Laser Hair Removal

Let’s start with type of laser (Alexandrite and YAG), then we’ll cover the brand (GentleMax). Here goes:

Different types of lasers are determined by their wavelengths. When choosing a laser for hair removal, you most often want a longer wavelength, so that the beam can reach even the deepest hairs. Depending on the type of hair and where it is on the body, a hair shaft will grow anywhere from 1mm to 5mm deep. The wavelength of the 755nm Alexandrite laser allows the beam to penetrate as deep as hairs can grow, 5mm.

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatment, which is very common, is generally referred to as laser hair removal, even though it does not use a true laser. IPL machines have a shorter wavelength than most lasers and are not as effective at targeting the deeper, thicker hair; they are more successful when used to remove fine, thin hairs with shallow roots. Although it is not found to be the best machine for hair removal, several med-spas choose IPL’s because they are very versatile and can do many other types of skin treatments that the med-spas offer.

At Advanced Aesthetics of Jacksonville we use the Alexandrite laser, which is hands down, the best technology available for removing hair. The Alexandrite laser works much faster than other types of lasers such as the ruby and diode lasers, and effectively targets the hair root. However, the Alexandrite laser beam is limited in other ways. It is not the best or safest laser to use on darker skin types or tanned skin. This is where our YAG wavelength laser comes in. While the Alexandrite laser treats lighter skin types, the YAG laser is the safest choice for darker skin types or people who are too tan for the Alexandrite.

When removing hair with a laser, the beam passes through the skin and heats up the hair’s shaft and root, disabling its ability to regrow hair. Although the laser only specifically targets and heats up the hair, the shaft itself transmits heat to the surrounding tissue for a few milliseconds. Because of this heat transmission, it is necessary to cool the skin to avoid discomfort. This is where the GentleMax excels. Both the Alexandrite and YAG lasers use a unique Dynamic Cooling Device™ (DCD), which emits a highly focused spray of coolant on the skin just before each laser pulse, so no messy gels are needed. This processes effectively cools the epidermis during both low and high fluency laser treatments, protecting the epidermis and making the treatment much less painful.

Our state-of-the-art lasers are also extremely fast, treating areas like the face, bikini, and underarms in 5-10 minutes so you can be out the door in no time. This clever combination of both the Alexandrite and YAG lasers allows us to treat just about any type of skin, year round!

You may experience stinging, mild swelling and pigmentation changes immediately after treatment. These effects are temporary, as are the rare appearance of blisters and lesions. Scarring and the activation of viral infections, such as herpes and shingles, may occur if you are already predisposed. For this reason, you must give a complete medical history before treatment.

Most people need 6-8 treatments for 95% hair loss and then once a year follow up treatment. Hair removal is only effective on growing hair and so you need multiple treatments spaced 6-8 weeks apart on your face and 8-10 weeks apart on your body.

Do not wax or tweeze at least six weeks before their laser hair removal session and must only shave and continue shaving throughout their laser hair removal sessions.