RSS Updates
Email UpdatesOn Laser Hair Removal and Electrolysis
Personal beauty, laser hair removal Comments (4)
Removing excess hair from our body constitutes a big portion of our quest to look aesthetically pleasing. A smooth skin with minimal hair evokes more attention and makes a person stand out better than relatively hirsute-looking folks do. But as people look for better treatments to remove excess hair, the issues surrounding efficacy and safety of methods have been debated rather heatedly.
Laser hair removal method is one of the most efficient ways to deal with unwanted hair growth these days. Its efficacy is now generally accepted among dermatologists, but the practice has not escaped without its fair share of critics, and without being compared to other medical treatments with prejudice.
Laser Hair Removal – An Overview
We’ve covered the merits and risks involved in laser hair removal in recent posts. But how does it really work? Laser hair removal is a laser- and light-based method of removing unwanted hair. The method is sometimes called phototricholysis or photoepilation, but is now commonly referred to as laser hair removal. Its mechanism involves a complex method of selective photothermolysis, a principle that causes localized damage by emitting heat only on targeted dark matter, in this case the melanin that gives hair its natural color. As laser is basically light, the dark area on the skin absorbs the laser much quicker and more intensely, thus leaving the rest of the skin unheated.
The way laser hair removal technique eradicates hair in a highly targeted manner makes it as an ideal option for those who are wary of other means that could cause some damage to the skin. But while laser hair removal only works efficiently on dark coarse hair, as a laser targets only the dark area of the skin where hair grows, it still works much quicker than other treatments.
Perhaps, the biggest downside to laser hair removal is that the treatment doesn’t actually offer a permanent solution to unwanted hair problems. However, its effect is long term, assuring patients that they won’t see any hair for quite a long time.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis has been around for over a hundred years. Today, it is the only method known to permanently remove unwanted hair, which for many is a very appealing result.
The method involves delivering electricity directly to specific areas of the skin. This is done by pushing a hair-thin needle deep through the skin. The needle transmits the electricity that burns the hair follicle.
Laser hair removal or Electrolysis?
People looking to remove unwanted hair are often faced with the dilemma of choosing the right treatment. Often, the answer greatly depends on what the patient wants. After examining the pros and cons of each procedure, a person with a great threshold of pain would most likely opt for what works best, despite the discomfort associated with the procedure. For the faint-hearted, less painful treatment is obviously the ultimate choice. Reasons could greatly vary for choosing the right treatment for an individual, of course.
Laser hair removal, while it does not offer a permanent solution to your hair problem and may not work for all types of hair, is less painful than any other hair removal procedures. Electrolysis, on the other hand, can cause much pain to a hair removal patient. As has been observed, each electrolysis prick is 20 times more painful than one laser hair treatment.
Laser hair removal is non-invasive and is highly targeted, minimizing the risk of burning unaffected areas where hair is not present. Electrolysis involves some invasive procedures as needles need to be inserted in the skin.
For those who want results fast, laser hair treatment is the way to go. Treatment sessions usually range between five to seven times, depending on the type of the patient’s hair. Electrolysis may take up to 10 months to see a completely satisfying result.
These comparisons are not to discredit any procedure. Choosing the right treatment for you could take some serious thinking, as not all patients and treatments are created equal.
AmericanLaser @ September 22, 2009
This blog really helps a lot since I read one of the blogs here that Electrolysis is also another solution or method to remove unwanted hair and it is really good that there’s a good explanation of the procedure. Right now, this kind of procedure is like acupuncture because of the needles being poked inside of the hair pores and adding electricity to those needles makes it somehow different from acpuncture.
Oh wow. I have my legs, underarms, and bikini area waxed.. I’ve always been content with that because I never really looked into laser hair removal and electrolysis.. I never considered these better options before but now I am. Thanks for explaining the difference and for all the great stuff you have here. So helpful!
I have a friend who had laser hair removal and the results had been praise-worthy! *thumbs-up* its proven to be a safe and effective method! Exude CONFIDENCE now.
*Credits to the article for the added info!*
I think this is really good substitute for waxing since hair removal is the next big thing for most people especially women. Primarily because they do not want any unwanted skin. But some of the concerns of other people is that this procedure is quite expensive and a little more painful than the traditional waxing. But the good thing with this is that the results are very convincing that your money will be worth it. Moreover, I highly recommend this procedure to everyone who wants their unwanted hair be removed.