Procedure
Laser Hair Removal
Achieve Dolphin Smooth Skin with Amazing Laser Light
Laser hair removal is a long-lasting way to permanently reduce unwanted hair growth. Glow with us at The Gillian Institute for Plastic, Aesthetic, and Laser Surgery! Dr. Kimberly Short is joined by her hand-picked staff to provide premium aesthetic services to the entire Midwest.
Contact us to see what our team can do for you. Call (317) 787-3260 in Downtown Indy and (317) 913-3260 on the Northside to schedule your private consultation at the Gillian Institute.
About
By using a specific wavelength in the uniquely designed Sciton Profile Laser, our aestheticians can individualize the treatment for our patients. Those patients who want unsightly hair removed with less pain should consider treatments using the Profile ClearScan protocol. Because the Profile ClearScan contains an infrared laser that selectively targets microstructures such as hair follicles, it is very effective in removing unwanted hair for light skin types.[1] Although the laser energy passes through the patient’s skin, the pigment in the hair follicle absorbs the light. Consequently, a significant percentage of the follicles are instantaneously and permanently disabled with each treatment.
In laser hair removal, the laser light energy causes thermal damage to the hair follicle. That’s because laser light is converted into heat as it passes through the skin. The heat is absorbed in the melanin found in the hair follicle. If enough heat is absorbed by the hair follicle during its active phase, the targeted hair structures are disabled. Furthermore, the hair cannot re-grow.[1] Stay smooth and read our blog regularly to learn more about our array of non-invasive aesthetic laser treatments at the Gillian Institute.
Benefits
The benefits of laser hair removal are clear to anyone who has struggled with stubble. Razors and waxing can be painful. But lasers offer a hassle-free alternative with long-lasting results.
Laser hair removal is a relatively quick and painless procedure that works on the principle of selective photothermolysis (SPTL).
Lasers are just a focused beam of electromagnetic (EM) energy resonating at a specific color frequency. In laser hair removal, the brilliant beam passes through the upper layers of the epidermis and targets dark pigments at the follicular roots, eliminating them.[2]
Candidates
We believe that the Sciton Laser allows us to offer all types of patients the best technique available for permanent hair reduction. Sciton obtained U. S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, approval for permanent hair reduction in skin types I-VI in 2001. Sciton’s unique technology, coupled with an efficient delivery system and superior epidermal cooling, uses a longer wavelength to effectively treat dark-skinned individuals by bypassing the epidermal melanin, making this laser the best choice for patients with deep, rich skin tones and those patients who “love the sun.”
FITZPATRICK SKIN TYPING TEST (BASED ON SUN EXPOSURE)
- Type I (scores 0–6) always burns, never tans (palest; freckles).
- Type II (scores 7–13) usually burns, tans minimally
- Type III (scores 14–20) sometimes mild burn, tans uniformly
- Type IV (scores 21–27) burns minimally, always tans well (moderate brown)
- Type V (scores 28–34) very rarely burns, tans very easily (dark brown)
- Type VI (scores 35–36) never burns (deeply pigmented dark brown to darkest brown)
Your Private Consultation at the Gillian Institute
Dr. Short will have lots of information to share at your private consultation. She and her team are ready to listen. You are encouraged to ask questions on your own behalf.
Call (317) 787-3260 in Downtown Indianapolis and (317) 913-3260 on the Northside of Indy to schedule your private consultation at the Gillian Institute. Our glowing reviews speak for themselves.
Preparation
At your private consultation, our team will provide you with your personalized preparation instructions. What follows are some general pearls of wisdom to keep in mind.
A FEW TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING LASER HAIR REMOVAL
- Do not tan the area to be treated three weeks prior to your treatment
- Do not wax, tweeze or pluck, use a depilatory, or electrolysis three weeks prior to your treatment (any of the techniques listed will remove the hair from the follicle leaving you with less than optimal results)
- We ask that you shave the area to be treated the morning of your treatment. This helps by allowing the energy to destroy the hair in the follicle versus destroying hair that is on the surface of the skin.
- The laser treatment may cause a slight tingling sensation, somewhat similar to a sunburn; most patients tolerate this well.
- The appearance of the treated area after a laser treatment will vary from patient to patient depending on the treatment and their skin type. You may have a small amount of redness that will disappear a short time after the procedure.
Procedure
The rate of hair growth, its length, color, density and coarseness vary from patient to patient. Unwanted hair growth may accelerate with the onset of puberty or pregnancy and with the use of certain medications, such as hormones, birth control pills and blood pressure medicines. Unfortunately, your genetics are most likely responsible for excess hair, but medical conditions may also factor into the equation.[3]
HUMAN HAIR CONSISTS OF THREE DISTINCT PARTS:
- The bulb at the base of the hair follicle hair
- The shaft
- The hair follicle itself
Only the hair itself is visible to the naked eye because the bulb and the shaft are embedded within the skin. In order to produce permanent hair removal, the hair follicle must be destroyed along with its germinating centers located in the bulb.
Because only hairs in the active growth phase can be successfully treated, you may require three to five treatments at intervals of three to eight weeks to obtain an optimal result. The active growth phase, anagen, is one of the three phases of hair growth – anagen, catagen, and telogen. The length of the laser treatments is usually brief; however, some laser treatments may last more than an hour, depending on the size of the area being treated.
Results & Recovery
Have you ever had a sunburn? Your brief recovery from laser hair removal will be similar to what you would experience after prolonged sun exposure. Our patients at the Gillian Institute report redness and swelling for the first few hours after laser hair removal. To treat any discomfort, apply ice or a cool aloe gel to the affected area. Dr. Short recommends applying high SPF sunscreen to protect yourself whenever you go outside—even on cloudy days.
It is important to note that the results of laser hair removal are not immediate. Dr. Short will sync your treatments to your unique hair growth cycle. It takes three to five sessions to see lasting results.
Embrace Your Bedazzling Stubble-Free Future
Achieve dolphin smooth skin with amazing laser light treatments right here in central Indiana, where we truly are the crossroads of the nation. So slide on into our Indianapolis offices anytime and you will become so much the smoother for it. With Dr. Short and the Gillian Institute in your corner, you can recycle your razors and embrace your bedazzling, stubble-free future!
References
- Goldberg, D. J. (2018). One-year follow-up results of hair removal using an 810 nm diode laser. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 17(5), 775–778. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12757
- Laser hair removal. (2018, May 16). Retrieved February 13, 2020, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/laser-hair-removal/about/pac-20394555
- Puri, N. (2015). Comparative study of diode laser versus neodymium-yttrium aluminum: garnet laser versus intense pulsed light for the treatment of hirsutism. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 8(2), 97. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.158445