What is the Effect Mechanism of Laser and Light Systems?
Laser and light systems destroy the hair root. The aim here is not to damage the surrounding skin while causing permanent damage to the hair root. Laser energy reaches the hair root under the skin. Color cells (pigment) in the hair root absorb the laser energy. The laser energy concentrated here burns the hair follicle without damaging the surrounding skin and tissue. The damaged hair most likely does not grow back.
Some of the burned hairs fall out immediately, while others are removed from the skin within 2-3 weeks. Unlike electric epilation, which is applied to individual hairs, dozens of hairs are burned with each energy pulse. Thus, large areas such as the back, shoulders, arms, legs and face can be treated in a short time. Sensitive areas such as nipples, upper lip and bikini line can be treated
What are Laser Systems?
Lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL) systems include:
IPL – this system is different from laser. It is a light system that covers different wavelengths.
Ruby 694 nanometers
Alexandrite 755 nanometer
Diode 800-810 nanometer
What is Alexandrite Laser?
There is a powerful cooling system on the Alexandrite laser. In this system, a pressurized cold gas cools the skin area where the laser shot is applied. It provides the most effective result by burning your hair follicles with high energy, as it ensures that you do not feel pain during the cooling process. This is an important part of success.
What Areas of the Body Can Be Treated?
All body areas can be treated with laser. In women, the upper lip, chin, bikini area, arm, leg and armpit areas are mostly treated. In men, it is applied to the back, shoulder, chest area and beard area. Forehead and eyebrow tops can also be treated.
What is the Advantage of Laser Hair Removal over Other Alternative Methods?
Laser hair removal provides fast and long-lasting results.
Laser epilation can be applied anywhere on the body. Shaving, waxing and depilatory creams remove hair.
However, since the hair follicle is not destroyed, the hairs return within one to four weeks. In laser epilation, on the other hand, since the hair root is affected, the hairs come back later and thinner.
What are the Risks of Laser Hair Removal?
Short-term side effects are skin redness and edema in hair follicles. This side effect disappears within 1 hour. It may take a few days on very sensitive skin. In some types of laser, color changes, water collection and crusting may occur in dark and bronze skin applications. Such problems are rare and subside within a few days.
Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent?
Laser hair removal is mostly permanent. After four to six sessions, there is a 70-90% reduction in hair. The feathers become thinner and lighter in color. This reduction will continue for years.
After the treatment, do the hairs disappear completely in the area where the laser is applied?
In many patients, there is a 70-90% reduction in the amount of hair in the area where the laser is applied, and the colors and thickness of the remaining hairs are reduced. However, it should not be expected to be completely hairless. Treatment efficacy should be evaluated within 6 months of the completion of the treatment essences. The hairs that will grow back will be evident within 6 months.
To what extent do the hairs regrow and how long does it take to return the hairs?
If the correct application is made after laser epilation, some of the hairs will fall out immediately. The rest are excreted from the skin after 1-3 weeks
Significant reduction may not be observed in the first two sessions of laser epilation. After the third and fourth sessions, a significant reduction in hair begins. After 4 to 6 sessions, the hairs are reduced in such a way that they do not grow for years. In some patients, infrequent maintenance sessions may be required. The hairs that grow in small amounts after laser treatment are thin and very light in color. No cosmetic problem.
Why is at least 4 treatment sessions required?
All lasers are effective on the active period of the hairs. Hair follicles in the resting phase are not affected by the laser. The hair on the body enters the active phase and resting phase at different periods. Laser affects active hairs during application. After a while, the hairs in the resting phase become active. In the next application, these hairs are destroyed.
What Factors Does the Number of Sessions Depend on?
Hair color (light hair requires more sessions)
Ethnicity and genetics (dark-skinned people require more sessions)
hormonal status,
treated area,
feather density,
Age,
Weight (excess weight increases hair growth),
Medications (eg Dilantin and cyclosporine can increase hair growth)
Who Can Be Applied For Laser Hair Removal?
For dark-colored and tanned patients, Diode 800-810 nm and 1064 nm Nd YAG lasers are suitable compared to IPL, Ruby 694 nm, Alexandrite 755 nm lasers.
It can be applied in children over the age of 12 if there are special problems.
Laser hair removal is not only applied for cosmetic reasons. It can also be used in the treatment of ingrown hairs, in the treatment of ingrown hairs, in those who use drugs that cause hair growth (for example, cyclosporine used after organ transplantation).
Which Hair Colors Respond Best to Treatment?
The pigment in the hair follicles is important for laser treatment. Therefore, black or brown hairs are the group that responds best to treatment. White and gray hairs do not respond to treatment.
Rules to be Considered During Laser Sessions:
Do not use wax, wax, tweezers, needle epilation and epilation devices!
Since laser energy is effective on active hairs, waxing, waxing, tweezers, needle epilation and epilation devices should not be used 2-4 weeks before. These methods remove the hair root where the laser will be effective.
Tanning should be avoided!
Some types of laser can be applied to dark skin, but before the treatment, sunbathing, solarium and tanning creams should not be applied. There may be undesirable burns and color changes. In addition, the efficiency of the laser decreases.
You can use razors and depilatory creams!
It can be the use of razors and depilatory creams. It is best to remove hair the day before the laser application. Hair removal on the day of treatment or just before the laser can sensitize the skin.
Hair should be removed before laser treatment. If the hair is not removed, the remaining hair on the skin will burn and cause pain, and by absorbing the laser energy, it prevents sufficient energy to go to the hair root, thus reducing the effectiveness of the laser.
Contrary to popular belief, razor blades do not thicken, multiply, or darken the hairs. Therefore, you can use a razor or depilatory before and during the treatment sessions.
How often is laser hair removal done, how long do the sessions last?
Laser applications should be done every 6-12 weeks. This period is necessary for the pigment of the hair follicles to be sufficient. It should not be earlier than 6 weeks and not later than 12 weeks.
While the duration of the session is 1-2 minutes in areas such as the upper lip, it may take half an hour in large areas such as the whole leg and back.
Pre-Laser Treatment Recommendations:
Do not use methods such as waxing, waxing, and tweezers in the week before treatment. Because you will break the hair root that the laser will affect and destroy. This reduces the effect of the laser.
Reduce sun exposure a week or two before treatment. Bronze skin reduces the effectiveness of the laser.
Do not apply make-up to the area to be treated. Make-up absorbs laser energy, causing less energy to reach the hair root and reduce its effectiveness. Make-up can cause skin irritation or burns by increasing the laser temperature. Make-up can be applied after laser treatment.
Please shave or trim the hair the day before or the morning of the treatment. This way makes the skin less sensitive. The long hairs on the skin absorb the laser energy and waste energy, reducing the energy required to go to the hair root. In addition, these hairs increase the likelihood of burns and skin irritation.
If your pain threshold is low, it may be appropriate to take painkillers 2 hours before the procedure. In addition, since some women are more sensitive to pain during menstruation, application may not be made before and during menstruation.
Suggestions after Laser Treatment:
Post-laser redness will regress when you reach home. Some skins are sensitive and may feel dry after the procedure. In this case, a humidifier can be used.
Do not sunbathe for a week or two after treatment. There may be blemishes. Use sunscreen with a factor of at least 30.
After the laser, the hairs in the hair follicles can grow within 1 or 2 weeks after the treatment. If you are uncomfortable, you can cut it off.
You can use shaving and depilatory cream between sessions. Between sessions, methods such as waxing, sirloin wax, tweezers and threading should not be used. Because they reduce the effect of the next laser session.
Post-laser blistering and crusting is rare and regresses within a few days to a week. An antibiotic cream can be applied frequently.
