Preoperative Preparation and Laser Safety
Various topical anesthetics are used to diminish the procedural discomfort and are applied 30 minutes to 1 hour before treatment begins. This may vary among patients and depend on anatomic areas. It is important to apply these medications to a limited area to reduce the risk of toxicity and other complications.
The treatment room should make the desired treatment area easily accessible and adequately cool to prevent the laser device from overheating. A fire extinguisher should be available.
A vacuum device is needed to minimize the unpleasant odor and plume emanating from the laser pulse. Further, eye protection is critical for both the operator and the patient as the retina contains melanin that can be damaged by wavelengths in the red and near-infrared range.
Device variables
Wavelength
The chromophore for laser hair removal is melanin. It is mainly located in the hair shaft, although it is also found in the outer root sheath and matrix area.
Fluence
Fluence is the amount of energy delivered per unit area. Higher fluences have been correlated with permanent hair removal. They can also lead to untoward side effects.
Pulse duration
Pulse duration is the duration of laser exposure in seconds. and
The theory of selective photothermolysis helps the laser surgeon to select an optimal pulse duration that is based on the thermal relaxation time (TRT).
Spot size
The diameter of the laser beam in millimeters is known as the spot size. As the photons within a laser beam penetrate the dermis they are scattered by collagen fibers. The photons that get scattered outside the area of the laser beam are wasted.
In a larger spot size the photons are likely to remain within the beam area following scatter, while they are more scattered outside the beam area for smaller spot sizes.
Skin cooling
Skin cooling procedures function by acting like a heat sink and remove heat from the skin surface. Epidermal melanin that is present mainly in darker skin types, provides a competing chromophore to hair follicle melanin and can get damaged during LHR. Cooling of the skin’s surface reduces epidermal damage and pain but permits treatment with higher fluences.
Currently, most LHR devices have a built-in cooling system that consists of either dynamic cooling or contact cooling with a cryogenic spray. The use of an aqueous cold gel that extracts heat from the skin is the least effective type of cooling.
Post-procedure care
The patient is likely to develop perifollicular erythema and edema in the treatment area following LHR. This may last between 2-7 days. Application of ice and a topical corticosteroid can be used to shorten the duration of the unwanted clinical findings.
A single treatment of LHR with shorter pulse durations results in almost total epilation of hair follicles in the treatment area. However, the patient must be counseled that a majority of these hairs will regrow and is not considered a failure of the treatment.
Usually, only around 15% of hairs are permanently removed with each laser treatment.
LHR treatments with longer pulse durations may leave many hairs that seem to grow following treatment. Patients must be counseled that these growing hairs are dislodged from the hair follicle and need 1-2 weeks to be shed totally. Any method of hair removal can speed up their removal.
We cannot underscore the importance of strict sun precaution following LHR treatments. This can be done through the use topical sunscreens, ultraviolet light impermeable garments and sun avoidance.
Hair removal has made a dramatic shift from an art to science based on the theory of selective photothermolysis. Over the years there has been a tremendous explosion in the number of devices used for LHR, making it the most commonly used cosmetic procedure in the world.
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Do you want to get rid of unwanted hair on your face or body? Try laser hair removal and remove unwanted hair forever. Save time, money and discomfort by taking one positive step. If you are considering Laser Hair Removal contact our team of experts who will be happy to guide you. We offer you a painless Laser Hair Removal session with ALMA SHR. You will also find that Laser Hair Removal in Scarborough is more affordable than GTA. Call us and find out more at 647-660-0860 and book your consultation at # 3630 Lawrence Ave E, Scarborough, ON M1G 1P6