AS many women and some men will attest, having a leg wax is not one of the most pleasant experiences. Nor is undergoing electrolysis, which involves a needle and an electric current. Those are just two of the many methods used to remove unwanted body hair. However, the hair can and often does grow back. Now a new, and admittedly dearer method of hair removal which its proponents say is permanent has been introduced in the Republic. It involves the use of a special laser.
According to Dr Tom Moore of the Haddington Clinic in Dublin, the new Ruby Laser 694 can be used on virtually all areas of the body. It scans the outer layers of the skin using a low wattage laser light to effectively disable hair follicles without damaging the surrounding pores.
"The removal of unwanted hair has been an unpleasant time consuming and repetitive exercise since the earliest times," says Dr Moore. "Excessive hair can be a problem for many people who have tried everything from shaving, waxing and electrolysis. With the laser we can do any area from head to toe."
So far the clinic has been getting women with unwanted facial or other hair, but also a large number of men who have had the treatment to remove hair from their backs.
The laser produces a red beam of light which is absorbed by the melanin in the hair follicle and surrounding stem cells from which hair growth is derived. "The resulting heat is sufficient to denature the cell production mechanism thereby inhibiting larger growth in a simple non invasive, relatively painfree process," adds Dr Moore.
British scientist Prof Mark Clement of the Swansea Institute of Higher Education discovered the process after accidentally turning the ruby laser back on his arm. He found that the hair did not grow back.
The system, according to Dr Moore, has undergone clinical trials at Mount Vernon Hospital in the UK, and in Denmark. It has been available for about a year and a half. Another Dublin company which offers the treatment is Medilaser at the Northbrook Clinic on Northbrook Road.
The system is operated at the Haddington Clinic by a nurse. Each individual is assessed before the treatment and a questionnaire is filled out. Initially the area is shaved and a cooling gel is applied.
The hair that is treated by the laser has to be in the anagen or growth phase. Approximately 20 per cent of the hair will be in a dormant phase at the time of treatment. Therefore, it will regrow and will have to be treated within two to six weeks. "The number of treatments required will depend on the strength of the hair, for example hair that has been shaved many times may required additional treatments.
People who attend endocrinologists because of a hormone problem which results in excessive hair growth may avail of the treatment.
The sensation of the laser, says Dr Moore, has been described as that of a small rubber band hitting against the skin. Some heat and redness can occur after treatment but should disappear within a day or two depending on the skin type. Occasionally some temporary change in pigmentation can occur, also depending on the skin type.
The most appropriate candidates for the treatment are those with white skin and black hair. "It wouldn't work on grey haired people because they have no pigmentation in their hair follicle. However the technology is being advanced all the time. Blond or redhaired people may also need additional treatment. It is not suitable for black people because they have a lot of melanin in their skin which would take up the laser light and discolour the skin by lifting out the pigmentation."
Dr Moore says people should stay out of the sun for a few weeks before treatment and afterwards. He says there are no side effects, bar possible temporary irritation of the skin which only happens in some cases: some pigmentation can also be temporarily lost if the person is tanned.
The cost is worked out per body area to be treated and how many treatments are necessary. It would take about 20 minutes to treat an upper lip, costing about £300, £800 for both legs, £1,000 for an entire back to be treated, and up to £400 for a bikini line.