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NORTH OLMSTED, OH
Advanced Dental Care and Aesthetics
4780 Clague Road
North Olmsted, OH 44070
800-710-3839

Laser Hair Removal
Currently, we use the CoolGlide Nd:YAG laser and/or the ProWave 770 intense pulsed light to cause a permanent reduction of unwanted hair. Most patients require 4-7 treatments to see optimal results but then require periodic maintenance treatments to preserve the results. The vast majority of patients report a significant reduction of hair; lightening and softening of hairs; and a delay in hair re-growth.



What causes unwanted hair to grow?
Age; ethnicity; weight; hormones; diet; exposure to certain chemicals; medication; and metabolism all play a role in the location and thickness of hair on the body.

How do laser and light-based treatments remove unwanted hair?
Both the Cool Glide and the ProWave use a pulse of intense, concentrated light, directed through a cooled hand piece. The light passes through the skin and targets the pigment in the hair follicle. When it comes into contact with the pigment, the light is converted to heat and damages or permanently destroys the bulb of the hair follicle without damaging the neighboring structures of the skin. The light is pulsed for only a fraction of a second.
The surface of the skin is protected by a cooling head, which glides over the skin before the pulse of light as well as by gel or mineral oil which act to conduct the cooling from the cooling head. This selective cooling helps to protect the skin, while heat effectively treats the unwanted hair.

The treated hair follicles are shed over the next 2-3 weeks. The body reabsorbs the hair roots that have been destroyed.

Who is a candidate for permanent hair reduction?
People of all skin colors can be treated with the CoolGlide, which was the first FDA-approved laser to treat unwanted hair in patients of all skin types. Hair which is naturally blonde, white, or light red does not have enough pigment in the roots to be treated reliably with any type of laser. The ProWave can be effective for fine, light colored hair.

Patients select laser and light assisted permanent hair reduction not only to treat unwanted hair that is a cosmetic concern but also to treat ingrown hair in the beard area (psuedofolliculitis barbi) and folliculitis under prosthetic devices.

What does permanent hair reduction feel like?
Permanent hair reduction causes minimal to moderate discomfort which most people describe as a sensation like the snap of a rubber band. There is no bleeding, and no open wound is created. A cooling device attached to The CoolGlide and Prowave 770 is applied to cool the skin prior to the treatment, and helps manage the discomfort. Our patients tell us they feel discomfort but no real pain during the procedure. Some areas are more sensitive than others. Topical anesthetics may be applied for especially sensitive areas.

Why do I need multiple treatment sessions to remove unwanted hair?
In order to understand the process it is important to understand that hair grows in cycles composed of three phases: Anagen (growing phase), when follicles are actively growing and are most vulnerable to destruction by heat; Catagen (resting phase), when hairs are not actively growing and appear to be more resistant to the light energy; Telogen (shedding phase) when the hair follicle cannot be damaged by heat. At any given time, only a certain percentage of your hairs are in the Anagen phase and thus able to be destroyed. Therefore, you need multiple treatment sessions in order to “catch” as many hair follicles as possible in the Anagen phase.

Do these treatments cause permanent 100% hair removal?
NO, 100% permanent hair removal would mean all the hair in the treated area is gone forever. The treatments we provide offer permanent hair reduction, not permanent hair removal of every single hair.

Once heat from the laser destroys a growing hair follicle, that particular hair follicle can never re-grow. However, some hair follicles may never have been in the vulnerable growth phase of their cycle at the time of your treatment sessions and thus may not have been completely destroyed.

Secondly, throughout our lifetimes, we undergo an ongoing conversion of Vellus hairs (non-pigmented, soft, short hairs that occur in the seemingly hairless parts of the body) into Terminal hairs (pigmented, dense, coarse, longer hairs that form the eyebrows, eyelashes, scalp hair, pubic hair and axillary hair, as well as appearing in areas that we consider cosmetically unattractive). This conversion to terminal hairs normally starts at puberty, goes on during adult life and gradually diminishes with advancing age. Even after the majority of hair follicles in an area are destroyed, there will be a certain amount of on-going conversion, resulting in new hairs in the treated area. Therefore, you will need periodic maintenance treatments, the frequency of which will depend on your genetic and hormonal situation.

