1. Avoid any sun tanning for at least three to four weeks before treatment.
2. Do not treat area (by waxing, tweezing or having electrolysis done) for 2 - 3 weeks prior to procedure.
3. Shave area on the morning of or the night before your treatment day. For a closer shave, let hair grow 3 days before shaving. Depilatory creams can be used in place of shaving. 4. Remove make-up and wash area being treated prior to treatment.
5. Apply a topical anesthetic cream to the area that will be treated 60 minutes prior to the procedure and then wrap with Saran or other cellophane wrap.
DO NOT obstruct your breathing with the wrap and DO NOT leave the cream on for more than one hour!
Available anesthetic creams: EMLA Cream and 5% Lidocaine Ointment both of which are
prescriptions and ELAMAX which is available over the counter.
6. Take Motrin (Ibuprofen) 400mg 1 hour before procedure 7. Take Xanax .25mg 1 hour before procedure. 8. Feel free to bring your Ipod, MP3 player, etc to use during the session.
1. The area may be red for the first 48 hours. There may be swelling around the follicles, such as on the back, legs and trunk. This may last up to 7 days. Use Hydrocortisone cream followed by aloe vera lotion on affected area up to three times per day.
If you notice any skin breakdown apply bacitracin to the area three times per day. Discontinue using the Hydrocortisone cream and aloe vera lotion at this time.
2. Avoid sun exposures for the first week and apply sun block thereafter.
3. Return for follow up at one month for next session.
4. If you experience pain, extra strength Tylenol will be adequate. 5. If you get a cold sore on your lips please call our office so we can prescribe antiviral medication. 6. Please call our office if you suspect skin infection or experience any harsh, unexpected reactions.
Frequently Asked Questions How does the laser work? The laser beam is absorbed by the pigment (color) of the hair shaft and hair follicle. The energy it delivers to the follicle eliminates the follicle’s ability to grow or produce hair without damaging the surrounding skin. Is laser hair removal permanent? Yes. Laser hair removal with the LightSheer Diode Laser reduces hair regrowth by 85 - 90% on any treated facial or body area. Why is our laser preferred over other hair removal systems? There are four main advantages to the LightSheer hair removal technology: comfort, speed, versatility and accuracy.
The LightSheer sapphire crystal tip cooling hand piece naturally cools and soothes the skin throughout the procedure and does not cause the kind of skin irritation that other methods may create.
It allows for larger areas to be treated, considerably increasing the efficacy of the hair removal process.
The LightSheer is a precise instrument that can be adjusted to exact parameters allowing the treatment of the entire range of skin colors and hair types as well as sun-exposed skin.
The LightSheer Laser treats hundreds of follicles simultaneously in a gentle, non-invasive manner that will disable only the hair follicle, minimally affecting the surrounding skin.
Who is a good candidate for laser hair removal? If you are concerned about unwanted hair, you are probably a good candidate for laser hair removal. Individuals with fair skin, and dark hair are typically the best candidates, however, the LightSheer settings can be adjusted to treat any skin color. If you have white, gray or light blond hair, are pregnant, or you are taking a sun sensitive medications (like Accutane) you are not a good candidate for treatment. What parts of the body can be treated? Laser hair removal can be performed on virtually any body part, including the face, back, neck, arms, legs, bikini area, ears, chest, abdomen and underarms. The system can also be used to treat pilonidal cysts and ingrown hairs. Is it safe? Absolutely! The LightSheer Diode Laser has been clinically tested and is FDA-approved. The LightSheer was developed from years of research at the Massachusetts General Hospital's Wellman Laboratories of Photomedicine, one of the world's leading research institutions. The laser parameters were carefully designed to inhibit the regrowth of hair by studying the anatomy of the hair follicle and precisely matching the laser output to the size, depth and location of hair follicles.
Each laser pulse lasts only a fraction of a second -- just long enough to eliminate the hair follicle, but not long enough to damage the surrounding skin. The unique sapphire laser tip actively cools the skin before, during and after each laser pulse. This is an added safety measure to protect the skin. Does it hurt? Most people find the procedure painless. The LightSheer laser cool tip hand piece with anesthetic properties helps conduct heat away from the skin. The laser pulse is often described as a wave of heat with a pinprick or rubber band snapping sensation. Test areas are treated to assess a patient’s comfort level, and treatments are modified accordingly. For sensitive areas, patients may apply a topical anesthetic, EMLA Cream (or ELAMAX an OTC alternative), about one hour prior to the procedure. How much does the procedure cost? The cost varies by body area, physician and individual treatment plan. Your physician will discuss your needs with you. How long does the procedure take? That depends on the individual. An upper lip typically requires a 10-minute treatment, while a man’s back may take one hour per treatment. The complete process typically requires 5 to 6 treatments administered at four- to six-week intervals. What preparation is required? You should not wax or pluck hairs for 3 weeks prior to the procedure. Avoid tanning immediately before treatment. You need to shave or trim your hair prior to treatment. What about recovery time? Patients should need no “down time” after the procedure. Most patients experience mild redness and follicular swelling after a treatment; this normally resolves within a few hours but can last for up to 24 to 48 hours following treatment. Aloe should be applied on the treated area for added comfort. Other temporary adverse side affects like hyper pigmentation (darkening of the skin) and hypo pigmentation (lightening of the skin) is possible but less common. You can lower risks of pigmentation changes by following the pre-treatment instructions. Tanning must be avoided immediately after the treatment, and the use of sun block is strongly recommended. How do I get started? Call the office today to schedule a free, confidential consultation. This will give you a chance to thoroughly discuss your expectations, needs, questions and individual treatment plan with your personal physician.
Notes & questions for your consultation ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________
Treatment Cost & Time