Hair removal options for smooth summer skin

With winter officially behind us, the thought of slipping into a bikini can be daunting. When you’re covered in layers it’s easy to neglect hair removal, but it’s not so easy to hide when it’s time to hit the beach.

Today, a variety of light-based devices can be used to reduce hair growth in unwanted areas in a series of simple and quick treatments. Although not a permanent solution to hair removal, results are long term and after a treatment cycle only occasional maintenance is needed.

Permanent hair reduction, when performed by a fully trained operator, offers both men and women several benefits compared with other hair removal options such as shaving and waxing. Hair grows back less quickly and also finer with the added bonus that there are rarely spots, ingrown hairs or itchiness.

Before considering permanent hair reduction, be aware that lasers and IPL machines are medical equipment. Always choose a qualified and skilled operator who uses up-to-date technology to avoid unnecessary complications.

Platinum Dermatology Skin Specialists prefer to use the Sciton BroadBand Light (BBL) device for long-lasting, permanent hair reduction.

Spanning a wider visible spectrum of light than traditional Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy, BBL is an innovative technology that emits pulses of light that target the melanin in hair follicles. The pigment is absorbed, heated and selectively destroyed by certain light wavelengths without damaging surrounding tissues.

The hair growth cycle plays an important role in the success of laser hair removal, and therefore multiple treatments (around four to six) will be needed to achieve long-term hair loss.

The hair growth cycle consists of three phases: anagen is the active growth phase; catagen is the transitional period; and the resting phase is termed telogen. There is variation in the duration of anagen and telogen phases in different body sites. There is also seasonal variation, which means in summer there’s a higher rate of growth and slower growth during winter months.

BroadBand Light has the greatest effect in the anagen phase. It is precise, fast and has excellent and predictable results with 90% of patients experiencing permanent hair loss after an average three to five sessions.

Prior to laser hair removal, it’s important not to wax or pluck the treatment area for at least six weeks. This ensures hair is present, as without it the treatment will not achieve the desired effect.

To learn how learn how to keep your skin healthy, beautiful, and free of unwanted hair, contact the skin experts at Platinum Dermatology Skin Specialists on (02) 8014 6500.