Hair Loss News

New York, NY (PRWEB) — For many Americans, the tedious and often-painful routine of shaving, waxing and plucking unwanted hair has been replaced by safe, painless and highly-effective methods of long-term and even permanent hair removal. Indeed, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reports that, in 2006, 1.4 million men and women in the U.S. underwent laser hair removal procedures - a number that has been rising consistently since the late 1990s. Yet, the brisk pace of advances in hair removal technology leaves many patients wondering which method is right for them.

“From the development of different types of lasers to the refinement of non-laser techniques, deciding on the most appropriate method of hair removal can seem overwhelming at first,” says Joshua Fox, MD, founder of Advanced Dermatology and a spokesman for the American Academy of Dermatology. “The determination is made simply by weighing the specific needs and goals of the patient with the medical history and other physical criteria,” Dr. Fox explains.

Laser Hair Removal: The New Gold Standard

Part of the reason so many Americans are opting for laser hair removal is that the technology itself has been refined to near-perfect standards over the past several years, Dr. Fox believes. The industry began with an understanding that, by targeting the melanin in the hair shaft with a laser beam, the follicle itself could be destroyed. However, patients with more melanin in their skin - those with a tan, or those of Asian, Hispanic or African American origins - experienced less success than their fairer counterparts, and sometimes even sustained skin discoloration or burns from the laser.

Newer techology was quickly developed that provided a longer wave length light beam with deeper penetration with no effect to the melanocytes, bringing effective hair removal with minimal side effects to those with darker skin. Additional advances focused on lasers that could target lighter hairs, thicker hairs or finer hairs on various body parts. Finally, patient comfort and skin safety were addressed with a variety of cooling devices that minimize pain at the procedure site and protect surrounding skin from damage.

“Today, the vast majority of laser hair removal procedures are safe, virtually painless, take less than 20 minutes and cause minimal, if any, side effects,” he notes. However, the keys to experiencing such an uncomplicated procedure lie in choosing the right laser - or non-laser - for the patient’s particular needs, and in following the right protocol the following are the most popular technologies used today, and the differences that help patients to determine which one is right for them:

- “Short Pulsed Alexandrite” lasers are among the most common lasers used for permanent hair removal. The beam penetrates the skin at a longer wavelength than some other lasers, meaning that the top layer of skin is less likely to be affected by the heat of the beam. Most Alexandrite lasers, such as the Apogee® and the GentleLASE®, also include cooling mechanisms that chill the surface of the skin during treatment for added protection.

- “Long Pulsed Nd:YAG” lasers such as the Lyra® are often most appropriate for patients with very dark skin, as the wavelength of the laser beam is longer than that of the Alexandrite laser and therefore spares the melanocytes. It has been shown safe and effective for patients with Fitzpatrick skin types up to VI - the darkest of the six skin pigment categories used by dermatologists to describe melanin levels. This laser also uses a skin cooling device to protect the epidermis during treatment.

- “Intentse Pulsed Light” treatments offer long-term hair loss and growth reduction with a less intense light source than laser. These treatments are often gentler to the epidermis, and are a good choice for patients with very sensitive skin.

- Electro-Optical Synergy (ELOS) technology uses a combination of radiofrequency and intense pulsed light energies to causing long-term loss of light-colored hair, which is often resistant to laser treatment. In several studies this finding was not reproduced.

Dr. Fox advises those who are considering long-term or permanent hair removal procedures to consult a dermatologist for the safest, most appropriate - and most satisfying - outcome. “A dermatologist can help patients determine, based on skin type, hair type and sensitivity issues, which is the best approach, can assist patients in preparing for the procedure and their recovery, and provide the deepest level of expertise,” Dr. Fox concludes, “not only about the procedure itself, but also about the overall, long-term health of their skin.”

Joshua L. Fox, M.D., is a leading authority in the field of dermatology with an expertise in skin cancer, cosmetic surgery, and laser procedures.

His website is: www.advancedd.com