Laser Hair Removal Equipment

Hair removal is the most common non-injectable aesthetic procedure today. There are many ways to remove hair. Non-permanent methods include shaving, sanding and various forms of mechanical epilation. More permanent forms include electrolysis - the heating of the hair follicle with a thin wire. Each follicle must be treated individually, making it the most tedious job on earth. Some companies sell product that supposedly retard hair growth. While these products often have endorsements, they do not seem to have true scientific support.

The ideal hair removal equipment would treat large areas rapidly with few side effects. Over the years many methods have been tried, including radio frequency and various forms of light. One company has combined radio frequency and light and claims they can achieve hair removal with white and gray hair (something that is quite challenging). But if you read the fine print they claim a 10% reduction. This type of reduction is achieved by any system and is not clinically significant. So be aware of extreme claims.

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is basically a very bright light that is filtered to varying degrees. It goes by a number of names - each company trying to position itself in better light (pun intended). The problem with IPL is that it has no specific target in the skin and so is more prone to side effects.

Lasers hair removal equipment has been used for some time. There are vast differences between systems. Some systems are melanin driven. This means that their primary chromophore is melanin, the pigment in your skin and hair. At first this seems like a good idea, but in reality it is not. An example of a melanin driven device is a KTP laser. It was first thought to be good for hair. The problem is that it is so powerfully absorbed in melanin that it has almost no penetration into the skin and cannot reach the base of the follicle. Other wavelengths are now used with varying degrees of melanin affinity. They include pulsed dye, ruby, alexandrite and others.

Fotona laser hair removal equipment is different. Fotona uses Nd:YAG. While Nd:YAG is not new, the way Fotona uses it IS. Fotona has developed VSP technology to deliver the pulse of laser light in a precise way. The primary chromophore of Nd:YAG is blood, not melanin. The laser light easily penetrates to the base of the follicle heating the blood supply as it enters from the base. This heats the follicle and kills the stem cells within the follicle. With Fotona’s hair removal system, the laser is applied with a computer-controlled scanner to ensure even coverage and eliminating technician error.

Doctor Supervised Laser Hair Removal Providers

n addition to providing a centralized resource to research laser hair removal, we are also the nation's leading network of laser hair removal providers. Each Hair Removal Journal Member is prequalified for membership and must meet our strict guidelines for admission into the group. All members of the Hair Removal Journal are doctor-supervised facilities in good standing in their home states and provide each patient with the highest quality treatments available.

Laser Hair Removal

Hair Removal Journal is brought to you by American Medical Media, in conjunction with our Advisory Board, and our medical affiliates. With new technologies rapidly emerging, tedious or painful removal methods such as shaving or electrolysis can now be left behind. The purpose of the Hair Removal Journal is to provide patients interested in hair removal, specifically with laser hair removal, a credible resource to research laser hair removal, including costs associated with the procedure, the number of treatments that will be needed, and other frequently asked questions.