Laser Hair Removal
FAQ
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Q: What does laser hair removal feel like? Is it painful?
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A: Most people with lighter skin should feel no pain as they will undergo laser hair removal with the LightSheer Duet, which is considered the latest and pain free hair removal. Other people describe the feeling similar to a pinch of a rubber band. Although pain is an individual feeling, most clients express the sensation as tolerable.
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Q: What should I do before my treatment?
A: Try to avoid sun exposure. Hair can be more aggressively treated without a fresh tan. Having hair is essential to having a successful treatment. You can not wax, tweeze, thread or have electrolysis for 4 weeks before a treatment. The best way to manage hair beforehand is to shave, trim, or use cream depilatories. On the day of your treatment, the hair will be freshly shaven by the technician.
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Q: What should I expect after a treatment?
A: After a treatment the skin may be red and bumpy. This is absolutely normal. Post treatment, we recommend protecting the area from the sun to avoid any additional heat to the area, as well as avoiding activities such as exercise, saunas, and other activities which may irritate the area or induce heat for 24-48 hours immediately after treatment. The area should be moisturized with a soothing cream and cleansed with a mild soap as advised by our laser technicians.
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Q: How many treatments will I need?
A: Hair grows in continuous cycles. The anagen or growth phase of hair contains the largest amounts of melanin and this phase is the laser's target. From scientific studies we understand that any area contains a maximum of 20-30% of anagen hairs at one time, and it is these anagen hairs that are affected each treatment. Most clients will require a minimum of three treatments. Repeated sessions are necessary. Finer hair and dark skin clients may require 6-8 treatments. If you suffer from a hormone imbalance, your treatments may be ongoing. To have effective treatments it is imperative that they be sequenced. Each client's expectations of hair loss is different. Some may be happy with 50-60% loss and may want to discontinue, and others will want to continue until they reach their maximum loss of 80-95%.
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Q: How long should I wait between treatments?
A: Waiting time may vary with individuals. Generally, 6-8 weeks are recommended between appointments.
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Q: What should I do to manage the hair between treatments?
A: You should not have much hair to manage. If you need to, shaving or trimming is the most effective way to manage hair growth between treatments.
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Q: Are the Results Permanent?
A: The LightSheer Duet laser has been cleared by the FDA for hair removal and permanent hair reduction on all skin types and tanned skin. To achieve a satisfactory level of clearance, 4-6 treatments are typically required.
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Q: Does laser hair removal create or treat ingrown hairs?
A: The laser will not create ingrown hairs. If you suffer from them the laser will produce an effective treatment to clear the ingrown hairs.
Q: Does the LightSheer Duet work on different skin colours?
A: The LightSheer Duet diode laser system safely and effectively treats all skin types (Fitzpatrick Skin Types I-VI). For darker skin types appropriate fluences are generally lower and appropriate pulse widths are generally longer to prevent damage to the epidermis. Using the appropriate treatment parameters, however, people with all skin types can benefit from laser hair removal with the LightSheer Duet.*
*Please note these are manufacturers recommendations. Based on the Hair Zapping Queen's professional experience clients who fall under Fitzpatrick scale V and VI may require different technology, please contact us directly for clarification about this.
Q: Does the LightSheer Duet work on tanned skins?
A: A tan is damage to the skin. When it is damaged, it creates "tan" or colour. These are "melanin" deposits in the skin. The laser is attracted to melanin. The technology in the Lightsheer Duet allows the skin to be cooled effectively to avoid absorption of energy into skin, but the energy of the laser must be reduced to accommodate a tan. Therefore a client with a tan may require more treatments than someone without a tan. To have a more effective treatment, it would be better not have a tan.
Q: What advantages does the LightSheer Duet have over other laser hair removal systems?
A: Lasers operate at wavelengths or nanometers. Primitive lasers, such as the Alexandrite Laser emits a wavelength of 810nm which is effective at targeting melanin in the hair and consequently the skin
The LightSheer Duet Laser System was designed from the ground up specifically for laser hair removal only, so it has the wavelength, fluence/energy, pulse width, and active cooling ideally suited for laser hair removal. It has a large surface area to emit pulses to the skin, around 6 times the size of the older generation tip, allowing for quick treatment times. Finally, it uses vacuum-assist technology to stretch out the skin being treated, and this allows for effective treatment at lower energy levels.
Q: Is the Lightsheer Duet FDA approved?
A: The laser was developed in 1994 and the first hair removal study began in July 1996. The FDA cleared the device for treatments in December 1997. The FDA then granted its claim for permanent hair reduction in April 1999 after it demonstrated in a 3000-person study a better than 50% permanent hair loss after only 3 treatments.
Q: Why should I use the LightSheer Duet Laser System rather than the methods I've been using for years?
A: The LightSheer Duet Laser System's design provides for enhanced comfort during treatment, minimal risk of infection, speed and accuracy. Since the system uses a unique cooling hand-piece, it minimizes skin irritation that other methods may create. Since it is non-invasive (no needles to penetrate the skin), the risk of introducing bacteria into the skin is reduced. Because the system is fast, it allows for larger areas to be treated in a short period of time, considerably increasing the efficiency of the hair removal process. Finally, the LightSheer Duet Laser is a precise instrument that can be adjusted to damage only the hair follicle while minimally affecting the surrounding skin, particularly due to its vacuum-assist technology.