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5) Waxing and Plucking – this method is inexpensive relatively time consuming and painful. Whether you use this method may depend on how valuable your time is. 4) Hair Removal Creams. Manufacturers of the creams do not say they are permanent, however they are often sold on the internet with claims that they are permanent, but need to be used (purchased) for 5 to 6 months. The area has to ‘waxed’ to remove the hair from the roots before applying the cream – which is applied daily for 4 to 5 days. When the hair re-grows the process is repeated; the cream slows down the growth of new hair. If the cream is not on sale in chemist shops in countries like the USA and UK, which have strict regulations, then caution should be exercised, especially if they do not have a comprehensive list of ingredients. 3) Electrolysis. Whilst only in 3rd position, electrolysis for hair removal is an important and effective method. It has several advantages over Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Laser for small or sensitive areas: · It is less expensive · It causes permanent destruction of the hair follicle However electrolysis hair removal is very skilled and takes time. Therefore it is more suitable for smaller areas or sensitive areas with fewer hairs. 2) IPL hair removal equipment is less expensive than ‘genuine laser’ equipment and so is often popular in the beauty salon ‘hair removal business’. IPL is less specific in respect of the exact wavelength or colour of light, and so is not as effective as laser unless the clinician is very experienced. If used incorrectly, IPL for hair removal may cause burning and result in scarring and was previously regulated. When the setting for hair removal was used to reduce a skin blemish (stretch marks) on a person in a beauty salon, the client had to go to Accident and Emergency to be treated for 3rd degree burns. IPL operates on broad light spectrum and achieves a highly selective effect on the hair follicle tissue. After three months of treatment IPL can give a 55% reduction ‘of the hair’. IPL is cheaper than laser hair removal because of the lower cost of equipment, but it is less effective. As already mentioned, there is a higher risk of burning skin and an experienced specialist may avoid using it on skin types 4-6 or tanned skin because of risk of pigmentation. It is also more painful than laser and the pain is sometimes described as being similar to an elastic band being flicked against the skin The number 1 treatment for hair removal is laser hair removal. Laser gives a stable, true, continuous output of only one particular wavelength, and (as with IPL) achieves a highly selective effect on the tissue of the hair follicle. After three months of treatment it can give a 65% reduction of the hair, which is better than IPL Whilst laser treatment is more expensive. it is also 20% more effective when used correctly. It is less painful and can be used on skins types that may not be suitable for IPL. It is suggested that there may be cost advantages if a specialist clinic is used, as the number of treatments will probably be fewer. IPL is used for rosacea treatment, and therefore a clinic which is involved in both rosacea treatment and hair removal is more likely to have greater experience and expertise. Conclusion The best treatments for permanent hair removal are Electrolysis, IPL and Laser. Electrolysis is often best for small and / or sensitive areas. Following deregulation of IPL and laser equipment in the UK (as a cost saving measure?) there have been problems when used by staff who have not received proper training. It is recommended that hair removal should be carried out in a clinic or in association with a clinic that has expertise in both IPL and Laser treatments.
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Hair removal, laser hair removal, IPL hair removal, laser, IPL, electrolysis, hair removal cream, beauty salons, deregulation, beauty, smooth skin, rosacea tre,
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