Hair Removal Methods

Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular non-surgical cosmetic procedure. It is a non-invasive, convenient method to reduce hair growth.

Laser Hair Removal Technique
Depending on the area being treated, the process may take anywhere from several minutes to several hours to complete. The most commonly used lasers utilize a low energy laser beam. This beam passes through the patient’s skin and is attracted to the pigment of the hair. The energy passes down the hair shaft and is absorbed by hair follicles that are in the active growth phase, thereby disabling the hair follicle in the deeper layer of the skin. The hair follicles that are in dormant phase are not affected by the treatment. In most cases, minimal pain should be experienced and no anesthesia is required.

Laser Hair Removal Benefits

• A non-invasive, gentle technique that reduces undesirable hair from most parts of the body
• Treats larger areas effectively because it disables more than one hair at a time
• May make skin color and complexion more uniform
• Minimal discomfort
• Replaces waxing, electrolysis, shaving and bleaching
• No downtime

Laser Hair Removal Considerations

• Laser hair removal is an ongoing process that requires multiple sessions because it only affects actively growing hair, and not all hair follicles are active at the same time. In addition, high energy levels are avoided so as to minimize the risk of injury to the adjacent skin
• Occasionally patients may experience slight redness of the skin or mild swelling around the hairs
• Sunscreen is recommended for any area treated that may be exposed to the sun
• Patients with darker skin may not respond well due to inadequate discrepancy between skin and hair colors
• Blonde or gray/white hair is less responsive due to lack of ample pigment in the hair

General Considerations for Surgery
Being prepared for surgery, both mentally and physically, will make the whole process less anxiety provoking. Please read this section about general issues related to surgery. Specific issues and instructions for each procedure you are considering will be reviewed in the procedure section.

Understanding risks
All surgery has associated risks, and understanding these risks will help you feel more comfortable about them. In general, small procedures have small risks, and major procedures have larger risks. It makes sense that if an incision is necessary for a procedure, there will be a scar. Likewise, when the skin is cut, there is a possibility of bleeding. Finally, until the incision is fully healed, there is a possibility of contracting an infection. Many steps are taken to reduce all of these risks, but even if everything is performed perfectly, a small chance remains that something may occur. Other general risks may not immediately jump to mind, but are understandable once you consider them further:

• During the rough and tumble years of childhood, many of us have experienced bumps or scrapes. If you bumped your knee, you probably noticed some swelling. If you scraped it badly, even if there was no bleeding, it could weep fluid for a period of time. Similarly, after any surgery, your body will respond by creating fluid around the operative region. The fluid can be seen as edema (soft swelling of the skin), or, if a potential cavity was created during the surgery, it can manifest as a seroma (a fluid collection under the skin). In surgeries where a seroma is expected to occur, drains may be placed to remove this fluid.
• All incisions made during surgery need to heal, and occasionally delayed healing can occur. Smoking and vascular conditions are known to slow down healing, so please be forthcoming during your preoperative interview and compliant with smoking abstinence in the peri-operative period.
• Variable amounts of bruising are possible, and occasionally there can be significant bleeding after surgery which requires additional operative intervention for treatment. With small surgical procedures, these issues will prolong the visible recovery period (due to more extensive bruising). With very extensive operations, the possibility of a blood transfusion may be entertained if excessive bleeding were to occur.
• It is normal to have some numbness near scars, as skin incisions divide small sensory nerves. Sometimes, larger regions can be affected, depending on how extensively your body tissues are moved to achieve the desired surgical changes. Typically, sensation will return over a period of months as the small nerve endings heal back into their correct locations.
• The life threatening complication of blood clots to the lungs (pulmonary emboli) is well known, and steps will be taken to reduce the chance of this occurring. The risk is higher in procedures with long operative times, and is reduced through the use of compression devices during surgery. Soon after your operation, you will be asked to resume walking, as walking reduces the chance of this occurring.

Know what to expect

Pre Operative
The goal of your plastic surgeon and their staff is to make your surgical experience as easy and comfortable as possible. You will be provided with information regarding your specific procedure, all of which is aimed at removing the uncertainties that you would otherwise be facing. There are risks associated with surgery, and some instructions are aimed at reducing these risks. If you are a smoker, you will be asked to stop smoking well in advance of surgery. Aspirin and certain anti-inflammatory drugs can cause increased bleeding, so you should avoid taking these medications for a period of time before surgery.

