LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Say Good-Bye to plucking, waxing, shaving, and depilatories. They’re painful, messy, & costly in the long run. Most of all, they’re temporary!

Laser Hair Removal permanently reduces unwanted hair. At Reveal, we have new state-of-the-art Candela GentleLASE Laser equipment for many skin types and hair colors.

How does laser hair removal work?

The laser light is attracted to the melanin in the hair follicle; particularly in the bulb and bulge. Heat is collected there damaging the cells lining the hair follicle with the potential to also damage the vascular matrix preventing future hair from growing. At the same time, our DCD cooling device protects the skin’s surface, allowing for safe and effective treatment of most skin types, with a lower risk of side effects.

Hair grows in three distinct cycles. First, the active or growth cycle (anagen); next, the dormant cycle (catagen) and, finally, the fall-out or shedding cycle (telogen). Since melanin is only produced in the growth phase of the hair, the laser must target the hair follicle during this cycle. At any given time, 20 – 30% of the hair in a particular area may be in a growth phase. Therefore, more than one treatment needs to be scheduled, preferably at 4-8 week intervals. With multiple scheduled treatments, most of the hair follicles are disabled. Since the laser targets the pigment in the hair, your hair needs to be darker than your skin. In general, laser hair removal is not effective for white, gray, blond, or red hairs.

What should I expect?

Because the laser targets hairs that are in an actively growing phase, several treatments are required to eliminate any new hairs as they come into a growth phase. Treatments are spaced four to eight weeks apart depending on the body area and can take from 5 minutes (the upper lip) to 45 minutes or more (back or legs). Most areas will require a minimum of 5 treatments to achieve a satisfactory result. The area needs to be shaved 6 – 12 hours prior to being treated. Waxing, bleaching, tweezing, or any other method that removes the root of the hair must be discontinued at least six (6) weeks prior to treatment. Since the laser targets the root of the hair, it must be present for the treatment to be effective.

When is the best time of year for treatment? What about sun exposure?

The laser-treated areas will be sun-sensitive for a few weeks, so a broad-spectrum sunscreen is recommended at all times. Any areas that will be exposed to the sun regularly such as the face or legs should be treated in the fall, winter or spring, rather than the summer unless the skin is protected with sunblock or clothing at all times when outdoors..

Do you offer complimentary consultations?

Yes, we believe that a consultation is important for any client considering laser hair removal. We can perform a test spot so you can see how the laser feels and we can answer any questions so that you better understand what the laser can do. We can also determine if you are a good candidate for laser hair removal before you commit to any treatment. However, some people like the idea of receiving a treatment the day of their consultation. If you are a good candidate for laser hair removal, a treatment can be performed the same day.

Is laser hair removal painful?

While everyone’s pain tolerance is different, the majority of clients do not think it is very painful. Our patients report that treatment with our laser is much more comfortable than other lasers and far more comfortable than waxing. Because the laser we use has a large spot size, treatments are very quick. Any discomfort one experiences is over very quickly.

Do you use topical numbing preparations?

Our laser utilizes a state-of-the-art cooling system. In most cases, treatment causes only minimal discomfort and numbing preparations are not required. If a client is more sensitive and the area to be treated is not too large, we can recommend you ask your doctor for a topical numbing cream to be applied to the area prior to treatment.

What are the risks involved with laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal is a ‘lunch time’ procedure. There is no recovery or down time. Patients can return to their normal activities immediately. Our lasers do not injure the dermis so the risks are extremely low. As with any procedure, you will be given an informed consent to read over that explains all the possible risks. Sun exposure or tanning beds and certain medications could possibly make the skin more sensitive to the thermal energy of the laser.

What are some of the Pre-Treatment Guidelines?

Shave area to be treated 6 – 12 hours prior to appointment
No tweezing, waxing or plucking for 6 weeks prior to treatment
Treatment area must be free of make-up, lotion, deodorant, ointments. “Squeaky Clean!” Ensure skin is dry before treatment.
You must wait 6 weeks after unprotected sun-exposure/tanning before treatment and NO TANNING during treatment at all. You may use sunless tanners but you MUST EXFOLIATE THOROUGHLY prior to each treatment….”PIGMENT IS PIGMENT AND THIS LASER SEES PIGMENT. It is advisable to STOP use of a sunless tanner for at least a week prior to treatment.
If you have darker skin, the use of skin lightening creams like hydroquinone can be used at least 2 weeks prior to treatment and continued use during the treatment course. A test spot is highly important prior before treating darker skin types. Please educate yourself of the risks of using skin lightening products before using them.

What are some of the Post Treatment Guidelines?

Wear sunblock of 15 to 30 spf after treatment and during the course of the treatment. Reapply during the day of
outdoors
Hair will start to shed at around 2 weeks post treatment. NO Tweezing, plucking, or waxing. Shaving and use of a washcloth will help exfoliate hairs.
If skin is not irritated, use of deodorant and make up after treatment is ok.
NO tanning during treatment period!
Use a cool compress for comfort post treatment.
Redness may last 2 – 5 hours or up to several days after treatment.
You may experience swelling (edema) or itching after treatment.

How long does it take for a hair to shed once it has been treated?

Hair can take up to two to four weeks to shed after treatment of the GentleLASE

How much hair will remain after completing a series of treatment? In other words, is there a guarantee?

Unfortunately there are no guarantees in laser hair reduction. There are clinical studies showing improvement of up to 80–90% but that every patient will respond with this amount of efficacy. Patients should be told during consultation that results will vary from patient to patient.

Why is there a need for multiple treatments?

Due to the nature of the human body, it may take multiple treatments for improvement. For hair, there are several cycles of hair growth and a certain number of hairs may only be growing at a particular time.

What is the interval between laser treatments?

Typically most treatments are 4–6 weeks apart. However, depending on the indication being treated and where on the body the treatment is being performed. Treatments on the face, axilla, and bikini areas are treated every 4–6 weeks; trunk (chest/back) should be done at 8–10 week intervals; extremities at 10–12 weeks.

How long should a patient wait before applying make up, deodorant, etc?

So long as the treatment is non–ablative (no destruction of tissue), 2–3 hours is the recommended period of time.