Month: September 2023

Categories
Laser Hair Removal

Truths & Myths About Laser Hair Removal

You hear so many different things about Laser Hair Removal, it is hard to know which is the truth and which is a complete myth. We thought we would answer a few of these for you –

Myth: No shaving is needed before laser treatment?

Truth: For the laser treatment to be effective, the hair has to attract the light energy and transport it to the hair follicle. If there’s hair left on the surface, this energy will evaporate on the surface of the skin without reaching the root, Which means the treatment won’t be effective. For this reason all patients asked to shave their hair before treatment. The night before is the optimal time.

Myth: Laser hair removal is only for women?

Truth: Male patients seek laser hair removal as well as female patients. Laser works well on corse dark hair so males can achieve amazing results on their faces and bodies, helping to prevent shaving rashes, irritation and ingrowing hairs.

Myth: Laser hair removal is expensive?

Truth: When compared to the alternatives like waxing over a life time, laser hair removal is actually more affordable than prospective clients think, and there is no downtime waiting for the hair to grow back between sessions, you can shave and be hair free whilst waiting for you next session unlike waxing.

Myth: The laser will burn me?

Truth: As long as you are getting it done by a trained professional it is very rare burning will happen if the client is following pre and aftercare laser advise, laser burning is also very superficial so won’t leave lasting damage to the skin In the unlikely event this has happened.

Myth: Laser is safe for everyone?

Truth: Although laser is a very safe and effective treatment not everyone is suitable for laser this might be due to certain medications or conditions that may make you more sensitive to the laser, this is why a full consultation will be carried out to assess if you are best suited for laser before treatment is carried out.

Myth: Laser works on blonde hair?

Truth: Laser can only work on hair with pigmentation, so blonde and white hairs will not be reduced or removed.

Myth: I can go straight to gym after my session?

Truth: Skip the gym for 12-24 hours after
treatment as this may cause skin irritation, your hair follicles will be extremely sensitive after treatment, by sweating and increasing your body temperature you risk inflammation to your hair follicles. Body sweat also contains bacteria which could again result in rash or infection.

Myth: Lasers cause cancer?

Truth: Laser light does not contain wavelengths that trigger cancers.

We hope this has cleared up a few things for you, we look forward to seeing you in the clinic for your consultation, where we can chat some more.

Categories
Laser Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal – What to Expect?

It is always exciting but potentially for some nerve racking when considering whether to have laser hair removal. Hopefully we can outline below what to expect and why there is no need to be nervous.

Laser hair removal works with light being absorbed by melanin, the  pigment in the hair follicle without damaging the surrounding cells. 


What to expect? 

Laser hair removal is a non-invasive treatment. The lasers we use are pain-free so during the session you won’t feel anything. We use the revolutionary Motus AY which has a pain free moveo setting.

Afterwards, it’s rare that you’ll experience any symptoms but we do advise that you avoid exposing the skin to sunlight until after your treatment course has finished.  Appropriate sunscreen is also advised because your skin will be more sensitive to any sun exposure,  no matter the weather.  

How does it feel? 

The laser we use works by heating the hair follicle up and breaking it down. This means the hair cannot grow back in the follicle, causing  long-lasting results and meaning you will no longer waste time shaving or waxing. 

What does the treatment include? 

Prior to treatment, you will have a consultation in which medical history is taken to confirm suitability  for treatment. This is also a good opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have.

Before treatment commences you must provide written consent and a small patch test will be carried out. 

How many treatments are necessary. 

We create a personalised package guided by your skin & hair type to achieve the best results. Only hair that is actively growing is affected, therefore a series of treatments are needed. Treatment  is conducted every 4-8 weeks, depending on the area treated, until results are clear.

The required  number of treatments varies. However, we will guide you through this process every step of the way.  Typically 8 or more treatments are needed for optimum results. 

WHAT CAN LASER HAIR REMOVAL BE USED FOR? 

Reasons for getting laser hair removal are personal but some of the most common laser  hair removal treatments are: 

Cosmetic preferences – long-lasting, smooth skin 

Excessive hair growth 

Younger Looking Skin 

To Avoid shaving and waxing

WHERE CAN LASER HAIR REMOVAL BE CARRIED OUT?

The most common areas that people want to remove hair from include: 

The face, upper lip & chin

Chest 

Legs 

Arms and underarms

Bikini lines 

Hair Laser Removal is also done here FOR MEN – Where Exactly? 

Back 

Neck 

Shoulders 

Bottom Chest 

Stomach 

Ears & Face 

We can also treat under 18’s with the consent of a parent/guardian  – please enquire for further details.

Categories
Waxing

Does Brazilian wax or laser hurt more?

Does Brazilian wax or laser hurt more?

We carried out a mini survey in our clinic and had some fun with our clients regarding this question.

We have the bonus that we have the Moveo pain free hand piece, so when we asked clients that were having this, they all said that having a wax was 100% more painful as you genuinely cannot feel anything when having the Moveo handpiece.

With some of the more stubborn hairs we use Nd:Yag laser and you can feel this, overall out of the clients we asked that were having this type of treatment, they said that the Nd:Yag was less painful than a wax.

This makes sense as the wax is ripping the hair from the follicle and it is irritating the dermal and subdermal layer and pulling the skin, so the mechanoreceptors (these sense movement) are going to be stimulated this can also activate pain fibres and make it feel painful.

The laser works differently in that it is heating up the skin, so if you can keep the skin below the heat threshold then the pain fibres will not get activated in the same way. For example, have you ever put you hand over a candle? Yes, we have all tried it when we were younger, what you may find is that for the first second you don’t feel the heat, until the heat builds up more and more then you start to feel it and it causes pain, you then draw your hand away.

A similar thing happens with the laser, if you left the laser in one place it will heat up the follicle but also the surrounding skin and you will feel the pain as a zap. At Surrey Laser we are moving the laser frequently to avoid heating the skin too much but also getting as much exposure to the follicles as possible.

We also precool and post cool the area and apply aloe vera cream to avoid the heat building in the skin. You can get some god quality aloe vera and we would recommend applying that after your laser.

Can I shave 1 hour before laser?

The short answer is no.

The reason is when you shave it can irritate and inflame the skin. You are then going to be having laser which heats the skin up and you want to ensure that you don’t cause any issues following the treatment.

You could also cut the skin very finely, like a micro cut and this can then be susceptible to the laser heat. We would recommend shaving at least 24 hours before your appointment just to let everything settle down so you are comfortable for your treatment.

If you would like to find out more about our laser hair removal introductory offer then please call 01932 553118