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Epilation with alexandrite laser

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 17.10.2021
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In recent decades, it has become more indecent for a woman to leave the house with unshaven legs than a man with stubble on his face. The hairless skin trend has spawned proposals in the cosmetic market. Women's shaving accessories have taken pride of place on the shelves in home baths, cosmetic stores are crammed with depilation and hair removal preparations, and salons are advertising all new ways to "get rid of unwanted vegetation forever" - not only on visible but also on intimate parts of the body. The best cosmetologists are working on the problem, in some cases exaggerated, and alexandrite laser hair removal is the fruit of their common labors. What is it and is it suitable for everyone?

Which laser hair removal is better: diode or alexandrite?

Laser hair removal (LHR) is most effective for people with fair skin and dark hair. A recent study found that both skin color and hair color affect LHR success. [1]

Diode and alexandrite laser hair removal are by far the most popular methods for removing unwanted hair. The principle of operation of radiators used for medical purposes is the same, but the technical characteristics are different. The laser beam has a specific wavelength, it is characterized by narrow directivity and monochromaticity. The melanin contained in the hair becomes the center of absorption of light energy. Other structures in the thickness of the skin are not destroyed by the laser. [2]

Which laser hair removal is better: diode or alexandrite? - depends on skin and hair color, equipment power, availability of cooling. And the main factor of choice is a qualified specialist to whom you are ready to entrust the solution of your problems. In short:

  • alexandrite is indicated for people with 1-2 phototypes;
  • diode laser is suitable for any phototype.

To an ordinary client, the numbers 755 and 800 nanometers, which characterize the wavelength of the devices, say little. These parameters determine which apparatus is more effective on which skin type. The more saturated the shade, the more effective laser procedures are, regardless of the type of device. Hair that is devoid of melanin is hardly removed by the laser. [3]

But no technique is capable of removing everything permanently. As the hair grows back, the sessions should be repeated, and only after a full course, the vegetation disappears for several years. For a significant reduction in the amount of hair, it is necessary to carry out 5-7 sessions, with an interval of 1 to 3 months.

Indications for the procedure

People who feel uncomfortable with excess body hair resort to various methods of hair removal. Alexandrite laser hair removal is suitable for those with dark vegetation. The equipment simply "does not see" light hairs. Also, the device does not recognize vegetation on a tanned body and takes dark epithelial cells for "extra".

Indications for conducting arise for various reasons:

  • genetic;
  • hormonal;
  • due to inflammation after depilation;
  • from ingrown hair, razor irritation.

The procedure for permanent hair removal is also ordered by women who are tired of regular depilation sessions. But before resorting to a laser, hormonal causes should be ruled out. To do this, you need to make an appointment with an endocrinologist, who will help solve hormonal problems or exclude their presence.

Preparation

Alexandrite laser hair removal procedure consists of three stages. It starts with preparation: it consists mainly of allowing the hairs to grow to the desired length: 3-5 mm. To do this, you should not shave for about a week.

  • The clinic's specialist is obliged to provide the patient with detailed instructions on the actions and expected results in advance. During the interview, the presence / absence of contraindications is specified.

No preparatory procedures are carried out before epilation, and pain relief is also provided. The patient is comfortable in a chair, when manipulating his face, they put on protective glasses and start epilation.

Laser equipment acts on the hair roots without heating the surrounding tissue. Compliance with all conditions promises the absence of pain. The main thing is that the skin type of a woman or a man meets the requirements as much as possible.

  • During the procedure, laser flashes resemble light hot bangs. They are caused by heating up to 70 degrees.

Cooling is used to prevent severe pain. The specialist regulates the power: starts with low and inquires into the patient about his feelings. And then it increases the parameters, choosing the most comfortable ones for the client.

Those who have used wax or sugaring will confirm that the laser procedure is faster and more comfortable. Both individual characteristics and the difference in sensitivity in individual parts of the body play a role.

The session ends in 40–45 minutes. For soothing, the treated skin area is covered with a cooling gel. It serves to prevent burns and pigmentation formation.

Alexandrite laser hair removal machine

Without going into the details of the structure and operation of the device for alexandrite laser hair removal, we note that the name comes from the name of the so-called active medium (or working fluid). For example, the first laser device was ruby. Today they use the artificially grown alexandrite mineral.

  • And if the ruby, as you know, has a red color, then in the alexandrite laser hair removal machine, the color changes depending on the lighting.
  • The working medium of the diode device does not contain minerals. Semiconductor materials and gallium arsenide operate there.

The longer the waves, the deeper the penetration of radiation into the tissue. Alexandrite allows you to eliminate hair with 1-2 phototypes and benign pigmentation. During the session, an unpleasant smell of burnt hair is felt, which should be perceived by the patient as inevitable unaestheticness and payment for an instant effect. Diodes are devoid of this trouble, but the patient has to wait a week and a half for the dead hairs to completely leave the skin.

The end result, however, is pretty much the same. With each of these methods of hair removal, hair does not grow from a year to five; such differences are associated with the individual characteristics of the organism.

