We have a culture that views facial and body hair as unattractive and there is now a baffling array of hair removal alternatives that all claim to solve the problem for you. But what works, what doesn’t and how do you know if it is safe?
Everyone knows about shaving, waxing and plucking but these are painful, tedious, repetitive and restrictive options often resulting in ingrown hairs, pigmented scarring and increased hair growth.
In recent times there has been an explosion in the number of discount laser hair removal centres claiming to rid you of hair; pain free, forever and at an alarmingly discounted price. I get asked all the time whether these really work and are they safe? I always say, “Do your homework before you let anyone touch you with an Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) or laser system.” We have become quite desensitised as to how potentially dangerous these hair removal systems are as they become more accessible. They can cause blisters, burns and scars and need to be operated by qualified, skilled staff.
The first step is to research the equipment. Not all hair reduction systems are created equal. Some are excellent but the cheaper ones are too low-powered to effectively kill the follicles and only temporarily disable the hair allowing them to regenerate over time and continue to grow. This is commonly referred to as ‘IPL/laser waxing’, that is, they’ll grow back!
Look for clinics that use systems that are able to be individualised to you and your particular needs. So many systems out there are designed to be basic to use and require little or no training for staff. They are in essence, ‘point and shoot’ machines that only give a few very low setting options that may not be that effective. Good machines allow the operator to individualise the treatment based on your age, skin colour, hair colour, hair thickness and allow them to adjust the energy output to an optimum level. This type of machinery is far more expensive to purchase which leads to slightly more expensive treatments but they have better outcomes in a shorter number of treatments and this means that they are value for your money.
In the ACT and NSW there are no regulations to guide the IPL/laser industry. Anyone can buy one, do a day course and call themselves a ‘Cosmetic Technician’ or some such title. It is a scary scenario. This leads to the most important point, research the qualifications of the staff that will be treating you.
At Clear Complexions Clinics our staff are nurses for one reason, that is because we take your safety seriously at all times. We also take our responsibility to get the results you are after very seriously too.
As with anything in life, you get what you pay for and this is certainly the case with hair removal options. My advice is that you only have one body so be careful with it, do your research and stick with clinics that care about your safety and your desired outcome.
To book a consultation with a Clear Complexions Clinic nurse to discuss your individual hair removal needs please click here.
Do I need to have a consultation?
Absolutely. Even for women wanting to simply remove bikini or underarm hair or men with back or chest hair it is important that you understand how the technology works and for our nurses to ensure there are no contraindications to treatment.
For women who are concerned about facial hair it is even more important to have a consultation with a qualified nurse. There are many factors that may cause a client to start producing unwanted hair and it is essential that our nurses do a thorough medical history to rule out a medical cause.
At a consultation with one of our nurses we will perform an IPL test patch to ensure your safety and that we are in the right therapeutic range to get the best results for you.
How does the treatment work?
The Energist Ultra system that we use emits a light which is absorbed by the melanin (colour) in the hair. The light is converted to heat and travels down the shaft of the hair and heats the hair follicle, permanently disabling the follicle by killing the cells that produce hair. That follicle will never produce another hair again. There is a temporary, warm tingling sensation associated with the treatment, so a word of caution, if you don’t feel something it’s not working!
What areas can be treated and how many treatments will I need?
Any area where you have unwanted hair can be treated provided the hair is darker than the surrounding skin. The most commonly treated areas are the face, underarms, bikini area and legs for women and the back, neck and chest for men.
Just as many factors such as age, genetic predisposition and medical conditions can determine the hair growth, they can also affect the number of treatments required to achieve the desired outcome.
As a general rule, 6-10 treatments are usually required at 4 to 6 week intervals to achieve a 85-95% reduction in the hair. Beware, no system can promise you 100% hair removal as dormant follicles may be stimulated later in life during the normal ageing process. We usually advise our clients that a yearly top up treatment for body hair is normally required and slightly more frequently for facial hair treatments.
Wherever you have unwanted hair our nurses can help. To book your individualised consultation please click here.
