Our expert technicians are available to help you with whatever your needs are when you come in for your complimentary consultation. If you have questions, we'll answer them.
To help you out, we've put together some of the most commonly asked questions we receive and answered them below.
Laser Hair Removal
1. Is it safe for my skin?
A 1064 nm laser called the Lyra was the first laser FDA approved for hair removal of all skin types. Prior to this laser, dark complexion and tanned patients could not be treated with a laser due to the high absorbency of light to melanin in the skin. The 1064nm wavelength's low absorption to melanin in the skin makes it an ideal and safe treatment, achieving outstanding results while maintaining the normal appearance of the skin. The Sciton Image™ Laser delivers this 1064 wavelength faster and more comfortably then previous generations of lasers. The laser beam passes through the skin and is absorbed in the hair follicle residing underneath the skin surface. The laser energy destroys the follicle with the heat that it generates. Destroyed hairs are then either dissolved within the skin or extruded by the body. Because the laser beam is larger in diameter than the hair follicle, a large number of hairs can be treated simultaneously.
2. How many treatments are needed?
The number of treatments required to obtain optimal results varies with hair density, hair color, skin types, the treatment area and your hair growth cycle. The density of your hair and its growth cycle are affected by many things such as your age, ethnic background, hormones or medications. Laser treatments impair the growth capacity of hair follicles when they are in growth cycle at the time of the treatment. All hair follicles are not active at the same time. Typically your hair growth cycles are shortest in face and neck. Followed by the torso area and the longest growth cycle being the legs.
If you are coming in for your face and or neck, your intervals will be 5 to 9 weeks. Torso area 8 to 12 weeks and legs being 10 to 14 weeks. If you are being treated sooner than our suggested time frame, you will be spending more money than you need to. As well, you will end up with a large amount of "stunted hair growth" rather than true permanent hair removal.
3. Are the results permanent?
Correct treatments of laser hair removal will cause permanent hair removal on average bewteen 70% to 95%. This is an average number and can vary if one's hair is on the lighter side and one's skin is on the darker side. Your body will always have dormant hairs that may or may not grow due to such changes as stress, hormones, diet, weather changes and emotional disorders. Even when dormant hairs pop up, the regrowth will never be the same as what you started with. The laser may also result in delayed re-growth of the treated hair follicles, AKA "Stunted Hair Growth". This means that a percentage age of hair will stop growing an eventually come back. Overtime your hair will be permantely reduced. Also, re-growing hairs usually come back thinner, finer and softer and grow slower resulting in less shaving and much softer stubble. Because the laser tends to treat hair follicles that are in an active growth phase, more than one treatment will be required to disable hair follicles. However, one to two treatments may result in a significant enough improvement that it may be all you desire or require. If you are wanting permanent hair removal, laser is a commitent, however, worth every minute of it.
4. How much does treatment cost?
Costs can vary based on the area being treated and your goals. Compared to other hair removal methods, laser can actually be far more economical financially, and time-wise in the long run.
5. How does your system compare to electrolysis?
What is electrolysis?
It has been said that: "Removing hair by electrolysis is like mowing grass -- one blade at a time!"
With electrolysis, the operator inserts a needle into the hair follicle and tries to have the needle tip reach the hair root. The operator then triggers a small electrical charge to disable the hair root. The hair from that follicle is then removed with tweezers. There can be considerable variation in the results between electrolysis therapists, and the rate of permanent hair loss has been reported to be from 15 to 50%. Electrolysis can be a tedious process and is a difficult undertaking for some clients. Even a small area like the face, for example, in the case of a woman with heavy facial hair, could require electrolysis for 2 -3 hours per week for 2 years, with further treatments over an undetermined period of time, for a total treatment time exceeding 210 hours. Despite its popularity over the past two decades and its use for over 100 years, there is little in the medical and scientific literature about electrolysis.
Hair removal is much faster with a laser because each "pulse" of laser light disables a large numbers of hair follicles, and pulses can be delivered as often as twice every second. Electrolysis operators can only treat those hairs that they can see and which they can reach the follicle through the hair shaft. The Sciton Profile™ laser treats all "active" follicles, even if the hair has not yet reached the surface of the skin, is "ingrown", or if the hair shaft is not straight.
6. How does your system compare with other lasers?
Other lasers and intense pulsed light systems include:
First generation Ruby 694 nanometer (Epilaser, Epitouch, Chromos)
Second generation Alexandrite 755 nanometer (Epitouch ALEX, Photogenica LIPR, GentleLASE)
Third generation Diode 800-810 nanometer (LightSheer, Apex)
These relatively short wavelength lasers can produce good results in some circumstances, but because they produce light which has a shorter wavelength, their laser energy both scatters more in the skin, and is mostly absorbed in the top few millimetres of the skin, above many of the hair roots. This means that sometimes not enough energy reaches the hair roots, where it is needed. These short wavelength, lower power systems are effective in some cases, but in other cases may only stun rather than destroy many of the hair roots and therefore sometimes cause temporary rather than permanent hair reduction. In the case where short wave is effective the treatment is very painful and in most cases numbing cream is a necessity. Short wavelength lasers can be difficult or impossible to safely use on people with dark, tanned or black skin. The cooling system in 800 nm lasers is 1\6 of the size therefore not as efficient as the cooling system of the Sciton Profile™ Laser.
By contrast, the Sciton Profile™ Laser uses the longest available, deeper penetrating 1064 nanometer wavelength. The Sciton Profile™ Laser reaches even the deepest hair roots, which can be 4-6 mm below the skin surface in some cases.
The long 1064 nanometer wavelength of the Sciton Profile™ Laser makes it possible to safely and effectively treat all people — even those with tanned, very dark or black skin.
