Laser Treatments Grow in Popularity to Remove Unwanted Hair

Publication: Orange County Business Journal  
Date: Monday, June 13 2005

You are viewing page 1

Self conscious about unwanted hair growth? You're not alone. In fact, last year laser hair removal was one of the five most popular cosmetic procedures in the U.S. with nearly one million people treated. More and more men are having unwanted hair removed from their backs, shoulders, chests and necks. Women frequently have hair removed from their faces, legs, arms and trunks.

Hair can safely be removed from any part of the body. But don't expect the results to be permanent. You can make a very visible difference and significantly reduce hair growth through a series of laser treatments.

Thermal Impact of Laser Treatment

The Gentlelase by Candela is one of the most advanced hair removal lasers available today. This laser emits a beam of light that penetrates three to five millimeters through the skin to the bulb of the hair shaft where it is absorbed by the melanin that gives hair its color. The heat from this laser damages the bulb of the hair shaft and its blood supply without affecting the surrounding skin. The hair follicle remains intact but becomes miniaturized. This thermal damage impairs hair re-growth over time.

Timing is Everything

Hair grows in cycles. To remove hair you have to treat it during the Anagen phase or growth cycle. At any given time, a certain percent of your hair is growing, while the remainder is resting or about to fall out on its own.

For example, about 20 percent of the hair found on a man's back will be in the growth phase now. If a man had a hair removal treatment today, only 20 percent of his hair would be susceptible to the thermal impact of the laser. To address the remaining 80 percent, he would need to repeat the treatment four to six times. This would be done over a period of months to catch all the hair during its growth phase. This approach gets the best results