Day of Surgery
Your surgery will be performed either in a hospital, a free-standing ambulatory facility or an accredited office-based surgical suite. Medications will be administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. Depending on the procedure being performed and your comfort level, pain relief can be achieved with local anesthesia, intravenous sedation, or sometimes general anesthesia. For your safety during the operation, various monitors will be used to check your heart, blood pressure, pulse and the amount of oxygen circulating in your blood.

Once surgery is completed, you will be taken into a recovery area where you will continue to be closely monitored. If you had an “outpatient” procedure performed, you will be permitted to go home after a short period of observation. If you have undergone a general anesthetic, you must have a caregiver assist you with daily activities continuously for the first 24 hours. If your procedure requires an overnight stay, you will be transported to an overnight observation room after initially waking up in the recovery area.

Recovery
Recovery from surgical procedures varies according to the procedure performed, as well as the individual on whom they are performed. The first few days after surgery, you should rest quietly. During the first 48 hours following surgery, patients experience varying degrees of bruising and swelling. Bruising typically disappears within seven to ten days. Remember that you must not take aspirin or certain anti-inflammatory medications as these will make your bruising worse, and could lead to bleeding. Swelling is a normal response of your body after surgery, and keeping the operated region elevated will help reduce the swelling. Cool compresses can help relieve discomfort and decrease swelling, but should only be used as specified by your surgeon. For most procedures, the first 2 to 3 days is when you will experience the most discomfort and you should expect to use oral pain medications on a scheduled basis. The discomfort level then rapidly decreases, and most patients can then reduce their medication to an as-needed basis by the 4th to 7th day after surgery. You will probably benefit from some medication at night to assist with sleep up to 10 days after the operation.

In general, it is good to avoid strenuous activities for the first few weeks after surgery. Specific instructions are tailored to the restrictions of individual procedures, and should be followed to achieve the best outcomes. After any operation, it is important to resume normal activities of daily living as soon as possible. These include going to the dinner table to eat and walking yourself to the rest room. This minimal amount of walking activity is enough to significantly reduce the risk of blood clot formation in your legs. Strenuous activities (such as running or weight lifting) should be avoided until your surgeon feels they are safe to resume.

Maintaining a Relationship with Your Plastic Surgeon
Please remember that the relationship with your plastic surgeon does not end when you leave the operating room. If you have questions or concerns during your recovery, or need additional information at a later time, you should contact your surgeon. You will return to your plastic surgeon’s office for follow-up care at prescribed intervals, at which time your progress will be evaluated.

Depending on your surgery, the surgical incisions will be closed either with absorbable sutures (that disappear on their own) or material that need to be removed (such as non-absorbable sutures or staples). The choice of closure material depends on the type of surgery being performed and the tension along the incision. If you need anything removed, this will be performed during a scheduled office visit. The timing for these visits will be discussed by your surgeon. In general, you will be instructed how to keep your incisions clean, and the care regime during the immediate healing phase. After immediate healing is complete (2 to 3 weeks), you will be instructed in scar care, with the use of creams to speed scar maturation, and sun block to avoid scar pigmentation.

Other Considerations
All cosmetic surgery is aimed at changing contours of your body. The best way to maintain your surgical results are to protect the elastic properties of your skin (smoking avoidance, sun protection) and maintain a stable weight. Aside from prolonging the desired effects of your surgery, these practices are good for your overall health.

Hair Removal Methods

Electrolysis is a method of permanent hair removal which was invented over 100 years ago in the United States. During electrolysis, a needle is inserted into a hair follicle and an electrical pulse is sent through the needle. If this particular hair follicle is in the active growth stage at the time of treatment, it will probably not grow again.

There are three basic types of electrolysis hair removal:

• Galvanic – An electro-chemical current produces a bit of lye.
• Thermolysis – A heat current is produced by and a radio wave.
• Blend – An electro-chemical reaction is produced more quickly by a combination of the above methods.