Sciton Profile™ Laser also allows the operator to adjust the duration of the pulse of laser energy to best suit the thickness of the hair shafts on different parts of your body. Some older laser systems lack this degree of fine control.
The Sciton Profile™ Laser cooling system provides an extra margin of safety and comfort with the chill plate and a clear view of the area to be treated.
Broad Band Light (Intense pulsed light) — these systems are flash lamps producing a spectrum of light energy rather than laser light. BBL(IPL) is much broader(shallower) therefore the treatment is often best used for shallow hairs. BBL(IPL) is best suited for finer hairs because 'typically' the softer and finer the hair, the shallower the root. If BBL(IPL) is used to treat coarser hairs, it may lead to stunting rather than eradicating hair follicles. When this happens, there is often an unacceptable amount of hair re-growth, even after many treatments. The reason why BBL(IPL) systems may stunt coarse hair is because the root in coarser hair is 'typically' deeper. BBL is a shallower system therefore not the best suited.
7. What are the risks?
Over the years, laser hair removal has proven to be a relatively safe procedure. But now with the new Sciton, the risks of laser have been greatly reduced. The main concern with laser has always been the damage that the heat can cause, but with our laser having a chill plate and being deep to the skin, this is no longer a concern.
8. Which hair colours respond best to treatment?
Because the Sciton Profile System targets the PIGMENT in hair roots, they work best on black or brown hair. Naturally red or some darker blondes may respond partially. It really depends on the base of the hair. If you have a blonde\red hair with a darker root, you may have better results. Depending on the tone of grey, laser may also work partially on that as well.
White hair does not respond at all to treatment - so get your unwanted hair removed before it turns grey or white!
9. How much hair will grow back and how fast?
After each treatment there will be a reduction of hair anywhere from 5% to 20%. After each treatment you will notice the hair will still grow for approximately two weeks. After that your hair will start to "shed". Within a month or so you will notice the re-growth coming back. How much hair you have in the Anagen phase at the time of the treatment will dictate the amount of hair loss there is.
10. How can I get the best value for my treatments?
To get the best results for the smallest number of treatment sessions, please read these guidelines below carefully!
AVOID WAXING\SUGARING\PLUCKING. Basically anything that pulls the hair from the root. Without the ACTIVELY GROWING hair root there is no highway for the heat from the laser to enter the follicle.
AVOID TANNING. Having a tan with our machine is very safe and not a problem. We treat any and every skin type from African American to Scottish and everything in between. But, the lighter the skin at the time of treatment, the better the laser carries through the skin to the hair roots where it is needed.
TIMING, TIMING, TIMING!! It is so very important to keep the treatments consistent. It takes approximately 8 to 12 weeks for the body, 5 to 9 weeks for the face and 10 to 14 weeks for legs to develop the next crop of active hair roots and develop the pigment which is the target. There is no problem having your treatments more frequently but they will be less efficient and you will essentially need more treatments to complete the process.
11. What will happen treatment day?
There is nothing that you need to do to prep yourself for laser hair removal except for shaving the area to be treated. You may shave the day before or preferably the morning of. With treatments to the face it is important to leave a test patch of hair so technicians can see the colour and thickness of hair. Technicians are trained to be able to treat through observing clinical end point, however leaving a test patch is always a good habit to get into for future appointments. Seeing the changes through out your progress is very difficult without those test patches.
12. Does it hurt?
With the new SCITON PROFILE SYSTEM, treatments can be virtually pain free. There is a chill plate that is approximately 5º C. It is used pre\during\post treatment. The heat from the laser is what causes pain, so with the area being chilled, you don't feel any pain.
That being said STRESS can also be a factor in whether or not you feel any discomfort. Keep in mind that having a "bad day", lack of sleep and/or food or any other situation that promotes stress may lead to some discomfort. When it comes to treatment day, remember to have a good night sleep, food in your tummy and a smile on your face.
13. Why do I need multiple treatments?
The hair on our body grows in cycles. There are three phases of hair growth per cycle. They are:
1) Anagen
2) Catagen
3) Telogen
The first phase of the cycle is when hair removal works. It is the only phase of the cycle where the hair is still attached to the follicle. The heat from the laser then travels down the shaft of the hair and penetrates the follicle. When this happens, the heat will put the follicle into a permanent state of dormancy and hair will stop growing. The percentage of hair in the Anagen phase is not the same for every body part. This is one of the reasons why you need to have multiple treatments.
We do not treat pregnant ladies ever during their pregnancy. There is NO PROOF of what the effects of Laser or Light systems have on the fetus. We play it safe and refuse treatment anytime during the entire term of one's pregnancy. If you are determined to have treatment, please think twice about risking something that has never been studied and if you find a clinic that is willing to treat you while you are pregnant, be wary.
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A 1064 nm laser called the Lyra was the first laser FDA approved for hair removal of all skin types. Prior to this laser, dark complexion and tanned patients could not be treated with a laser due to the high absorbency of light to melanin in the skin. The 1064nm wavelength's low absorption to melanin in the skin makes it an ideal and safe treatment, achieving outstanding results while maintaining the normal appearance of the skin. 
Other lasers and intense pulsed light systems include:
With the new SCITON PROFILE SYSTEM, treatments can be virtually pain free. There is a chill plate that is approximately 5º C. It is used pre\during\post treatment. The heat from the laser is what causes pain, so with the area being chilled, you don't feel any pain.
1) Anagen
We do not treat pregnant ladies ever during their pregnancy. There is NO PROOF of what the effects of Laser or Light systems have on the fetus. We play it safe and refuse treatment anytime during the entire term of one's pregnancy. If you are determined to have treatment, please think twice about risking something that has never been studied and if you find a clinic that is willing to treat you while you are pregnant, be wary.