IPL and Diode Laser (Removal of Unwanted and Excess Hair)
Unwanted hair is a problem shared both by men and women. Some people experience unwanted or excess hair from the time they reach puberty; others find it to be a condition that gets worse with age. Some women experience additional hair growth during either pregnancy or menopause or through out their life due to racial or familial reasons. In some of the women, excessive hair may be because of polycystic ovaries or hormonal imbalance, which requires timely correction. In most of the females there may be no cause at all.

Depending on its location on the body an individual`s hair type, hair can grow in thick, bushy patches or long thin strands. Hair production sites known as hair follicles can be found at different depths ranging from as close to the skins`s surface as a millimetre or as deep as 5 millimeter or more. Until recently, this great variety in hair types and body locations made long-lasting hair removal a significant challenge.

Occasionally hair follicles can become irritated or inflamed, causing mild and moderate pain. While unwanted or excess hair is primarily a cosmetic concern, it can be very distressing to those who suffer its effects. Unwanted hair can also be the source of considerable embarrassment, limiting people`s activities and lifestyles.

Millions of men and women spend lots of time and money each year attempting to eliminate unwanted and excess hair temporarily. Women frequently experience this condition on the face, especially the lip or eyebrow areas, at the bikini line, under their arms or on their legs. Men often wish to rid themselves of hair on their back or chest. They too may have unwanted hair between their eyebrows, ears or on other parts of their face. For both men and women alike, shaving, threading, waxing, chemical depilatories, electrolysis and other temporary hair removal methods have been known to cause irritations, folliculitis and in some cases, ugly scarring. These methods besides being painful, they are also time - consuming. You can imagine plight of a woman who needs regular removal of unwanted facial hair along with her husband or father or a brother. There are many ladies, who use their weekly offs in removal of their unwanted body hair by waxing or any other methods, thereby wasting well deserved weekly offs without rest or recreation. All this adds to their existing anxieties.

High-tech laser and light sources are rapidly changing hair removal treatment. Among laser and light-based devices, the IPL system and LightSheer Diode Laser are the gold standard for safety, superior results and patient satisfaction.

Traditional Treatments and Limitations:
Many approaches have been used to try to solve the pesky problem of unwanted and excess hair. From the simplicity of tweezers and hair-removal creams to electrolysis and latest high-tech laser, people spend large sum of money and many hours trying to shed unwanted hair. Unfortunately, most of these methods are only answers, and the unwanted hair returns too quickly.

Tweezers
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The most basic approach to removing unwanted hair is the trusty tweezers. The use of tweezers for hair removal goes to ancient Rome. However, in addition to being painful and time-consuming, plucking unwanted hairs is only a short-term solution as the hair invariably grows back.
Shaving and chemical depilatory creams
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Shaving unwanted hair is similarly a short-term answer. Rubbing messy chemical depilatory creams on the skin can cause redness and irritation, and have no permanent effect on unwanted hair. While newer, “organic” hair removal creams may be less offensive to the skin, they have not proved any more effective at getting rid of hair. Prescription creams often provide satisfactory results without discomfort, but they must be used at least twice per day and are never permanent.
Waxing:
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Waxing is quite popular, even though it provides hair-free results for two to four weeks. Many people find this method painful, and it can cause skin irritation and pimples. Once again, waxing does nothing to prevent unwanted hair from returning, necessitating frequent, repeat treatments.
Electrolysis:
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Electrolysis is another attempt at hair removal, but this technique can be invasive, painful, time-consuming and expensive, as needles are introduced into each hair follicle individually to treat each hair. It may cause ugly scarring and the process may take months or even years and permanent results are not always achieved.
IPL System and other Lasers:
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Popular weapons in the battle against unwanted hair include laser and light based devices such as IPL System, LightSheer Diode Laser and Long pulsed Nd:Yag Laser. Unlike earlier devices, they offer fast, easy, effective , relatively painless and permanent hair removal treatment which are approved by FDA-USA for Asian skins and all other types of skins, viz. Type 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

While the following information will not recommend one system over the other, it will provide you with further details on each system’s characteristic. Your final decision should be based on this information and your doctor’s advice.
A New Solution: IPL Systems for Hair Removal
Finally, a new treatment solution produces long-lasting results across the full range unwanted hair problems. This breakthrough technology uses broadband, Intense Pulse Light (IPL) technology to damage hair follicles for long-term hair removal. IPL systems for hair removal go by many names including the EpiLight system, the VascuLight system and IPL Quantum systems. Each system has shown to be successful method for reducing unwanted, unsightly hairs. Numerous publish studies in professional medical journals attest to the IPL system`s safety and long-term effectiveness.

