The Latest In Laser Hair Removal Technology
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi – “Laser hair removal is a permanent method of removing unwanted hair by using concentrated light to kill off the pigment in hair follicles”.
Recent data collected by representatives from Auckland University (New Zealand) and The Open University (UK) suggests that younger men are removing more body hair than women. The research was gathered after participants took part in an online survey regarding the removal of body hair on men and women.
The survey also asked about participants’ own body hair and removal process and surveyed almost 600 people aged 18-35.
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi of The London Medical and Aesthetic Clinic said, for the last ten years the laser removal of body hair is very popular among both men and women.
He then went on to say that men have started to remove more body hair over the last decade.
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi, who’s clinic specializes in laser treatments including laser hair removal using the most sophisticated Elite laser machine, has noticed the increase in males disposing of their unwanted hair.
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi says “The build up to summer shows a significant increase in men having their hair removed, particularly around the feet, back and chest. The summer clothing is most certainly the cause for this. Hairy chests can be a really sensitive issue for some men.”
Laser Hair Removal
The most interesting result that came from the online survey is that male body hair is still more widely acceptable than body hair is on women – but men are still removing more than women are.
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi later said, “Women who choose not to shave, for whatever reason, are considered unfeminine and have ‘let themselves go.’ Men on the other hand seem to have much more scope for grooming rather than hairlessness as an option.
With summer here, more men feel comfortable to take their shirts off on holiday after previous laser hair removal sessions. Male celebrities like Daniel Craig are role models for men wanting laser hair removal”.
Laser Hair Removal
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi thinks that it really depends on who looks at it, but on women hair found on the face, on the back, on the chest, under the arms, on the legs and in the bikini area is generally thought to be unsightly.
Such unwanted hair prevents us from wearing some types of clothes, like sleeveless tops, skirts or skimpy bikinis. It also affects our self-confidence to a certain degree.
Women do spend some time and effort into getting rid of the unwanted hair on their bodies. Shaving is the most convenient way of doing it, but also the most time consuming. Sometimes, shaving the underarms and the legs can be a daily chore, and it puts patients at risk of having in-grown hair.
Some women resort to plucking and waxing, but these methods are well known to be very painful and waiting times in-between sessions to allow the hair to be long enough to treat is lengthy. Allowing the hair to get long enough to wax often means spending a month covering up the area in question for those self-conscious women.
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi explains that the only way of dealing with unwanted hair more permanently, is undergoing laser hair removal treatment. In laser hair removal treatment, a dermatological surgeon focuses a laser on the part of the skin that is to be treated.
The laser creates a reaction in the melanin in the hair follicles of the treated area. The reaction is supposed to make the hair strand shed and to discourage the hair follicle from producing new cells that will lead to hair growth. Laser hair removal treatment takes four to six sessions to complete, as hair enters different phases of growth.
Laser hair removal treatment works best only with people who have fair skin and dark hair, however as technology has developed there are now lasers, like the Elite system by Cynosure that can treat darker skin and lighter hairs.
The laser focused by the machine also generally does not react to blond or red hair, because hair with such colours do not have enough melanin in the strands.
If you think you are a good candidate for laser hair removal treatment, the first thing you should do is to check out laser clinics in your area. Read reviews as you make your list, or you can ask your friends or family members who have undergone the treatment for recommendations.
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi says “Once you have picked a clinic, the next step would be to make an initial consultation with the clinic of your choice. Visit the clinic and take note of how clean the premises are and how friendly and helpful the personnel in the clinic are.
When you come face to face with the practitioner, ask them questions about the field he or she is in, about the machine he or she is using, and the credentials he or she has.
If you already feel confident with your choice, then go ahead and make a schedule for your initial patch test.
Dr Ayham Al-Ayoubi adds “On every session, all the people involved in the treatment – the doctor/the technician and you – should be wearing eye protection. After all, it is laser you people will be handling, so it is important to keep the eyes protected on every treatment.
The treatment is not really painful, but the doctor or the technician will nonetheless apply a gel or cream on your skin on specific areas to make it numb”.
The parameters of the laser hair removal treatment, such as the condition of the skin on the area to be treated and the condition of the hair, will be entered into the machine. The laser will then be allowed to pulse on the skin briefly to check if the data entered on the machine is correct, and then the treatment commences.
Keep the treated area clean and moisturised, and use only products that are gentle on the skin. Avoid exposing yourself to the sun, because if your skin gets darker, the effectiveness of the succeeding sessions might lessen considerably. If there is a little swelling, apply an ice pack or cover the skin with soft and clean cloths soaked in ice water to relieve the swelling.
Laser hair removal treatment is a good way of getting rid of unwanted hair permanently. However, you must remember that this treatment is not for everybody. Consider your choices carefully before going through the process.
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