Laser Hair Removal. Which Laser is the Best?
There are so many options, it can be difficult to figure out how to select where to get your laser hair removal treatments done in Lincoln, NE.
First, the majority of laser hair removal devices fall into one of three categories… Diode, Alexandrite, Nd:YaG, or IPL.
Alexandrite lasers utilize an alexandrite crystal to produce a 755nm wavelength.
This wavelength is “shorter” and therefore delivers more energy closer to the skin, making this a highly effective option for lighter skin tones and lighter hair colors that may be resistant to diode, IPL, or Nd:YaG lasers.
The most common alexandrite lasers you will see are pulsed lasers and will be combined with a cooling mechanism of some sort to make the pulses less painful and can also be somewhat time consuming to complete the treatments.
At Citrine, our laser hair removal device utilizes the gold standard alexandrite laser BUT it is PAINLESS because it utilizes revolutionary in motion technology with a a cooling sapphire in the tip to keep the treatments INCREDIBLY comfortable .
Now lets talk about diode lasers.
Diodes utilize an 810nm wavelength which penetrates slightly deeper into the skin. Diodes produce similar results but can often require more treatments overall to get the same level of hair reduction, particularly for finer and lighter hair which ultimately may need to be treated with a 755nm wavelength to be really be addressed.
What’s the deal with Nd:YaG?
Nd:Yag lasers utilize a 1064 nm wavelength and are the safest option for dark skin BUT they are not nearly as effective with light skin. This wavelength is also useful for treating small veinous issues like spider veins or venous lakes because it is attracted to hemoglobin (what’s inside your blood cells and therefore your veins).
and IPL?
IPL stands for intense pulsed light. These lasers can be used for laser hair removal but their efficacy doesn’t even compare to an alexandrite!
What else should you consider when choosing where to get laser hair removal in Lincoln?
Let’s start with the discomfort traditionally associated laser hair removal.
Pain sensitivities vary widely. But not many patients who have had a pulsed traditional laser hair removal treatment elsewhere in Lincoln will say it was not painful let alone comfortable.
62.5% more pain was also reported with diode lasers by Grunewald (2014)
Don’t worry though, At Citrine in Lincoln, most patients are candidates for our PAINLESS alexandrite-based laser hair removal.
What about Problems or Complications of Diode and Alexandrite Lasers?
A 2006 review article in the journal “Lasers in Medical Science” found that diode lasers were more likely to cause side effects, with a 28.9% chance of problems compared to the 9.5% chance with Alexandrite Lasers. The biggest concerns are notable in darker skin types, but at Citrine in Lincoln, we can offer treatments with either a 1064nm wavelength or a trip handpiece that also utilizes the 1064nm wavelength.
Disadvantages with Diode Lasers
The diode wavelength works on similar Fitzpatrick scale skin types and hairs as an Alexandrite but may not be as effective for lighter colored hairs which is consistent with what we’ve seen in our practice at Citrine in Lincoln. Our patients are LOVING their results with the 755nm laser hair removal device and definitely noticing better results with those finer hairs.
Patients with Fitzpatrick V and VI skin types are best treated with an Nd:YAG laser hair removal devices which have a wavelength of 1064nm or a trio handpiece that blends 755nm, 810nm, and 1064nm both of whih we offer at Citrine.
Disadvantage of the traditional Alexandrite Lasers
Cooling.
Cryogen or a zimmer cooler are traditionally used to keep the skin cool during traditionally painful treatments. However, those are often not impressive and the treatments can still be painful.
But wait, I thought Citrine uses an Alexandrite laser?
Yes, at Citrine in Lincoln we use a 755nm alexandrite device called the Motus for laser hair removal but it is PAINLESS because it uses a sapphire tip for cooling, in and revolutionary in-motion technology to deliver the same net amount of energy to the hair follicles but without the pain associated with a single pulse in one location. Laser hair removal treatments at Citrine in Lincoln generally feels like cool deodorant being applied to the skin which is why SO many of our patients come back again and again to get more sensitive areas treated like Brazilian bikini, underarms, and upper lips which are notoriously susceptible to pain. Who wouldn’t want to ditch the hassles of shaving, waxing, and razors when the process is genuinely super comfortable and effective?!
Call us at 402-804-3588 to get a consultation scheduled where you will have a chance to actually FEEL the laser treatments before making a decision about whether or not Citrine is where you want to get your laser hair removal treatments. We’re willing to bet you’ll be glad you did;)
Don’t forget to check out our virtual consultation tool as well!
