hair on the chest, shoulders and back (no more excuses for hairy backs). Laser Hair Removal has many advantages over electrolysis and waxing, but none are as more comforting than the reduced pain factors. If you have thinker skin than you can bypass the topical anesthetic, but if you prefer not feel any discomfort or even, simply apply the "miracle" cream one hour before your laser hair removal treatment and you can say " ciao "to pain! Laser Hair Removal machines are well suited for treating large areas, making laser treatment an excellent and more permanent alternative to conventional extraction methods. In essence, the energy of the machine hair removal laser is absorbed by the pigment that gives hair its color. Red and near infrared laser light driven machine is strongly absorbed by brown or black hair, while red and blond hair absorbs very little infrared light. The energy of the laser light is absorbed in the wild in the hair follicle, and therefore damaging or destroying the target tissue in the follicle. It is crucial that the correct laser intensity used for hair removal. If the intensity is too strong, the laser burns the skin. You should request a patch test to see how your skin reacts to the laser before going through a complete removal. Laser hair removal is ideal for painting most of the skin. That said, darker noted that the highest level of pigmentation of the skin tends to absorb more of the wavelengths of the red-infrared laser, while the fair skin absorbs less of these laser wavelengths. Therefore, the chances of darker complexion of burning and scaring are much higher. You should discuss this serious side effect related to your medical spa expert or your dermatologist. Freedom from unwanted hair is very possible by laser hair removal methods. That said, laser hair removal is a very effective way of reducing hair, but like any other method is not 100 percent effective in permanently removing all unwanted hair. Some parts of the body such as the required annual bikini laser hair removal treatments to continuously reduce the mass of hair and thin hair growth. Gisele Brosnan is an editor for http://www.hair-removal-laser.youthful-body. com. Our site is dedicated to information provided on hair restoration solutions for women and men. Copyright ? Braincandy Factory. All rights reserved.