Laser Hair Removal for Teens

When a child reaches adolescence, many changes take place in their body. Hair growth is one of the most noticeable of these changes, and can often be annoying for some teenagers. Teens have a tendency to be overly sensitive about their hair growth, especially when it appears in a less desirable area of the body such as the face or arms. Girls are usually more sensitive about this than boys. What can they do about it? Laser hair removal might be an option.

How Laser Hair Removal Works for Teenagers

A teenager with unwanted hair might not want to shave just yet, or use wax and other methods because these methods can encourage more rapid hair growth in a teen whose body is not fully mature. Laser hair removal is an option to consider, but should be decided by both the parent and the teen. All laser hair removal clinics require a parent or legal guardian's consent to perform the procedure on a child under 18 years of age.

Laser hair removal works the same for teens as it does for adults. In the latest technology, a laser light called intense pulsed light (IPL) is used to destroy hair follicles where the unwanted hair appears. The procedure is safe for teens, but they should be aware of how the procedure works beforehand. Knowing what to expect will make the visit more pleasant.

Possible Side Effects for Teenagers

The side effects of laser hair removal have been lessened tremendously with the latest IPL technology. However, teens should be aware of the possibility of side effects. A reddening of the area treated can occur for several days after a laser procedure so the patient will want to plan the days after carefully. Having the procedure during a school holiday week or the summer months might be a good idea. Also, the hair will not disappear immediately. It will usually thicken first, then fall away within a week or two, so expectations of the actual visit should not be set too high. Swelling in the treated area can also occur for several hours after treatment.

Teens should also understand that several visits might be required to remove all the unwanted hair. Four visits are the average, but it might take less depending on the amount of hair that needs to be removed, and the color of the patient's hair and skin.

Drawbacks of Laser Hair Removal for Teenagers

Laser hair removal might not be the best option for some teens. One reason is the cost. Laser hair removal can be expensive for teens because it is not permanent. A teen's hair growth process is usually not mature, so more treatments might be required soon to keep the unwanted hair away. After a treatment or session, hair will usually stay gone for around six months. After this period, hair begins to grow again. A teen's hair growth is sometimes more rapid than an adult's, so the laser hair removal procedure might have to be repeated.

Another reason is laser hair removal doesn't always work with every type of hair or skin. The affects are usually best with the combined light skin and dark hair. Blond, white and gray hairs lack pigment, so the treatment is not effective or success rates can be very limited. The teen and parent(s) should consult with a laser hair removal specialist to decide if treatment is best.

Tanning and Laser Hair Removal

Another thing to consider for teens is whether or not they tan their body frequently, either in the sunlight or a tanning facility. A tanned body does not react to laser hair removal positively in many cases. The reason? Tanned skin can prevent some of the laser energy from reaching the hair follicles because the darker the skin, the more light energy it absorbs. When the skin absorbs much of the light, the hair follicles are deprived of the light, and the skin might also be burned during the procedure, causing discomfort. Before the procedure, teens should avoid tanning for as long as possible by wearing strong sunscreen while outdoors.

Fortunately, there are new methods coming on the scene to help those with tanned or dark skin as well. As technology and techniques improve, so are more positive results for people of all skin and hair types. One example is super long-pulse technology, which spreads out the light energy over a longer period of time instead of using intense, fast treatments. The skin is not affected, and more hair follicles can be reached successfully. There are many types of lasers and treatment methods on the market, so the right type of specialist and equipment should be sought out before considering treatment.

Teens can benefit from laser hair removal if they are prepared for the procedure and possible side effects. A successful procedure can help build confidence and provide a safe, simple way to get rid of unwanted hair.


by Candice Pardue.

Risks

Risks include the chance of burning the skin or discoloring dark skin with the laser, hypopigmentation (white spots), flare of acne, [7] swelling around the follicle, scab forming, and purpura.

In some countries, laser hair removal has not yet been approved for use due to uncertainty about potential side effects.


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Other uses

Hair removal lasers are effective treatment for pseudofolliculitis barbae (commonly called ingrown hairs or "shaving bumps"). For darker skin patients with black hair, the long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser with a cooling tip can be safe and effective when used by an experienced practitioner.

They have recently been reported as helpful treatment for pilonidal cysts, since they eliminate the ingrown hairs that produce the troublesome foreign body reactions in this congenital malady.