Hair can be removed from almost anywhere on the body except from the inside of the nose, ears, or often from a mole.

All electrologists have some trainingin hair removal, but states vary widely as to whether electrologists actually need certification and if so, vary as to what is required to obtain electrolysis certification. It is probably a good idea to ask about the training and experience of your electrologist.

Some of the people who may not be good candidates for at least galvanic or blend include people who have pace makers, are pregnant or have IUD’s. Your medical practitioner and your electrologist should make these decisions.

Common side effects of electrolysis include pain, redness, or swelling. It is possible for scabs to appear which may result in infection or scarring. It is also possible for darker skinned individuals to get dark or light spots around the treated areas which may or may not be permanent.

Electrolysis may be painful for some individuals depending on the coarseness of the hair being removed, the sensitivity of the area itself, and an individual’s tolerance for discomfort. A topical anesthetic such as EMLA or ElaMax may reduce the pain. Since electrolysis takes quite a bit of time, it may be difficult for some people to endure the discomfort associated with electrolysis.

Electrolysis hair removal takes a commitment of money, time and energy. Most electrologists charge between $45 and $125 per hour. You can figure out how much electrolysis will cost by multiplying your electrologists hourly rate by the hours for a particular area. It is very difficult to estimate the cost of electrolysis since hair grows denser for some people versus others. While an upper lip may take as little as one hour to treat, a man’s back hair removal treatment may take 150 hours or even more.

Although it is not easy to estimate the cost of hair removal or time it will take to remove an individual’s hair, the chart below can be used as a general guide. It may make more sense to use laser hair removal as the method to remove hair from large areas such as backs or full legs because of the significant cost and time savings. It may also make sense to use laser for small areas if only to save significant amounts of time.

The FDA has only approved certain lasers for “permanent hair reduction” indicating that a certain percentage of hair will remain after a course of laser treatment. Some individuals choose to begin electrolysis after the series of laser treatments to remove the stragglers left behind by the laser.

Of course there is a group of people for which the laser hair removal won’t work. This includes people with red, white, grey, or true blond hair in the area from hair is to be removed. This group of people may opt for electrolysis hair removal. Another option is an intense-pulsed-light hair removal machine, most of which are FDA approved for “long-term hair reduction.”

Cost of Electrolysis

Electrolysis is definitely a tried and true option for those opting for permanent hair removal. Although sometimes costly, painful and time consuming, it may be the best option for people with certain hair or skin types, or for those with only a small amount of hair to be removed.

Some facts about Vaniqa

Vaniqa is the first prescription drug approved for the treatment of excessive facial hair in women. It is an enzyme inhibitor used topically to slow the growth of unwanted facial hair. It’s estimated that 20 million American women are bothered enough by facial hair to remove it once a week. Now you have a way to slow the growth of that unwanted hair.

This medicine is not a depilatory. It doesn’t remove hair. You’ll need to continue your routine method of hair removal while using this medicine. You may not see improvement for the first month of use. If your symptoms don’t improve or become worse, check with your doctor.

How Does it Work?

This medicine comes with a Patient Information Leaflet. Read it carefully. Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist any questions that you may have about this medicine.

Apply a thin layer of this medication only to the affected areas of the face and chin, and rub in well. It is usually applied twice daily at least 8 hours apart or as directed by your doctor. Do not apply for at least 5 minutes after hair removal (e.g., plucking, shaving). Do not wash the treated area for at least 4 hours.

Wash hands immediately after using this product. This medication is for use on the skin only. Avoid getting the product in your eyes, nose, or mouth. If the medication gets in these areas, rinse immediately with clean water. If this drug gets in your eyes, rinse thoroughly with water and contact your doctor.

Wait until the medication has dried completely before applying cosmetics, moisturizers, or sunscreens over the treated areas.

This product is not a hair removal product. Continue to use hair removal techniques (e.g., shaving, plucking) while using this medication. If you stop using this product, hair growth will return.

You should see some improvement in 4 to 8 weeks. This medication works slowly. Use exactly as directed. Do not use more of this product or use it more often. Your condition will not improve faster, and the risk of side effects will increase. Tell your doctor if your skin becomes red or irritated. Your doctor may direct you to apply the medication only once a day or stop the medication.

