Fuzz Free Forever!

Posted: Wednesday 2 March 2011 09:48am

Where once longterm hair removal options were available only to pale-skinned people with coarse dark hair, new procedures promise longevity of results on most skin shades – from pale to Asian, Mediterranean and even very dark complexions.

Laser light works well for hair removal because it is attracted to the dark melanin pigment within darker hair shades.

In the past, laser could not distinguish between the melanin pigment in the skin and that in the hair. This meant that dark skin was often damaged in the process of such laser treatments, taking it off the table as an option for long term hair removal. Not anymore.

“It has to do with the type of laser light and the hand held device we use today,” explains registered nurse Carmel Bakken, from Erase Skin Rejuvenation Specialists in Malvern, Victoria.

“The lasers now are sophisticated enough to differentiate between the pigment in the skin and that in the hair. They also have cooling heads, which cool the skin before we shoot it with the light, and then again after it. This means we can cover a wider area on all skin shades, without the fear of burning.”

Carmel stresses the importance of finding a reputable practitioner.

“There is a specific technique to safe and effective laser hair removal. When treating Asian or dark skins, you need to use an exact setting. It’s very important that the technician is fully trained to minimise any risk of burning or damaging the epidermis.”

The use of lasers for hair removal is very effective if you have dark hair and fair skin, but if your hair is white, grey, blonde, strawberry or red, it can be useless as there is no melanin in the hair for the light to be attracted to.

But now this hard-to-treat hair colour type can be handled with Equipmed’s SelectIF – the first clinically proven ultrasonic hair removal solution. Ultrasound waves are channeled through the hair shaft, and in the process they transform to thermal energy that superheats hair growth regions and inhibits regrowth.

Any hair colour and skin tone can be treated, and sensitive areas such as bikini lines, upper lips, face, nostrils and ears can be defuzzed.

Says Trish Conda, Clinic and Equipment Specialist of Equipmed, the treatment is pain-free and is great for people who “can’t stand the pain of electrolysis” (previously the only viable longterm removal method for fair shades of hair).

She says SelectIF primarily treats smaller areas, as well as persistent hormonal hairs, and is the perfect complement to IPL or laser system that may treat bigger areas on fair skin with darker hair.

“It does what they can’t do,” says Trish. “It grabs hair individually at a rate of about 200 to 300 per minute.”

Hair must be 3mm to 4mm long and treatment time is anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes. Just like IPL, you need to have multiple treatments to get results, and should do this every three to four weeks. Cost is about $75 per 15 minutes.  (For clinic details  phone Euipmed on 02 9889 3636.)

Electrolysis is still a popular hair removal method but is typically only used on the face. The procedure takes approximately 30 seconds per hair, so around 15 minutes for an area like the upper lip. Expect to pay approximately $35 for a 15-minute treatment with maintenance treatments required depending on the growth cycle of your hair.

People with blonde, white and grey hair don’t usually fare well with laser options, . “Electrolysis is their best option,”  “It uses a fine, sterilised needle to deliver a heat wave to the individual hair follicle, explains Carmel Bakken, “disabling and destroying it, so that it falls out permanently.”

IT’S ALL IN THE TIMING

With any hair removal process, it is important to keep in mind the varying cycles of hair growth. “Hair can only ever be destroyed by laser treatments or otherwise, when it is in a growth phase,” says Claire O’Mara, NSW accredited trainer for Cutera Laser and clinical nurse specialist at All Saints Cosmedical Clinics in Darlinghurst and Parramatta, Sydney.

“As such, clients have to return for a few treatments until we are able to fire over all the hairs in the growth cycle. Sometimes this can take up to six months.”

Hair growth is also subject to hormonal fluctuations that come with pregnancy or menopause, or other life phases. As such, practitioners refer to these treatments as permanent hair reduction, rather than permanent hair removal.

SOME MORE TREATMENT OPTIONS

Here, popular hair removal methods used today:

Candela GentLASE

There are many types of lasers for hair removal, but this one is medical-grade and can be used on all skin types. It targets the hair follicle, destroying the hair bulb and eliminating further growth.

