About Face:
The Blog of Arthur N. Falk, MD

I receive many questions about Laser Hair Removal. Not surprisingly, since laser hair removal is the most common laser procedure performed today. It is a highly effective treatment for removal of unwanted body hair. At the Center for Facial Plastic Surgery & Laser Skin Care located in Albany, Saratoga Springs and now Kingston, New York, we take laser hair removal very seriously.

Notice, that in descriptions for laser hair removal the word permanent never appears, or is often substituted for reduction. This is because there are very specific regulations concerning the use of the word permanent, which is limited to electrolysis. Nevertheless, laser hair removal is for all intents and purposes a permanent process, but, it does require multiple treatments. It is far more efficient than electrolysis.

I have a good chuckle when I see things on line or on the home shopping network claiming that a $150 hand held machine is somehow equivalent to a $100,000 laser at removing hair. The bottom line is that to make these devices safe for general public use, they have to be gentle enough not to cause injury which renders them not very effective.

Understanding just how the laser hair removal process works, helps illustrate who is the right candidate for this procedure and some of the limitations as well. The process requires the presence of the hair in the root of the hair or bulb. This is because the laser is not directly destroying the cells that generate new hair, but rather this is a byproduct of heating the actual hair shaft itself. Thus, it is the hair that is the target of the laser energy, and therefore, dark thick hair is naturally an easier target than light thin hairs. Another concern is competing pigment in the skin. The laser will heat up this pigment as well, which places people with greater natural skin color at greater risk for injury on account of these extra targets.

Not all lasers are the same and not all facilities ofter the appropriate spectrum of devices to treat hair most efficiently. Choosing the most appropriate laser wavelength reduces risks and maximizes results. Longer wavelengths (Nd-YAG 1064nm) are best suited for darker skin types, while shorter wavelengths ( 880nm, 755nm) are best for lighter skin types. As a comprehensive laser treatment facility, we at the Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, we can tailor our treatments to best fit each individual's needs.

Labels: albany, kingston, laser hair removal, new york, saratoga springs