Types of Lasers

Candela GentleLase-and Candela GentleYAG Lasers

Laser Hair Removal in New York

Smooth Synergy® uses the Candela GentleLase Plus and Candela GentleYAG for Laser Hair Removal. To understand how these lasers work, it helps to know a little more about how hair grows and how laser light vaporizes unwanted tissue.

How Hair Grows

Hair forms in a pouch-like structure below the skin called a hair follicle. What we see as hair is actually the hair shaft, which is the keratinized, hardened tissue that grows from this follicle.

Humans have more hair follicles per square inch of skin than most higher primates, including chimpanzees and gorillas. Because most of this hair is fine and pale (called vellus hair), it usually is not visible to the naked eye. Consider this: the forehead has more hair follicles than any other part of the body. The thicker, fully pigmented hair most people consider "real hair" is called terminal hair. This hair is found on scalp, eyebrows, legs, backs, underarms. This is the hair the GentleLase treats.

Everyone's hair grows differently, depending on age, weight, metabolism, hormones, ethnicity, medications, and other factors. But all hair goes through three distinct growth phases:

1) Active growth phase (called the anagen phase), which lasts up to several years. At any given time, the majority (85%) of our body hair is in this phase. During anagen, the hair has an abundance of melanin.
2) Regressive phase (catagen phase), which lasts about two weeks, during which the hair stops growing but is not yet shed. About 3-4% of our body hair is in this phase at any given time.
3) Resting phase (telogen phase), which lasts 5-6 weeks, at the end of which the hair falls out and a new hair begins to form. Approximately 10-13% of our body hair is in this phase at any one time.

The GentleLase and GentleYAG most effectively disable hair that is in the active growth (anagen) phase. Because all the hair in a treated area may not be in the anagen phase, more than one laser treatment may be necessary to remove the hair that subsequently enters the growth phase.

Take it off!

Lasers can help eliminate hair from just about anywhere on the body. Here are a few of the most popular areas from which to have hair removed.

Men	Women
Face Neck Back Buttocks Chest Ears Groin/Genitals Hands Knuckles	Areolas (Nipples) Bikini area Face Legs Underarms

How the Candela GentleLase and Candela GentleYAG work

A laser produces a beam of highly concentrated light. Different types of lasers produce different colors of light.

The light emitted by the GentleLase and GentleYAG is absorbed by the pigment (melanin) located in hair follicles (melanin pigments give hair its color) and hair shaft. The laser pulses for a fraction of a second, just long enough to vaporize the pigment - disabling several hair follicles at a time to eliminate or significantly impede the hair's regrowth - but not long enough to damage the surrounding skin. These particular lasers have a special contact-cooling handpiece which further protects the epidermis (upper layer of skin). This patented method of epidermal preservation allows delivery of more laser energy deeper into the hair follicle.

Additionally, the GentleLase and GentleYAG lasers are able to treat a broader range of skin and hair types than most other hair-removal lasers. They are delicate enough for a woman's fine, sensitive skin and robust enough for a man's beard, back, or arms.

What does the treatment involve?

Eye protection during treatment is required. The area or areas to be treated are then shaved, if this has not already been done at home. A small handpiece is placed against the skin and a burst of coolant is applied as the laser is activated. The coolant allows for a no messy, no gel needed treatment. The handpiece is repositioned and the laser is activated again. The size or the area treated will determine the number of laser activations, or "pulses", required. Each pulse is about the size of a quarter.

Is laser hair removal for you?

Although laser hair removal is generally safe, some people make better candidates for the procedure than others. People who may not make ideal candidates include those being treated for removal of red, blonde or gray hair, those being treated with isotretinoin, those prone to keloid scarring, those with suppressed immune systems, those susceptible to herpes infections in the treatment area and women with polycystic ovaries.

How many sessions are needed?

The number of sessions will vary for each person. Usually, we recommend between 5-8 visits for best results per area. Some areas of the body may require fewer sessions. During your first visit, the laser disables those follicles in the "active" phase of the growth cycle. Follicles in the "dormant" phase will not be affected. Since follicles cycle through "active" and "dormant" phases, additional sessions may be desired once the "dormant" follicles become "active".

Is the laser treatment painful?

Everyone's experience is different. Some areas of the body are more sensitive than others. Patients say that it feels like a rubber band snapping against their skin. Most patients report that any discomfort experienced is tolerable, and well worth the great results they achieve. For more sensitive patients, anesthetic creams can be applied prior to the treatment.

How long are the laser treatment sessions?

Depending on the area being treated, it can range from 10 minutes to an hour.

How far apart should I space my treatments?

It's usually best to space your visits 4-8 weeks apart as it can take about this long before new growth is observed.

What do I need to do to prep for my laser treatment?

Make sure you have not waxed or tweezed in the area to be treated at least 3-4 weeks prior to your treatment. It's a good idea to shave the area being treated the day before your appointment. You must not be tan-by the sun, creams, sprays or a booth before your treatment.

Are there any risks or side effects?

Immediately after the treatment the skin will look pink and slightly swollen, similar to a sunburn. This usually subsides within an hour or two and the skin returns to normal. In very few cases, a darkening or lightening of the treated skin may occur. Burning or blistering of the skin is also possible. While these adverse laser hair removal reactions are temporary, they can last a few months in extreme cases.

What are the advantages over electrolysis?

With electrolysis, the operator inserts a needle into the hair shaft with the intention of reaching the follicle, then sends a small electrical charge designed to disable the follicle. The operator then removes that particular hair with a tweezer. Hair removal is much faster with a laser as the laser is pulsed about once per second across the surface of the skin. Each "pulse" of laser light disables a large numbers of hair follicles. Electrolysis operators can only treat those hairs and hair shafts that that are straight and they can see and reach. A laser treats any "active" follicle, even if the hair has not yet reached the surface of the skin.

Here, at Smooth Synergy®, we have great success with laser hair removal. Time and time again, we have proven to ourselves and to our clients that we are at the top of our industry. Give us a call or visit our request an appointment page today to book your free consultation. You will be extremely satisfied!