The area being treated needs to be clean, and free of any perfume, fake tanner or deodorant. As the laser fires you feel a slight hot pinch, but to increase comfort levels it incorporates a cooling system which fires shot of cool air each time.

Note: As hair growth is cyclical, you will need between six and eight treatments, usually six weeks to eight weeks apart, to eliminate hair regrowth. Thicker hair may require more treatments. Skin can feel temporarily hot and red afterwards.

Verdict: I had my underarms treated, and given it’s a sensitive area the sessions were relatively painless. The hair hardly grew back after the first session, but I continued until it stopped growing altogether. It is pricey, but it is also a permanent solution.

Details: Prices start for just $70 for casual treatments or $42 on a VIP package with four free maintenance treatments. www.nadsclinic.com.au, 1300 7850 106.

IPL

What is it? Intense Pulsed Light is used to destroy the hair and hair follicle. It can only be administered in a cosmedic clinic or cosmetic or plastic surgeon’s clinic.

How does it work? “The wavelength of intense pulsed light is attracted to the pigment in the hair and destroys the hair and follicle,” explains registered nurse Helen McAlpine, from cosmetic physician Dr Anoop Rastogi’s rooms in Sydney.

Areas treated? IPL can be administered anywhere on the body where there is unwanted hair – the face, bikini line, underarms, lower legs, upper legs. “It works best on thicker, darker hair,” says Helen.

Does it hurt? “There is a sensation similar to someone flicking a rubber band on the skin, but topical anaesthetic can be applied to numb any discomfort,” comments Helen.

Results: A number of treatments are required for best results, due to the hair’s cyclical growth patterns. “While it won’t remove every single hair, we do experience really fantastic results, with people achieving a great reduction in hair” says Helen.

Cost: The price will vary depending on the area being treated, the amount of hair the individual has and the clinic’s individual pricing scale. “Underarms may cost approximately $150 per session, whereas a full bikini can cost from between $200 and $300 per session,” says Helen.

Cutera Laser (read more here)

What is it? A new generation laser with a cool glide tip that cools the skin before and after treatment, protecting against burning and reducing post-treatment redness or irritation.

How does it work? “The hand-held device is moved over the area being treated, cooling it as it administers light into the hair follicle, destroying it at the bulb,” says Claire O’Mara, who regularly uses this laser and trains technicians in its use.

Areas treated? It can be used on any part of the body with dark hair.

Does it hurt? “The treatment is actually quite tolerable,” says Claire, “as you are cooling the skin both before and after the laser.”

Results: Expect permanent hair reduction, however a course of between six and 10 treatments will be required, in tune with the hair’s growth phases. “After this, most clients will never need another course, however top up treatments may be required every few years.”

Cost: Pricing will vary depending on individual clients, however you should expect to pay upwards of $80 for the upper lip or chin.

Syneron

What is it? A combination of laser light and electrical current that disables and destroys the hair at the follicles.

How does it work? “Radiofrequency is electrical current with a certain resistant to flow within tissues,” explains Dr Mary Dingley, spokesperson for the Cosmetic Physicians Society of Australasia. “When the tissue is hotter there is less resistance to flow in that current, so we get more electrical flow. With Syneron, we can target the hair follicle and create heat, so that the current then flows better through the tissue. It creates a double whammy of laser light and electrical current to target the unwanted hair.”

Areas treated: “It can be used on most areas where there is unwanted hair, however smaller, trickier places, such as inside the nostril will be difficult, purely due to accessibility of the hand held device,” explains Dr Dingley.

Does it hurt? A cooling tip on the device calms the skin and ensures that any discomfort is minimised.

Results: As with all hair removal treatments, a course of between six and twelve treatments is required for best results. Maintenance treatments may be required every few years.

Cost: Approximately $10 per minute, however most practitioners offer packages.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

When searching for a laser technician to perform your hair removal, consider the following points:

• How long have they had the machine?
• How many treatments have they done using their machine?
• What is the extent of their training and qualifications?
• Can they show you before and after shots?
• Ask them if they perform a patch test on a small area of skin prior to treatment.

by Shonagh Walker

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