Unwanted Hair Removal

Excess and unwanted hair growth is a problem that many women face worldwide. This condition is clinically diagnosed as either hirsutism or hypertrichosis and their associated underlying ailments. These two disorders of hair production cause significant social and psychological trauma among patients. Most women hence take recourse to therapy.

Treatment must be a combination of medical and non-medical procedures

While medical treatment (like with oral contraceptives, antiandrogens etc.) decreases or at least slows down the excess hair growth, it cannot get rid of the existing unwanted hair. Hence, mechanical hair removal techniques must be undertaken simultaneously for effective treatment.

Mechanical processes include tweezing, waxing, shaving, epilation, intense pulsed light (IPL), depilatories, electrolysis, topical creams and laser treatment. Laser therapy has become highly popular in the last few years for its advanced, relatively safe, comparatively lasting and speedy outcome.

The laser procedure

Hair removal by lasers began in 1995. Laser treatment employs a method called selective photothermolysis in order to destroy the hair follicle selectively. The laser is passed through the skin and specifically targets a chromophore called melanin, a natural pigment present in the hair follicle. Melanin absorbs the laser light at a specific wavelength and converts the laser into heat energy for destroying the hair tissue. Since melanin is located in the hair follicle but not the adjoining dermis, targeting it ensures selective damage of the follicle without harming neighboring tissues. However, melanin is present in the epidermis. Hence, laser methods must ensure that the skin is cooled off to prevent thermal damage of the epidermis.