FAQ

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The presence of unwanted hair, whether on the upper lip, hands, feet, bikini/brazilian area, or back, legs, and arms, is a top source of cosmetic anguish in the United States. Many are tired of having to repeatedly remove unwanted hair through tedious and painful methods such as shaving, waxing, and tweezing. In response, the demand for light-based permanent hair reduction has skyrocketed.

Women and men alike. Most women seek to remove hair from their underarms, bikini lines, and legs, while men are more interested in treating hair on their backs and necks.

When hair removal lasers were initially introduced, the procedure was originally intended for patients with light skin and dark hairs. However, newer technologies, like the Epilaze Laser Hair Removal System, utilizes 3 different wavelengths (755nm, 810nm and 1064nm)  to safely and effectively treat patients of all skin types.

Certain medical conditions and medications will deem a client ineligible for treatment. Some contraindications (reasons to be denied) for treatment are as follows:

-Antibiotic use or the use of photosensitizing  or skin sensitizing drugs such as St. Johns Wort, steroids, spironolactone, etc; in the previous 2 weeks. (Must wait until medication has been discontinued for at least 14 days).

-Autoimmune disorders or the use of immunosuppressive medications. (Lupus, MS, Sjogrens, Hashimotos, Vitiligo, etc.)

-Cancer or cancer treatment in the previous year.

-Accutane use in the previous 6 months.

-Inflammatory skin disorders including eczema and psoriasis. 

-Epilepsy or seizure disorders or conditions stimulated by light.

-Diabetes.

-Tattoo in the treatment area.

-Metal implants.

-If treating the face, the use of benzoyl peroxide, retinol or retinoids, prescription acne medications, AHA/BHA products or hydroquinone in the previous 2 weeks. 

-Waxing, tweezing, threading or bleaching in the treatment area in the previous 4 weeks.

-Sun exposure on the treatment area in the previous 4 weeks or the use of self tanner in the previous 2 weeks. Laser hair removal should be started early fall or winter when sun exposure is minimal. Laser should not be started for the first time in the late spring or summer when sun exposure is at its height. Please keep this very important rule in mind when booking or purchasing laser hair removal. We do not treat laser clients in the summer. 

-Gray, white, light blonde or red hair in the treatment area. Laser only targets med brown/black hair. 

Please review these carefully. However, this is not a full list of all possible contraindications, so please call 845-803-8059 if you have any medical conditions or take any medications to ensure you are a candidate.

During treatment, a light-based system emits bright flashes of light into the skin where the unwanted hair resides. The hair follicles absorb the light energy, heat up, and become damaged. Each pulse of light energy takes a matter of seconds and treats multiple hairs at once, making this procedure very quick and easy to perform. Clients should avoid waxing, tweezing, threading, depilatories and bleaching in the treatment area for at least 4 weeks prior to their appointment.  Shaving is the only acceptable form of hair removal prior and during laser treatments. Antibiotics, steroids such as prednisolone and the use of photosensitive drugs must be avoided for 2 weeks prior to treatment!! Unprotected sun exposure for 4 weeks prior to your appointment must also be avoided and sun exposure should be avoided throughout the course of treatment. Post treatment, you must keep the treated area out of the sun for 2 weeks. If treating the face, all topical treatments including retinoids, AHA/BHA's, hydroquinone, benzoyl peroxide, etc; must be discontinued 2 weeks prior to laser. Treatments can last anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the area being treated. Please come to your appointment with the treatment area clean shaven and completely free of deodorant, oils, lotions or cream, 

SPF or make-up. Clean, bare skin is required for treatment to prevent adverse reactions. 

Because hair grows in different stages, multiple treatments are needed to target the hair follicles during their growth phase. Most patients need a minimum of 6 treatments to see permanent, long-lasting results. Touch-ups may be required over time. Patients should see results after the first treatment – their hairs will grow back finer and weaker and the skin will become smoother. Results will become more noticeable and impressive with each additional treatment until most follicles are destroyed, successfully stopping continuous hair growth. Please keep in mind that Laser is FDA approved for permanent hair reduction, not removal.  Most clients can achieve a 75-90% reduction in growth after 6-12 treatments.  Individual results will vary based on a number of factors. 

Laser hair removal works by destroying the root of the hair follicle. During treatment, flashes of light are distributed over the skin and absorbed by the melanin in the hair follicle. The energy from the laser heats up and damages the hair follicle, successfully stunting the cells that stimulate regrowth. It is important to note that hair grows in a cycle, and that hair removal is only effective during the active growth stage.

Every hair goes through three stages of growth: the anagen phase, catagen phase, and telogen phase. The anagen phase, also known as the growth stage, is the duration in which your hair actively continues to grow. The catagen phase, also known as the transitional phase, is when the hair follicle shrinks and detaches from the papilla, a structure at the base of the follicle. The telogen phase, also known as the resting phase, is when the old hair is released and falls out. When the old hair sheds, the hair follicle re-attaches to the papilla and re-enters the anagen phase, repeating the cycle.

Each hair in your body can be at a different stage in the growth cycle at any given time. Thus, to target the hair during the anagen phase, multiple laser treatments are necessary to target the numerous hair follicles during their growth stage.

Most patients require 6 to 12 treatments spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart (depending on the area) to achieve desired results. With Epilaze technology, virtually every patient no matter their skin or hair type , can receive long-lasting  hair removal results for unwanted hair. Patients with lighter hair (light brown) may require more treatments than others, but will still see effective results by the end of their treatments.

Most patients need 6 to up to 12 treatments to achieve permanent hair reduction results. Treatments are spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart to target follicles during the growth stage. Regardless of the technology being used, patients will experience results at different rates, depending on their skin type, hair color, and genetic factors. 

Hair removal pricing has become increasingly affordable. Pricing is usually determined by the size of the area being treated. Compared to the cost of a lifetime of waxing or purchasing razors, which only provide hair free results lasting a few short days to a few weeks, laser hair removal is the obvious choice for both men and women alike. It will be one of the best self care investments you will ever make. 

Laser hair removal saves patients time, pain, and money. A recent article by Harper’s Bazaar compared the cost of 3 sessions of hair removal to 35 years of continuous waxing. The results showed that laser hair removal is less than a third of the cost of waxing.

The two main technologies used for permanent hair reduction are lasers (diode) and intense pulsed light (IPL) systems. Elemental Aesthetics offers laser hair removal technology that is trusted by practitioners and patients worldwide.

Lasers produce a single, concentrated wavelength of light to specifically target melanin in the hair. Laser  hair removal technology typically uses  wavelengths around 755 nm to 1064 nm. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) produces a wide spectrum of light, around 550 nm to 1200 nm, rather than one specific wavelength. Otherwise, both treatments target hair efficiently to generate optimal results and essentially work in the same way. Hair removal patients typically need more sessions  and more frequent touch ups when receiving IPL hair removal as opposed to single wavelength lasers.