Dallas Med Spa News & Evanesque Skin Beauty Blog

Archive for April, 2009

Here’s the real story for your unwanted hair options.

If you are certain that you want to permanently get rid of unwanted hair, you may find the following lists helpful in your decision.

Thousands in Dallas have opted for and embraced Laser Hair Removal versus an ongoing series of waxings, here’s why:

LASER HAIR REMOVAL

• No need to let hair grow out before treatments
• 6 Treatments recommended 5-6 weeks apart
• Results (no hair) enjoyed between each treatment
• Ingrown hairs and razor burns go away!!
• 80% – 90% Permanent Hair Reduction for most
• Cost: Most offer Great Specials for Packages
• When finished with treatments, payments are over!
• A permanent solution to unwanted hair!!
• Much less expensive in the long run.
• Your skin will be smooth, soft and hair free

WAXING

• Must let hair grow out before treatment
• Ongoing commitment every 3 – 4 weeks
• Temporary, short lived fix
• Waxing can lead to irritation, blistering, ingrown hairs
• Cost $50 – $150 per treatment
• Never done paying
• Really hurts!

Before Pixel Photo  After Pixel Photo

There is a lot of talk out there about “Fractional Laser Resurfacing”.
Here is some information to help clarify what that means and why the public is so excited about this treatment.

For those of us not ready for surgical procedures….Fractional laser resurfacing can provide the next best thing. This technology allows fractionated light from the laser to go beneath the skin surface to heat the dermal layer and initiate the stimulation of collagen through the body’s own ability to heal. Because the light is “fractionated” some of the skin stays in tact so the healing process is shortened.

Fractional CO2 laser resurfacing repairs enlarged pores,acne scars and improves the texture and tone of the skin. The procedure requires approximately one week of minimal down time. This down time varies depending on the intensity of the energy level selected. You get to determine what setting you would like used. The post healing process is more visible than it is painful. Typically, the first day it feels like a bad sunburn, some swelling may occur depending on the intensity level chosen. The sunburn look turns to a dark brown stage followed by peeling that begins on about day three.

The fun part is when your new, blemish free skin becomes visible. The hardest part is to be patient while the collagen building process
occurs. Improvements will continue over 3-6 months. Your body needs time to build up the new, stronger collagen level in your skin. It is not instantaneous but don’t worry your friends will notice the dullness removed, the youthful glow and the toning and tightening that continues to improve in the months to come!

Laser Hair removal is fast becoming a staple procedure for many thousands of people. Unwanted hair can be eliminated or at least greatly reduced. Laser Hair Removal (LHR) is a multi step process. The hair follicles are literally destroyed via the transmission of heat (caused by the laser pulse) through the hair shaft to the bulb. When the hair has it’s most color (melanin) the Alexandrite (755nm) laser (for skin types 1-3) is most effective. Because hair grows in cycles and the earliest part of growth phase brings with it the most melanin that’s the ideal time to destroy a hair follicle.

The laser will sufficiently damage the hair follicles so that about ten days after being treated the hairs will begin to evacuate themselves from the skin (much like a splinter will , only with no pain). You will be able to see the process as the hair begins to fall out. Now you have the result you have hoped for. But , wait a minute, while you may seem mostly hair free in the treated area (and you are very happy about this), this will only last for about 3-4 more weeks. Then your ready for your second treatment. This pattern will repeat itself until you have completed about six treatments. After which you should have way less, if any visible hair in the treated area. The great thing about the LHR process is that for about half of the time between treatments you will be generally hair free and after the six treatments you will be good to go for years.

It is critical in our experience, to be committed to a scheduled treatment regimen at 5-6 week intervals. As the new cycle of hair growth occurs the laser needs to be applied. The schedule and the hair growth cycles work together such that your growth cycles will get in sync with your treatments and you will get the hair reduction/removal you are hoping for.

The end result will be softer smoother, hairless looking skin area that will feel soft and smooth much like the underside of a (typical) females’ forearm. Also the visibility of the pores where the hair once grew will decrease markedly if not completely disappear.

We have gotten the best results using the Candela GentleLase Mini. It’s the fastest, least painful and most effective laser that we have found and our clients heartily agree. As an example, treating a females’ underarms or bikini area takes less than ten minutes, then they’re on their way back to work or play or wherever.

Stay out of the sun and stay on schedule, don’t wax, tweeze, or depiltate between treatments and this process works wonderfully well. Be sure you are a good candidate and that your laser center and laser operator are well trained and very good at operating the laser safely and effectively. There are many great Q&As for LHR at Evanesque.