Laser Hair Removal

The light emitted from the applicator is attracted to melanin, which the pigment (colour) is found in hair. Because the light is attracted to dark colours the darker the hair the more effective the treatment. It is more effective therefore if a client’s skin is also at its palest, because if a tan (real or fake) is present, the light is attracted to the pigment (colour) in the skin, this wastes some of the light energy making the treatment less effective & therefore wastes your money, as extra sessions will be required. Prior to treatment the hairs are clipped back. The applicator is then pressed onto the skin and & a shot of light is released. The light will then be absorbed into the hair; the light energy is transformed to heat, which destroys the root of the hair.

Laser works best on dark hair with pale skin, but Cutera ND Yag laser can also treat all skin types. Darker hairs are most easily treated due to the large concentration of melanin in these hairs, which gives an optimal absorption and conversion of light energy to heat.

Yes with our new ND Yag system we can now safely & effectively treat black skins.

No, because blonde, red & grey hairs have very little melanin, therefore no heat can be generated in the follicle to destroy it.

Clients should avoid tanning for one month before treatment and throughout the course of the treatment. This will reduce light absorption by the skin. After the treatment the treated area is more sensitive to UV light for about one week so sun exposure of the treated area should be avoided & an SPF 20+ should be used for one week afterwards to prevent uneven pigmentation.
Clients should also refrain from waxing, plucking and electrolysis for approximately 3 weeks before treatment & during treatment, as a root is required in order to kill off the hair. Throughout your course of laser hair reduction treatment you are only permitted to shave, or clip back as often as you like.

The treatment sensation varies from area to area and from client to client. As the light energy is absorbed by melanin, the sensation that is felt depends upon the amount of melanin in the skin and the hair. Therefore it hurts more in dark skinned clients and those with dense black hair, but we can lower the intensity in this case. Most clients describe the sensation as quite moderate almost like the snapping of a rubber band.

To assess the hair before the initial treatment, some hairs need to be evident to determine if the hairs are dark enough for treatment, especially if treating a facial area. Also to determine energy settings we need to asses facial hair density as to whether it is fine, medium or thick. For subsequent treatments most of the hairs should be shaved or clipped back, leaving 4/5 unclipped hairs visible so that their density can be assessed on each visit as they become finer as treatments progress. It is imperative to shave large areas such as full leg & back areas prior to treatment, as this would take up a lot of therapist’s time & would make the treatment more difficult. Clients arriving in unshaved will incur a charge of €50 for large areas i.e. back & leg areas.

An upper lip & chin treatment usually takes about 15 minutes, Underarms 15mins, bikini line areas take 20- 30 mins, Lower legs take 30mins & Full legs inc bikini 1 ½hrs.

For many clients, treatment results in the hair becoming loose in the follicle. In some cases hairs slide out immediately after treatment but in most cases this occurs 2/3 weeks after a treatment. Hairs should slide out easily without being plucked; they can be tested with a tweezers about 2/3 wks later ensuring there is no traction as they’re removed. A red ring around each follicle is sometimes seen a few minutes after treatment. These two indications are good signs that sufficient heating of the follicles has taken place. However many clients have successful treatment results without these post treatment signs.

There are 3 different stages of hair growth:
• Anagen - growing stage (Hair root attached to follicle)
• Catagen - transition stage (hairs during their shedding phase)
• Telogen - resting stage (Waiting for new hairs to grow)
To permanently reduce hair, the hair must be in the active stage of growth known as the Anagen stage. Hairs that aren’t in the anagen stage will definitely grow back & that is why repeated treatments are necessary. The number of hairs in the anagen stage at any given time varies from 10-30 % depending on the body site; therefore one can have minimum of 10% & maximum of 30% reduction in a single treatment. This is why repeated treatments are necessary. It’s very important to keep intervals between treatments constant, as the aim is to get as many hairs in the anagen stage as possible in order to kill off the maximum amount in a single session, so as soon as new hairs begin to grow & emerge from the skin, they are usually in this active stage & treatment at this time is advisable. Intervals between facial treatments are generally every 4-6 weeks & for body hair, treatments are necessary only every 8 weeks, as hair growth is slower there. For most body areas 12 treatments are required on average, but can in some cases take more treatments. Facial areas can take about 12 sessions. Permanent reduction of up to 70% -90 % can be expected.
Telogen stage of growth is where a hair has shed & the follicle is at rest awaiting for a new hair to begin to grow, unfortunately this follicle can remain at rest for up to 8 years, therefore preventing us from being able to treat it, because if there is no hair in the follicle it’s not possible for us to treat it. This is the reason why all laser clinics cannot guarantee 100% permanent removal, as we have no control over the natural hair growth cycle. And that is why there is no method of 100% permanently removing hair, no matter what laser device, electrolysis or Intense Pulsed Light system is used.

Between 70% -90% permanent reductions is achievable after a course of treatments.

No Heat treatments are permitted for 24/48 hrs (Sauna, steam room, hot showers & bathes, swimming)
No makeup application for 24hrs, with the exception of ID Bare Minerals which is chemical & fragrance free make up which can be applied immediately after & is available here at Genesis Skin Care & Laser Clinic. No application of perfumed products for 24/48 hrs after. SPF 20+ recommended for 3/4 weeks after on areas exposed to sunlight, as you may me photosensitive for up to one week after treatment & therefore prone to uneven pigmentation/tanning. Aloe Vera gel may be applied to smooth skin.

Waxing is only a temporary method of hair removal. Hairs need to be 1/4” long before waxing can be performed & waxing is required every 6-8weeks. For laser the hairs can be shaven or clipped short before treatment & is permanent.

Electrolysis is a slower method of permanent hair reduction suitable for smaller areas such as upper lip. Electrolysis requires a lot of commitment, usually requiring regular weekly sessions for at least 2 years for an average upper lip to achieve permanent results. It treats only one hair at a time so therefore removing only about 30 hairs in a single treatment, but with laser entire upper lip can be treated in a single session. However if hairs are blond/ red or grey electrolysis is the only solution for permanent hair reduction as there is no laser treatment clinically proven yet to treat blonde, red or grey hairs.

If a client is pregnant it is suggested that she wait until 2-3 months after the birth to begin treatment. At this time hair growth is synchronised, which means that there will probably be an increased number of visible hairs, making the treatment much more effective.
If a client is worried that she may have had a laser treatment during an early stage of pregnancy, there is no need to worry because laser emits visible light, which is entirely safe & is not harmful to the baby at all. It is only precautionary that pregnant women aren’t treated.

Yes, experts agree that it presents no problems.

No guarantee can be given to anyone with hormonal imbalances as it’s possible that the underlying hormonal disorder could be triggering the hair growth. However some sufferers of PCOS have had success with laser so therefore we wouldn’t refuse to treat them so long as their aware those results may vary & are not guaranteed in these circumstances.

Irregular periods can indicate fluctuating hormones or an imbalance. Usually clients that are prone to excessive hair in unusual areas i.e. between the chest can indicate an imbalance. Blood tests can only help diagnose a hormonal imbalance but they are not conclusive, so this is also why laser clinics cannot guarantee results. No hair removal system can guarantee permanent hair reduction if there is an underlying hormonal influence causing the hair growth, & unfortunately this cannot be determined until some treatments have commenced & progress is monitored.