The IPL system hair removal process is called photo-epilation, which based on the principle of selective photothermolysis. This means that the light energy is absorbed in the target hair follicles while sparing the surrounding, healthy tissue. Unlike conventional laser system, IPL systems utilize a broad light spectrum with wavelengths ranging from 5900 to 120 nm (green, yellow, orange, red and infrared). They also emit light energy in very carefully timed bursts, or pulses to:

• Maximize the effectiveness of the treatment
• Decrease the risk of skin damage
• Minimize patient discomfort

IPL systems treat the hair by directing light energy through a light guide placed on the patient`s skin. A thin layer of transparent gel covers the treatment area to focus the light energy and cool the top skin layer. The light energy heats and damages the hair follicle, typically causing the hair itself to fall out from the follicle. IPL system technology allows your physician to provide a procedure that is gentle and non-invasive, with nominal side effects.

With its powerful, innovative software, IPL system treatment parameters can be selected by your physician according to an individual`s specific skin colour, hair colour and hair density. This major advantage allows the physician to customize each individual treatment based on personal experience, as well as the unique attributes of each hair follicle.

As a result of this computer-generated precision, the IPL system has proven effective on the widest range of hair colours, from blonde through auburn to brown and dark black hair. Most important of all, the IPL system successfully removes hair from all skin types-from porcelain white through olive to dark brown complexions.

In addition, IPL system technology enables the physician to efficiently remove hair from any part of the body, no matter how deep the follicles may reside. Treatment of sensitive areas like the lips, ears, nose, underarms and bikini line can usually be easily tolerated.

Another IPL system advantage is its wide treatment area, enabling the device to cover more area in substantially less time. In fact, approximately A New Solution: the LightSheer Diode Laser System
Finally, a new treatment solution produces long-lasting results across the full range of unwanted hair problems. Using the latest generation diode laser, this state-of-the-art technology operates at the optimal wavelength of light that is best absorbed by both the hair shaft and follicle while protecting the surface skin from heat damage. Named the LightSheer Diode Laser system, the device has been shown to be successful method for permanent reduction of unwanted, unsightly hair. Numerous published studies in professional medical journals attest to the LightSheer system’s safety and long-term effectiveness.

LightSheer systems were designed specially for hair removal. Therefore, it allows your dermatologist to provide a procedure that is gentle and non-invasive

LightSheer systems treat the hair by directing precise laser energy into the base of the follicle. A thin layer of cool transparent gel may be applied to the treatment area to better focus the energy. The energy heats the hair and damages the hair follicle, causing the hair to fall out and not grow back for some length of time, sometimes forever!

Unlike other hair removal tool, the LightSheer systems incorporates the ChillTip technology, which continuously cools the skin. This proprietary feature helps to:

• Maximise the effectiveness of the treatment
• Decrease skin damage
• Minimize any discomfort
• Allow for treatment of all skin types
Treats All Hair Colours, Skin Types and Body Areas:
In addition, the LightSheer system technology has proven effective on a wide range of hair colours, from blonde through auburn to brown and dark black hair. Most important, LightSheer systems successfully remove hair from all skin types-from porcelain white through olive to dark brown complexions, including tanned skin. Hair can be treated on any part of the body, no matter how deep the follicles may reside. Treatment of sensitive areas like the lips, ears, nose, underarms and bikini line can usually be tolerated easily.
However, grey hair devoid of melanin pigment are not removed by IPL or any other Laser.

Efficient and Precise:
Another key advantage is the LightSheer systems large treatment area, enabling the device to cover more area in substantially less time. In fact, approximately 100-200 hairs can be treated in each zap of the laser so that large swaths of the hair on the legs, back and chest can be treated quickly in a single section. At the same time, LightSheer can be very precisely focused, so that hair is eliminated from delicate places.

Multiple treatment sessions are typically required for permanent hair reduction. The success of LightSheer has been studied in numerous clinical trials. Hundreds of patient with a wide range of skin types and colour have been treated and followed for (in some cases) several years. In a key Harvard study, all 92 patient treated had complete or near complete temporary hair loss. Almost 90% of patients experienced significant long-lasting removal, or permanent hair reduction, with no serious side effect observed.