Laser hair removal with alexandrite machine Candela

A permanent result is given by a course of alexandrite laser hair removal. The technique is considered the most popular and effective for removing hair in unwanted areas. The duration of the course is from 4 to 8 procedures, with some intervals. Laser hair removal with the alexandrite machine candela relieves both female and male clientele qualitatively and painlessly.

  • The effectiveness is evidenced by the numbers: after a course of epilation with candela, no more than 5% of the initial amount of hair remains on the skin. According to the clinics providing services, no other device is able to achieve such indicators. [4]

Duration of the result - up to 7 years; it depends on age, treatment area, hormonal state of the body. The manipulation is carried out quickly, painlessly, with maximum patient comfort. No pain is felt thanks to the built-in dynamic cooling system developed by the specialists of the American manufacturer. She also prevents thermal burns.

  • Manipulation on the upper lip takes 10 minutes, in the bikini area - 20, leg treatment lasts from an hour to two.

The non-invasiveness of the technology ensures that contact diseases due to treatment are excluded. Side effects are minimal, and the effect on the body as a whole does not occur at all. [5]

Technique epilation with alexandrite laser

The device for alexandrite laser hair removal uses an artificial stone enriched with chromium. It is characterized by light-refractive properties, which make it possible to form radiation of the optimal length and focus it in the desired direction.

Alexandrite heats up quickly and is gentle on the skin. The technique of laser hair removal with alexandrite laser allows you to process the following locations:

  • bikini area;
  • armpits;
  • shins, thighs, legs in general;
  • stomach;
  • hands in part or in whole;
  • upper lip;
  • chest and back in men.

The procedure is carried out in stages, starting with a detailed briefing on the preparation procedure. The epilation specialist informs the clients about everything 2-4 months before the scheduled session. Immediately before the start of the action, the eyes of the patient, who is comfortably seated on a couch or in a chair, are protected with special glasses.

On the appointed day, you cannot apply cosmetics on the area planned for treatment. Anesthetic is applied 50 minutes before the start. Further, the processing of the agreed areas is carried out directly. At the end of the procedure, a cosmetic product is applied to prevent irritation.

Despite the fact that the laser is capable of strongly heating the places on which its rays fall, when using alexandrite, a slight tingling is felt, but there is no pain and burns. Their prevention is provided by a cooling system built into the device. In the newest models, the cryogenic factor is liquid freon, which soothes the skin literally in the blink of an eye.

Bikini laser hair removal with alexandrite laser

Hair removal in the bikini area is very painful and uncomfortable. It is often accompanied by cuts, irritation, and the thought of repeating it regularly is shuddering. Having performed at least one alexandrite laser hair removal, women no longer turn to other methods of getting rid of vegetation in such a delicate area. And after a course of procedures, you can completely forget about the problem.

Alexandrite laser bikini hair removal is one of the most requested services by women. Its advantages are as follows:

  • rapidity;
  • painlessness;
  • security;
  • cooling;
  • lack of scars;
  • effectiveness;
  • long lasting effect.

Laser devices regulate the effect of heat depending on the skin phototype. The duration of the pulse depends on the hair type. In addition to excess hair, the device eliminates epidermal spots - post-acne, freckles, age formations.

  • The laser beam acts on the melanin pigment in the hair. It reaches the follicle and destroys it, so that the shaft soon falls off.

Sometimes, even after the first treatment, the hair density is reduced by half, but for a lasting result, it is required to repeat up to 5-7 sessions, at least with a monthly interval.

The duration of the manipulation depends on the area, density and shade of the hair. The device is able to select an individual program taking into account these and other parameters. Neighboring areas that do not need epilation are not exposed to the laser.

Laser hair removal alexandrite armpits

Although advertising convinces that alexandrite laser hair removal is painless, much depends on the location of unwanted vegetation. Legs are one thing, bikini or armpits are quite another. In these places, the skin is delicate, soft, sufficiently innervated, therefore the sensitivity is higher and the pain threshold is lower.

In this regard, laser hair removal of alexandrite armpit has the advantage of being a fast procedure. Shorter time means less pain. It is alexandrite that provides a softer effect than other epilation techniques.

  • For women, soreness in the middle of the menstrual cycle is lower than at other times.

True, there is also such a thing as individual susceptibility. Cryogenic drugs or other cooling methods are used to reduce pain.

After manipulation, you should follow the recommendations for caring for the treated areas. On the first day, the armpits should not be rinsed with water, the sauna is contraindicated for 3-4 days. It is forbidden to pull out burnt hair remnants, they must fall out on their own. By the second week, the underarms are completely cleansed.

If a specialist recommended applying a special cream, then no other means should be used. Otherwise, the skin may react with irritation and inflammation.

Alexandrite laser facial hair removal

An effective way to combat unnecessary facial hair is alexandrite laser hair removal. Thanks to the built-in cooling device, the technique minimizes the discomfort that accompanies most epilation and depilation technologies.

Alexandrite laser hair removal on the face and other areas with delicate skin is accompanied by painful sensations. Therefore, preliminary analgesic manipulation is necessary: a cryogenic spray, a gel with lidocaine, or a jet of cold air.

