Question & Answer about Hair Removal
Q: Hair removal and reduction may sound fundamentally like the same but the information I get in magazines and from girlfriends is contradictory. Shaving, waxing, electrolysis and lasers all have their place. But ideally the answer would be a treatment that handles the issue once and for all—not an everyday occurrence. What’s my best alternative?
A: That depends on the area being treated. Until recently, laser hair removal - the most lasting and most effective on large areas like the legs and arms - has had its roots (pun intended) in one’s hair color and skin tone. The newest addition to our clinic as of first quarter 2007 is the new Aesthera Photopneumatic Therapy (PPx) laser. Painless and up to five times safer and more efficient than previous generations of lasers, the PPx can perform full leg or whole back treatments in less than 20 minutes, procedures that historically took up to 120 minutes using other laser or light-based technologies.
As the first no pain and safer light based therapy, PPx Therapy is a combination of pneumatic energy (pressure) and broadband light. This highly efficient delivery of energy greatly reduces the possibility of side-effects such as redness, burning and scarring. PPx Therapy is also a more hygienic procedure thanks to a personalized single-use disposable tip, which is customized per treatment area. And PPx requires no down time; immediately following the procedure, patients are ready to resume their normal activities.
Using pneumatic energy, the Aesthera PPx pulls the skin into the treatment handpiece. That elevates hair follicles closer to the skin’s surface. By manipulating the skin, the effectiveness of the laser increases in several ways: first, the skin is instantly thinner, which reduces the concentration of melanin. Second, the target of the laser (hair, damaged or discolored skin) is brought closer to the surface of the skin, resulting in a stronger response. Finally, the surrounding normal tissue is not subjected to unnecessary energy levels.