At Home or in person?
If you’re looking into getting rid of unwanted hair, there’s a good chance you’ve seen advertising for at-home hair removal devices. It is always a great idea to explore all of your options when looking to make informed decisions. In this post we’ll address some of the differences between at home laser hair removal devices and a medical grade laser that we are really familiar with (Candela GentleMax Pro Plus) for laser hair removal.
We will address efficacy, comfort, and expertise and questions you may want to find out the answer to prior to purchasing an at-home device OR going to an in person medical grade option.
Is it going to last?
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Is it going to last? 〰️
Efficacy
As one may imagine, the intensity of what can be sold for an at-home device to reduce hair is less robust than medical grade lasers. Most at home devices are IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) or diode. IPL is a broad light spectrum, which is a scattered beam of light to target the pigment of hair. Diode is a single wavelength of laser light that is able to focus a bit more specifically on one target. *NOTE: A diode is laser technology and can only target a small area at a time and does carry a higher risk of burning.
While IPL uses a range of wavelengths, it may not be as effective as a medical grade laser for: skin with more melanin, a hair similar in color to the skin, finer pigmented hairs, or hair on the face. Laser hair removal is most effective at a depth of penetration that can target and destroy the follicle and thereby stop the follicle from producing future hairs. Treatment from both from an at home IPL and diode may not penetrate to a depth sufficient to create permanent damage to follicles treated. *NOTE: People with more melanin in their skin are at a higher risk for burning from some at-home devices.
Often people see some success of reduction from the darker more coarse hairs while using the device and then after time, if the follicle is not sufficiently damaged people will begin to see more regrowth.
In contrast, the Candela GentleMax Pro Plus, which we use at Mill City Laser in Minneapolis, MN, is a powerful laser hair removal system that uses a combination of two wavelengths of light to target hair follicles to create a complete damage so that those follicles cannot produce future hairs. This system operates with either the ALEX 755 or Nd:YAG 1064 which means that it can safely and effectively be used for all skin types to create a lasting and permanent result..
How does it feel?
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How does it feel? 〰️
Comfort
A medical grade laser typically comes equipped with a cooling agent to create comfort during a laser treatment. With the Candela GentleMax Pro Plus, a small burst of cryogen is released and cools the tissue just before the laser pulses, creating a more comfortable treatment. An experienced technician using a medical grade machine at appropriate settings would be able to provide a treatment well in the range of “tolerable discomfort” / rubber band snap sensation while creating the necessary follicle response to achieve a lasting and permanent reduction.
A cooling agent during a treatment session is part of why a medical grade laser is more precise while also being more comfortable since it is able to balance heating and cooling to create both a safe and effective way to treat all skin types. While at home devices may be more comfortable for treatment as they cannot emit as much energy, there is a trade off for less efficacy and does often take at least double the amount of time than what can be done at a laser studio.
Expertise
Another benefit of going to an experienced provider for Laser Hair Removal services is the expertise they can provide. Not only can your technician get those possibly hard-to-reach areas in order to provide great coverage, but they’re able to help develop a plan for best results. Laser hair removal is most effective when treating each active wave of growth and technicians are glad to provide guidance around optimal times of treatment. At home devices have a limited range of settings, whereas a medical great machine has many customizable settings allowing for great treatment that can target multiple textures of hair, account for melanin safely, target lighter and finer hairs, and treat hairs on the face. ine can make all the difference.
Questions to ask a manufacturer of an at-home device AND/OR your in person laser studio:
Will this equipment be safe for my skin type?
Does this device work for my hair tone that I am looking to treat?
How long with this at home device last?
Can this equipment be used on my face? *NOTE: Many at home devices are not recommended for facial hair.
Do any of the medications I am taking put me at risk for a heightened reaction?
If you're interested in laser hair removal in the Minnesota area, schedule a consultation with us today to learn more about Mill City Laser’s unique time-based model, which allows each client to create their own treatment zone. No more paying for a full area that you may not need treatment, only need to treat a couple hairs in an area, great, use the rest of your time towards other hairs that you find bothersome.