  • Alexandrite is ideal for dark hair and fair skin. Tanned and dark skin needs different treatments.

One of the advantages of alexandrite is hygienic. During the procedure, the attachments on the devices do not touch the skin, which means that the skin does not come into contact with the surface of the attachment, which has already touched previous patients.

  • When planning to do laser hair removal salon, it is important to take into account the little tricks.

Due to the fact that it is impossible to achieve smoothness and purity of the skin in one session, it is hardly worth starting an undertaking at the height of the beach season. After all, several procedures will be required, and the final result is not immediately visible. So the summer will fly by on hikes to the salons. In order to look beautiful and aesthetically pleasing by summer, it is necessary to sign up for epilation of the face, legs, body in advance, even in the cold season. And then it is real to meet the beach season fully armed.

Contraindications to the procedure

The laser procedure has many contraindications. These include:

  • poor blood clotting;
  • preparation for fertilization 2–3 months, pregnancy and lactation;
  • diabetes;
  • skin diseases, multiple moles, spots;
  • acute herpes;
  • the presence of keloid scars, malignant neoplasms;
  • diseases of the circulatory system.

Do not epilate after active exposure to UV rays for 1-2 weeks. Alexandrite laser hair removal is incompatible with hormone therapy. If vegetation is the cause of hormonal disorders, then the problem of excess hair growth is solved by the correct treatment.

Consequences after the procedure

The main advantage of alexandrite laser hair removal is the duration of the result. After a course of manipulations, the vegetation disappears for several years, and maybe forever.

An interesting consequence after the procedure, in addition to the actual hair removal, is rejuvenation. This effect is due to the cosmetic effect of the laser: skin tightening and elimination of pigmentation defects. Alexandrite laser hair removal affects the biometric parameters of the skin, can reduce the melanin content of the skin and make the skin thinner, as well as increase the elasticity and density of the epidermis and dermis. [6]

  • But there are also disadvantages. Not a single device is capable of destroying "future" hairs, therefore, with the appearance of new vegetation, the procedure must be repeated.

The hair removal efficiency is directly dependent on the flux density used. Patients have an average hair reduction of 74%.

Although long-term hair reduction can be achieved in most patients after a series of laser treatments, partial hair regrowth is typical within 6 months, which suggests additional treatments are needed to increase the rate of permanent hair removal. Some of the follicles are able to recover, as a result of this, after a few months, the hairs reappear in the treated area - albeit in smaller numbers. [7]

Complications after the procedure

In general, the alexandrite laser is safe and effective for hair removal in patients with a variety of skin types. The complication rate increases as the skin pigment increases and the power used increases. However, even people with fair skin without recent sun exposure before or after treatment can have complications and side effects. [8] Rare complications included transient post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (n = 9; 10%), blister burn (n = 1; 1%), and post-inflammatory hypopigmentation (n = 2; 2%). All complications were eliminated without permanent scars. [9]

In case of mistakes during preparation for alexandrite laser hair removal, abrasions, scars, changes in pigmentation, folliculitis may occur. Complications after the procedure, for example, an allergic reaction, are associated with the individual characteristics of the patient's body. A burn may also be the result of the doctor's inexperience. Herpes is more likely in people prone to this disease.

  • During the normal course of the procedure, nothing like this happens, the maximum complication is redness and slight swelling.

With dark skin, the risk of burns from alexandrite is higher than from a diode emitter. Pigmentation forms on dark skin if the patient ignores the rules of UV protection. Eye damage can result from improper use of laser hair removal devices. Ophthalmologists should be aware of eye damage caused by these devices. [10], [11]

Care after the procedure

After alexandrite laser hair removal, the patient uses a special anti-inflammation cream for several days. Redness is normal; it confirms the effectiveness of the procedure. It can last for several days.

  • In general, post-procedure care and rehabilitation include some limitations.
  1. Stop sunbathing and solar treatments for two weeks.
  2. Do not sugaring and waxing.
  3. Apply a loom or depilatory cream.
  4. Apply sunscreen for several months after the last session.
  5. Do not wet or rub the treated surface.
  6. Do not visit the sauna, temporarily stop water procedures and sports.
  7. For several days, the use of hormones and antibiotics is excluded.

Reviews

Does it hurt or doesn't it hurt? - that is the question when it comes to alexandrite laser hair removal. This debatable issue is actively discussed on the network, mainly reviews of visitors (and visitors too!) Of beauty salons and clinics are devoted to it.

Most women who have tried other methods of hair removal claim that alexandrite appliances are gentle, especially on sensitive skin areas. The results and their duration are also mostly satisfied.

You can live your whole life without knowing about alexandrite laser hair removal, and this happiness will not diminish. If just such a procedure is not enough for complete happiness, then before making a decision, carefully study all the pros and cons, choose an institution and a specialist with a good reputation. According to the calculations of knowledgeable people, a seemingly expensive laser procedure is not only more reliable, but in general not more expensive than other methods of epilation. After completing the full course of hair removal, you can forget about the problem of excess hair for a long time, or even forever.

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