Both men and women suffer from unwanted hair. Hair removal equipment can aid in this process. In the current aesthetics market, there are several forms of hair removal equipment to choose from, all of which vary in procedural intensity, cost, etc. It’s important to find the system that will work best for your own personal skin type.
What are the Different Varieties of Hair Removal Equipment?
Out of the variety of hair removal procedure equipment in the current aesthetics market, the three most common are electrolysis, laser and intense pulsed light. All of these products are easier and permanent versus the alternatives. Tweezing, shaving, waxing and lightening with chemicals are other ways that people remove unwanted hair, although these produce temporary results, as opposed to the prior mentioned methods.
What is Electrolysis?
The process of electrolysis is a popular way of removing unwanted hair. Galvanic electrolysis uses a very fine needle which passes an electrical current into each hair follicle. This causes a chemical reaction that will destroy the bottom of the follicle, preventing hair growth in up to 80 percent of the treated hair follicles.
The downside to electrolysis is that it can be painful, but this is in direct correlation to each person’s own pain threshold. Aside from being potentially painful, electrolysis can be a time consuming process that yields mixed results for each person.
What is Laser Hair Removal?
Intense light is used directly on skin to disable the production of hair follicles with laser hair removal systems. Utilizing a targeted beam of light, the melanin of a hair follicle is heated to the point that it stunts the growth of hair in the treated area.
There are certain laser hair removal systems that are designed to work more efficiently with certain skin types. It’s important to research the Fitzpatrick Classification of skin types to determine which laser will work best for your skin and hair color, so as to avoid unwanted side effects.
What is Intense Pulsed Light Hair Removal Equipment?
Intense Pulsed Light equipment is very similar to lasers. The intense pulsed light targets the melanin, similarly to what lasers do. The difference between the two is that the intense pulsed light transmits hundreds of different wavelengths in one surge of light.
Intense Pulsed Light equipment is very effective. 80 percent of treated hair follicles do not re-grow. There are minimum complications and side effects, which may include a mild heating sensation to the targeted region.
Can there be Side Effects with Hair Removal Equipment?
Common side effects in utilizing a hair removal system are typically short term, such as swelling and redness in the treated areas. Blistering, scarring, crusting and scabbing can occur after treatment, as well as skin tone changes (hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation), burns and changes in skin texture.