Where do you apply Vaniqa?

Anywhere except on the face and chin, in the eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina, or if you have severe acne or broken skin.

Vaniqa works by inhibiting ornithine decarboxylase, an enzyme in the hair follicle of the skin that stimulates hair growth.

Reported side effects that may go away during treatment, include stinging/tingling skin, burning, redness, rash of the skin; or hair bumps (folliculitis) and acne. If they continue or are bothersome, check with your doctor.

Vaniqa should not be used:

By women who are pregnant or nursing, because Vaniqa has not been tested to see if it causes birth defects and miscarriages in humans.

By females under age 12.

By men as it has not been tested on males.

There are several questions that people ask when it comes to permanent hair removal done through the use of lasers. Listed below are answers to the most common questions.

Does it Hurt?

Because the laser energy is absorbed in the hair follicle producing heat, there is a little sensation when performing laser hair removal. Certain areas of the body hurt more than others during laser hair removal. In addition, patients with very thick, dark hair may experience more discomfort than those with thin hair. This is because the thicker, darker hair will soak up more of the laser light during any given treatment. Normally, the hair becomes thinner and less solid after each succeeding treatment. Therefore, the most pain is usually experienced during the first treatment.

Can it Leave Scars?

Any laser procedure can cause scarring. This risk is noted on most consent forms you will sign prior to laser treatment. However, the risk of scarring from laser hair removal is rather small and is a result of many things including:

• The experience, skill, knowledge and training of the laser operator
• Your particular ability to heal
• The amount of melanin pigment in your skin with greater risk for darker skin types
• Type of laser used

What are the costs?

While laser hair removal can be costly, many patients realize that the treatment’s lasting effects and reduced hair growth more than worth the cost. The cost of a laser hair removal treatment varies depending on the area being treated, the physician performing the treatment, the number of treatments in a package, and other considerations.

Here are some average costs:

California $407

Texas $638

Florida $597

New York $499

Michigan $300

Does the Hair Grow Back?

Laser hair removal is accomplished in a series of sessions generally completed monthly or every other month. The average number of sessions to achieve over eighty percent permanent hair reduction in 80-90 percent of good candidates is approximately six sessions.

In between these monthly sessions some of the hair will have grown due to the hair’s natural cycle. Hairs that may have been dormant during your previous laser hair removal session may now be in the growth phase. This is where the need for multiple treatment sessions arises. Multiple sessions ensures that all the hairs are subjected to the treatment. These hairs may be shaved by the patient between sessions if desired.

Trying to get rid of body hair can be a frustrating experience. On this page, we will briefly discuss methods of hair removal and their effectiveness.

Laser

One of the more trendy ways to remove hair is via laser, or pulsed light, energy that goes through the hair shaft down to the follicle where it obliterates the hair’s root.

Laser hair removal can be done anywhere on the body. The best candidates are women with dark hair and light skin. Lasers won’t work on white hair, and they are much less effective on blond hair.

Electrolysis

The only method of hair removal that is permitted to be called “permanent,” electrolysis uses a tiny needle that slides down into the hair follicle until it reaches the cells responsible for hair growth.

Like other forms of hair removal, it is safe to do electrolysis anywhere on the body.

Vaniqa

Vaniqa is a topical prescription cream, also known as eflornithine 13.9%, that works by blocking an enzyme that would otherwise stimulate hair growth. Without the enzyme, hair growth is retarded in that area, and eventually may stop.

Vaniqa works best for facial hair growth on the upper lip, chin, and cheeks.

Waxing

It’s been around for centuries, but today’s waxes are far different than the sticky honey treatments of the past.

Waxing can remove hair anywhere on the body, including the upper lip, chin, eyebrows, arms and legs. A bikini wax removes hair that might show when you’re wearing a skimpy bathing suit bottom, while a Brazilian wax removes all hair from the genital area.

Shaving

Whether done with an electric or straight razor, shaving is akin to cutting hair – only it does so ultra-close to the skin. Shaving does not remove hair at the root, nor does it disturb the follicle. That means the effects are temporary, lasting anywhere from a few hours to a few days.