LASER………. FOR THE TREATMENT OF SPIDER VEINS AND REMOVAL OF UNWANTED HAIR



WHAT IS LASER HAIR REMOVAL?


Laser hair removal is the permanent reduction of unwanted hair by application of laser energy. When the laser beam is absorbed by the pigment in the hair shaft it is converted to heat which is transferred to the cells that grow the hair. This heat damages the cells and impedes their ability to grow another hair. Laser hair removal is not effective for blond, grey or light red hair because this technology is dependent on pigment in the hair to be effective.


Hair must be in the follicle to be treated, no plucking or waxing during the course of treatment. Hair may be shaved or trimmed to the surface of the skin between treatments and does not have to “grow out” in order to be treated.


WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT DURING LASER HAIR REMOVAL TREATMENT


Prior to treatment hair should be trimmed or shaved as close to the skin as possible. In most cases a cool gel will be applied to the treatment area, this cools the skin during treatment and allows the treatment head to glide easily over the skin. When the laser energy is absorbed in the hair shaft you will feel a warm snap or pinch sensation and there may be an odor of singed hair. Our LightSheer treatment head is equipped with contact cooling to protect and cool the upper layers of skin during treatment. Treatment takes from a few minutes for small areas to an hour or more for large areas such as legs or back. Immediately following treatment there may be some mild redness and swelling around the hair follicle and in some cases a slight sunburn sensation. These symptoms resolve shortly after treatment. In most cases you can return to your normal activities right away.


As with all “light based treatments” unprotected exposure to the sun should be avoided for 4 weeks before and after treatment to avoid complications. We use LUMENIS LightSheer technology that is FDA approved to treat tanned skin, but treatment of tanned skin may reduce effectiveness.


HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL I NEED?


A series of treatments is necessary because hairs in the anagen (active growth phase) are most affected. As all hairs are not in this phase at the same time, multiple treatments are necessary to achieve the best result. For many areas 5 to 8 treatments will achieve the desired result, this number may vary up or down depending upon your specific situation.



WHAT TYPES OF LEG VEINS CAN BE TREATED?


It is our goal to maintain treatments that are very low risk and “NO DOWN TIME”. In order to achieve this we treat only spider veins (small veins near the surface of the skin). If you have varicose veins (larger bulging veins) we recommend you consult with a vein specialist. We will be happy to assess your specific needs and make the necessary recommendations. We use laser, IPL or a combination of both depending on the vein being treated.


Unprotected exposure to the sun should be avoided for 4 weeks before and after treatment to prevent complications. We recommend a Sunblock with SPF of 30 or higher.


WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT DURING LASER VEIN TREATMENT?


Pulses of laser or IPL (intense pulsed light) are delivered along the unwanted vein, the sensation is described as a warm rubber band snap or pinch. The light energy is absorbed by the pigment in the blood and changed to heat, the blood coagulates and the vessel wall collapses. Some vessels may disappear at the time of treatment, but others will darken and be reabsorbed by the body, this will take from a few weeks to a few months. Some bruising is expected and will resolve in this same time frame. After treatment the affected area will feel warm, similar to a sunburn. This may last from a few minutes to a day or so. For approximately 24 hours we advise you to avoid activities that will stimulate blood flow in the area of treatment such as strenuous activity, exercise or alcohol consumption.


HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL I NEED?


A series of treatments is usually required. A small vein or small clusters of veins may be treated in one or two treatments, larger areas of veins or more complex clusters can require 4 to 6 treatments.