Laser

Laser Hair Removal is a fast, gentle and effective way to remove unwanted hair with long-term results. 

How permanent is laser hair removal? 

While laser hair removal doesn't get rid of hair forever, it does drastically reduce hair growth to the point that you may be able to stop shaving altogether. You can get it done anywhere on the body, and the machine can cover large places fast. We recommend laser for larger areas of the body and for dark skin tones.

Preparing for your Laser Hair Removal Treatment

The treatment area should be shaved completely prior to treatment. Legs should be shaved no sooner than 24 hours prior to your appointment to avoid irritation. Do not wax, tweeze, epilate or use chemical depilatories between laser treatments.

Why does it seem like my hair is growing back after laser?

Why do hairs continue to grow after the treatment? This is mainly due to the hair's growth cycle. Hairs in the anagen or active phase will be affected by the laser. The hairs in the catagen or dormant stage will be unaffected during the treatment and grow when it goes to the anagen phase.

Who is a good candidate for laser hair removal?

Patients with dark hair and light skin are ideal candidates for laser hair removal. This allows the laser to focus its light on the pigment within the hair and does not have pigment within the skin competing for it. In patients with darker skin, however, there are specific lasers that can be used successfully.

 

Want to learn about the science behind IPL and Laser?

There is a lot of confusion over what these devices are used for and how they stack up against one another.

Why is one type of device preferred over another?

This is a big topic! I will try to help you answer these questions. But first, I think what would be helpful is to lay out a basic background before diving into the pros and cons of different treatments.

What Does Light Do For Skin?

Light is a form of energy. For example, the light energy from sunlight powers photosynthesis in plants, which becomes a source of energy for us when we consume it as food. Light energy can be directed at the skin too. Different types of light do different things to the skin.

The sunlight that reaches Earth, which is composed of UVA and UVB rays, is a type of ionising radiation that causes the familiar sunburn as well as the typical signs of skin ageing (wrinkles, sagging, spots) and skin cancer.

Some forms of light are therapeutic and healing to the skin (e.g. red visible light used in LED light therapy).

Light devices function as sources of light. They emit light energy that is converted into thermal energy (HEAT) inside the skin.

This thermal energy has different effects on the skin:

• Heats up and destroys a specific target
• Activates a chemical in the skin that destroys a target
• Stimulates something in the skin (e.g. a fibroblast, which makes collagen & other dermal components, blood circulation)

The goal of a light device, such as IPL or laser, is to direct light energy to chemical targets in the skin.

These targets are called chromophores. The light is attracted to these chromophores because they possess a certain colour.

Light Targeting Can Treat A Variety of Skin Issues

The process of targeting chromophores in the skin and selectively destroying them is called selective photo thermolysis.

IPL and laser devices are designed with different wavelength settings. When you get an IPL or laser treatment, the clinician must choose the most appropriate modality (What device? What wavelength? What energy level?) for your desired goal.

Choose Your Provider Carefully

It’s very important that you obtain your light treatment from an experienced clinician who is legally permitted to perform these kinds of procedures and has enough training and experience to do it successfully. Kristy at Skin Sensations was one of the first light therapists in Toowoomba, working along side Trish, the Founder of Skin Sensations. Knowing which IPL or laser settings to choose requires experience with many different patients – seeing what works and what does not for different types of skin and situations.

The laws surrounding the operation of IPL and lasers vary widely from state to state. Some states require no licencing for IPL and Laser and some do. At Skin Sensations, Kristy is a licenced technician registered through QLD Health.

How are IPL and Laser Different?

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light.

Laser is also an acronym. It stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

IPL and laser both emit light energy. The key difference between them is how.

LASER

When you think of a laser, what comes to mind? Do you remember Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker’s light sabre in Star Wars? That’s a good example of a laser.

A laser is a straight, focused, concentrated beam of light.

The keyword is a beam. It’s one beam. That beam of light is just one wavelength of light. That means, it has only one colour.

Laser points at a small area. Think of a laser pointer used by a speaker in a slide presentation.

IPL

Unlike a laser, IPL is not one beam of light. IPL consists of multiple wavelengths of light.

IPL light shines over a larger area. Think of a flashlight. The light from a flashlight is broader and more diffuse.

Because the light is more spread out, IPL delivers less energy than a laser. This makes IPL gentler.

Of course, the choice of whether to use IPL or laser will depend on your condition. Many conditions can be treated by both but one will usually be better than the other, depending on the colour of your skin or your Fitzpatrick skin type, the nature and severity of your problem, your time horizon, how much downtime is acceptable to you as well as your tolerance for pain.

A laser can also travel deeper into the skin than IPL. So, certain goals (eg. tattoo removal) can only be done by a licensed physician.

How do we choose? Kristy will take you through all the ins and outs to ensure you are armed with the appropriate information to make the best choice.