For ages hair has often been considered undesirable. In our Latin culture, women are mostly subject to hair removal. However, every day more and more men seek to remove hair from different parts of their body.
Various technologies can be used for hair removal: mechanical hair removal using wax, electrolysis, hair removal using laser (Ruby, Alexandrite, ND: Yag, Diode) and hair removal using intense pulsed light. At the Instituto Cirugía Orbitofacial, we recommend and practice hair removal with intense pulsed light, specifically Radiancy intense pulsed light.
What is it?
Radiancy Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) transmits light and heat using a wave spectrum of visible light (400-1200 nm). An instrument called LUA or light-unit applicator produces a light that touches the skin, transmits heat to the follicle or the root of the hair to remove hair without the need of anesthetic creams. Heat is absorbed through the pigment of the hair and transmitted to the root structures responsible for its growth. The structures are weakened and new hair does not emerge.
The spectrum of light used for intense pulsed Radiancy allows heating to penetrate to adequate levels. The technology takes into consideration that the depth of hair in its growth phase is about 2-4 mm. Heat is absorbed proportionally to avoid complications, such as burns or stains caused by hyper- or hypopigmentation that sometimes occur with laser and other technologies mentioned above.
Treatment
Like all other technologies used for permanent hair removal, intense pulsed light hair removal requires more than one session to eliminate or dramatically decrease hair in the treated area.
Hair grows in three phases: anagen (active), catagen (transition) and telogen (rest). During the anagen phase, the hair and the follicle are active and the production of melamine increases. Because hair removal based on light depends strongly on the effectivity of melamine, each hair strand and follicle is treated during the active phase to assure maximum hair removal. The percent of hairs in the active growth phase varies on each part of the body. Therefore, treatment frequency can vary from 6 weeks for legs and thighs to 1 to 2 weeks for facial or lip hair.
Hair removal using intense pulsed light with Radiancy technology has proven to be very safe and effective, and it costs less than other technologies. These advantages have made this hair removal treatment one of the most popular today; moreover, it is not limited to only certain types of people.