Smooth Solutions

Laser Hair removal procedures depend on the laser’s wavelength to penetrate deeply to the level of the hair root follicle and literally burn it. The treatment is akin to microsurgery and should be carried out only by qualified dermatologists who have the requisite qualifications. Like in a surgery, care is taken in laser hair removal procedure not to prevent the surrounding tissue from getting burnt. To do that laser hair removal systems use water based gels as heat sinks to absorb the heat and protect the tissue. Other systems use chilled probes that apply cold temperatures for very short durations when the laser is active. Despite all measures to limit the heat damage to surrounding tissues, laser hair removal does entail certain amount of relatively undisruptive side effects.

Laser hair removal systems come in two basic forms – one using shorter wavelengths and the other using longer wavelengths. The short wave length laser systems penetrate to a lesser degree and thus burn only superficial hairs. The longer wavelength systems penetrate deeper and thus have more lasting effect. The side effects are greater in the long pulsed systems. Studies carried out by various research institutes have shown that the efficacy of laser hair removal system varies between 40 to 50% in removing hair from the targeted area. Topical anesthetic cream is also applied to desensitize the area under ‘laser attack’ to reduce the pain. Though some laser hair removal sites may claim a permanent removal, the claim is not substantiated. Laser hair removal does however result in longer duration of ‘hair free’ interval than standard methods such as chemical peels and shaving. Not everyone can use laser hair removal system. Different people have different skins and some are extremely sensitive to light. Such people should avoid laser hair removal approaches to avert strong side effects.