Goodbye, Razor, Hello Laser!
Here are the Facts, No More Wax!
At Smooth Synergy®, we are confident in our state of the art lasers, and in what our results have proven-we have the most effective lasers out there. They are FDA approved for permanent hair reduction. We can effectively treat all skin types. So, whether you are light skinned, dark skinned or any shade in between, Smooth Synergy® can treat you comfortably, safely and effectively.
We use the Candela GentleLASE Plus and Candela GentleYAG for permanent hair reduction. The way in which these lasers remove body hair is pretty simple: when the laser's light touches the hair, the pigment of the hair itself absorbs the light of the laser and transforms it into heat. This heat kills the hair follicle.
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Synergy® in
the news about laser hair removal. |
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Types of Lasers
Candela GentleLase-and Candela GentleYAG Lasers
Laser Hair Removal in New York
Smooth Synergy® uses the Candela GentleLase
Plus and Candela GentleYAG for Laser Hair Removal. To understand
how these lasers work, it helps to know a little more about
how hair grows and how laser light vaporizes unwanted tissue.
How Hair Grows
Hair forms in a pouch-like structure below the skin called
a hair follicle. What we see as hair is actually the hair shaft,
which is the keratinized, hardened tissue that grows from this
follicle.
Humans have more hair follicles per square inch of skin than
most higher primates, including chimpanzees and gorillas. Because
most of this hair is fine and pale (called vellus hair), it
usually is not visible to the naked eye. Consider this: the
forehead has more hair follicles than any other part of the
body. The thicker, fully pigmented hair most people consider "real hair" is
called terminal hair. This hair is found on scalp, eyebrows, legs, backs,
underarms. This is the hair the GentleLase treats.
Everyone's hair grows differently, depending on age, weight, metabolism,
hormones, ethnicity, medications, and other factors. But all hair goes
through three distinct growth phases:
| 1) Active growth phase (called the anagen phase), which lasts up to several years. At any given time, the majority (85%) of our body hair is in this phase. During anagen, the hair has an abundance of melanin. |  |
| 2) Regressive phase (catagen phase), which lasts about two weeks, during which the hair stops growing but is not yet shed. About 3-4% of our body hair is in this phase at any given time. |  |
| 3) Resting phase (telogen phase), which lasts 5-6 weeks, at the end of which the hair falls out and a new hair begins to form. Approximately 10-13% of our body hair is in this phase at any one time. |  |
The GentleLase and GentleYAG most effectively disable hair that is in the active growth (anagen) phase. Because all the hair in a treated area may not be in the anagen phase, more than one laser treatment may be necessary to remove the hair that subsequently enters the growth phase.
Take it off!
Lasers can help eliminate hair from just about anywhere on the body. Here are
a few of the most popular areas from which to have hair removed.
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How the Candela GentleLase and Candela GentleYAG work
A laser produces a beam of highly concentrated light. Different types of lasers
produce different colors of light.
The light emitted by the GentleLase and GentleYAG is absorbed by the pigment
(melanin)
located in hair follicles (melanin pigments give hair its color)
and hair shaft. The laser pulses for a fraction of a second, just long enough
to vaporize the pigment - disabling several hair follicles at a time to eliminate
or significantly impede the hair's regrowth - but not long enough to damage
the surrounding skin. These particular lasers have a special contact-cooling
handpiece which further protects the epidermis (upper layer of skin). This
patented method of epidermal preservation allows delivery of more laser energy
deeper into the hair follicle.
Additionally, the GentleLase and GentleYAG lasers are able to treat a broader
range of skin and hair types than most other hair-removal
lasers. They are delicate enough for a woman's fine, sensitive skin and robust
enough for a man's beard, back, or arms.
What does the treatment involve?
Eye protection during treatment is required. The area or areas to be treated
are then 
shaved,
if this has not already been done at home. A small handpiece is placed against
the skin and a burst of coolant is applied as the laser is activated. The coolant
allows for a no messy, no gel needed treatment. The handpiece is repositioned
and the laser is activated again. The size or the area treated will determine
the number of laser activations, or "pulses",
required. Each pulse is about the size of a quarter.
Is laser hair removal for you?
Although laser hair removal is generally safe, some people make better candidates
for the procedure than others. People who may not make ideal candidates include
those being treated for removal of red, blonde or gray hair, those being treated
with isotretinoin, those prone to keloid scarring, those with suppressed immune
systems, those susceptible to herpes infections in the treatment area and women
with polycystic ovaries.
How many sessions are needed?
The number of sessions will vary for each person. Usually, we recommend between
5-8 visits for best results per area. Some areas of the body may require fewer
sessions. During your first visit, the laser disables those follicles in the "active" phase
of the growth cycle. Follicles in the "dormant" phase will not be
affected. Since follicles cycle through "active" and "dormant" phases,
additional sessions may be desired once the "dormant" follicles become "active".
Is the laser treatment painful?
Everyone's experience is different. Some areas of the body are more sensitive
than others. Patients say that it feels like a rubber band snapping against
their skin. Most patients report that any discomfort experienced is tolerable,
and well worth the great results they achieve. For more sensitive patients,
anesthetic creams can be applied prior to the treatment.
How long are the laser treatment sessions?
Depending on the area being treated, it can range from 10 minutes to an hour.
How far apart should I space my treatments?
It's usually best to space your visits 4-8 weeks apart as it can take about this long before new growth is observed.
What do I need to do to prep for my laser treatment?
Make sure you have not waxed or tweezed in the area to be treated at least 3-4 weeks prior to your treatment. It's a good idea to shave the area being treated the day before your appointment. You must not be tan-by the sun, creams, sprays or a booth before your treatment.
Are there any risks or side effects?
Immediately after the treatment the skin will look pink and slightly swollen,
similar to a sunburn. This usually subsides within an hour or two and the skin
returns to normal. In very few cases, a darkening or lightening of the treated
skin may occur. Burning or blistering of the skin is also possible. While these
adverse laser hair removal reactions are temporary, they can last a few months
in extreme cases.
What are the advantages over electrolysis?
With electrolysis, the operator inserts a needle into the hair shaft with the
intention of reaching the follicle, then sends a small electrical charge designed
to disable the follicle. The operator then removes that particular hair with
a tweezer. Hair removal is much faster with a laser as the laser is pulsed
about once per second across the surface of the skin. Each "pulse" of
laser light disables a large numbers of hair follicles. Electrolysis operators
can only treat those hairs and hair shafts that that are straight and they
can see and reach. A laser treats any "active" follicle, even if
the hair has not yet reached the surface of the skin.
Here, at Smooth Synergy®, we have great success with laser hair removal. Time and time again, we have proven to ourselves and to our clients that we are at the top of our industry. Give us a call or visit our request an appointment page today to book your free consultation. You will be extremely satisfied!