The most realistic expectation after long term hair reduction is that after five to seven treatments, the total number of hairs is greatly reduced (on average by 70-90%) and the hair which does grow is usually much finer and lighter in color. Most people are very pleased with this degree of improvement, as long as their initial expectations are appropriate and realistic. You will then need on-going periodic maintenance to preserve your result.

How Do the CoolGlide and ProWave Differ From Other Systems for Permanent Laser Hair Reduction?
The ProWave 770 uses infrared light and a unique wavelength, the most versatile wavelength for hair treatment. In addition, the light output can be tailored using three different programs to optimize treatment based on hair type and allowing for greater safety of the ProWave 770 from earlier IPL devices. This shorter wavelength product is ideal for light skin or fine, light colored hair as well as for treatment of larger areas.

The Cool Glide laser, which we also have, has the longest available deeper penetrating 1064 nanometer wavelength. It can be used safely on all people, even those with dark, tanned, or black skin. The CoolGlide has a unique and patented power supply that allows optimization of clinical effectiveness and speed. Finally, the gold-plated copper cooling head offers more than ten times the thermal conductivity of the sapphire windows (most common method of cooling), thereby providing the most efficient method of removing heat from the skin and avoiding burns.

What Areas of the Body Can Have Permanent Laser Hair Reduction?
Most parts of the body can be treated. In women, the most common areas for treatment are upper lip, chin, sideburns, neck, bikini line, underarms, arms, legs, hands, and feet. In men, the most common areas for treatment are back, chest, shoulders, and the beard area. We do not treat lower edge of the eyebrows because of the potential risk of damage to the eyes and constantly changing brow styles. The eyes are always protected with special eye shields or goggles during laser treatment.

What will I look like after Permanent Laser Hair Reduction?
The application of laser or pulsed light energy to the skin may result in a pink color (which typically lasts less than an hour, although it may infrequently last a few days and rarely in crusting (which can last up to a few days). If crusting develops, we recommend you use Neosporin or Neosporin Plus several times a day until the crusting resolves. Discomfort similar to a sunburn may be noted over the first 24 hour period and if necessary, Tylenol may be used. You may notice hairs within the follicles for up to two weeks after therapy; however, these will fall out leaving smooth skin.

What are possible side effects of permanent hair reduction?
Although rare, there can be increased or decreased pigment in the treated area. This is seldom a major cosmetic problem, and generally resolves after several months; but it is important not to tan during healing. Blisters (like a tiny sunburn) and possibly a scar may occur, but are also very rare.

What are the Benefits of Laser Hair Reduction Compared to Alternative Treatments?
Other options available to treat unwanted hair include:
1. Shaving is inexpensive and convenient but is temporary and requires a frequent (sometimes daily) time commitment. Many people develop unsightly and painful shaving bumps from shaving.
2. Waxing, Tweezing, Plucking, or Sugaring all remove hair from the follicle bed, but do not destroy the follicle itself. Therefore, the hair re-grows. These methods may actually stimulate hair growth because one way the body defends itself against having hair pulled out is to produce thicker, stronger hairs which are harder to pull out the next time. In addition, these methods can cause inflammation of the hair follicles.
3. Hair removal products: Depilatory Creams, or hair removal creams are time-consuming; have an unpleasant odor; are messy; and need to be repeated on a regular basis.
4. Electrolysis provides the only long-term treatment of unwanted hairs besides laser and light treatments. During electrolysis, a needle is inserted and an electric current is passed into each hair follicle being treated. Since each hair follicle requires separate treatment, this is a tedious process, and treatments can take several months to years to complete. Electrolysis is the only effective alternative for white, gray, or pale blonde hair.
The primary benefits of permanent hair reduction include:
• Larger areas may be treated in a shorter time than with electrolysis or tweezing.
• Permanent hair reduction offers long lasting results; and even if hair does eventually grow back, it is usually finer in texture and lighter in color than the original hair, and much less of a cosmetic problem.
What Will Happen on the Treatment Day?
Please trim the hair in the area to be treated down to the level of the skin with a hair trimmer or a pair of scissors. It is best to do this the day before your treatment in order to minimize inflammation in the treatment area.
We will answer any additional questions you may have.

Everyone in the treatment room wears protective goggles when the laser is turned on. A thin coat of clear gel is lightly applied over the skin; then the laser pulses are quickly and evenly applied. The length of the procedure itself can range from a few minutes to an hour.

Why suffer any longer with unwanted facial or body hair? Call us today for a consultation.

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