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Intervals between sessions

Usually, treatments are spaced 3–12 weeks apart to start, although the spacing depends upon individual response to treatment. Instead of following an arbitrary schedule, you should wait until you have experienced shedding of the treated hairs, which should complete within 2-3.5 weeks, and see enough hair come in after the hair-free period to have another treatment. Treatment spacing also depends on area treated as hair cycles vary based on the body part. For example, women’s faces usually require more frequent treatments, whereas backs and legs require less frequent treatments.

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Number of sessions

Multiple treatments, usually 5-7, but as many as 12, depending on the type of hair and skin color have been shown in practice to provide long-term reduction of hair. Current parameters suggest a series of treatments spaced at 4–6 weeks apart for most areas, although the timing of treatments has still not been standardized.[6]

The number of sessions depends on various parameters, including the area of the body treated, skin color, coarseness of hair, and sex. Coarse dark hair on light skin is easiest to treat. Finer hair and hair on darker skin is harder to treat and may require more treatments. Certain areas (notably men's and women's faces) may require considerably more treatments to achieve desired results. In addition, since hair grows in several phases, (anagen, telogen, catagen), and laser can only affect the currently active growing follicles, (anagen), several sessions are needed to kill hair in all phases of growth.[citations needed]

It's important to note that laser does not work on light hair and very fine and vellus hair ("peachfuzz"). Laser hair removal is NOT permanent but it is long term and can be patchy. Electrolysis is the only permanent solution for those types of hair but has shortcomings such as possible scarring, expense, and discomfort, as noted above.

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Laser parameters that affect results

Several wavelengths of laser energy have been used for hair removal, from visible light to near-infrared radiation. These lasers are usually defined by the lasing medium used to create the wavelength (measured in nanometers (nm)):

* Argon: 488 or 514.5 nm (no longer used for hair removal)
* Ruby: 694 nm (no longer used for hair removal; not safe on most skin types as it frequently produces side effects such as pigmentary changes (lightening or darkening of the skin) or worse for patients of all but white skin.[citation needed]
* Alexandrite: 755 nm (most effective, but safest on light skin)
* Pulsed diode array: 810 nm (for light to medium type skin)
* Nd:YAG: 1064 nm (for darker skin; Yag is capable of treating all six skin colors. However, there is not sufficient evidence that this laser can produce effective long-term hair removal)

Pulsewidth is an important consideration. It has been observed in some published studies that longer pulse widths may be safer for darker skin. However, shorter wavelengths may be more effective in removing hair.

Spot size, or the width of the laser beam, affects treatment. Theoretically, the width of the ideal beam is about four times as wide as the target is deep. Hair removal lasers have a round spot about the size of your finger (8-18 mm). Larger spot sizes help make treatments faster and more effective.

Fluence or energy level is another important consideration. Fluence is measured in joules per square centimeter (J/cm²). It's important to get treated at high enough settings to cause permanent damage to the hair follicles.

Repetition rate is believed to have a cumulative effect, based on the concept of thermal relaxation time. Shooting two or three pulses at the same target with a specific delay between pulses can cause a slight improvement in the heating of an area. This may increase the "kill rate" for each treatment slightly.

Epidermal cooling has been determined to allow higher fluences and reduce pain and side effects, especially in darker skin. Four types of cooling have been developed:

* Clear gel: usually chilled
* Contact cooling: through a window cooled by circulating water or internal cryogen.
* Cryogen spray: immediately before/after the laser pulse
* Air cooling: forced cold air at -34 degrees C (Zimmer Cryo 5 unit)

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Mechanism of action

The primary principle behind laser hair removal is selective photothermolysis (SPTL).[4] Lasers can cause localized damage by selectively heating dark target matter, (melanin), in the area that causes hair growth, (the follicle), while not heating the rest of the skin. Light is absorbed by dark objects, so laser energy can be absorbed by dark material in the skin (but with much more speed and intensity). This dark target matter, or chromophore, can be naturally-occurring or artificially introduced.

Hair removal lasers selectively target melanin:

* Melanin is considered the primary chromophore for all hair removal lasers currently on the market. Melanin occurs naturally in the skin (it gives skin and hair its color). There are two types of melanin in hair: eumelanin (which gives hair brown or black color) and pheomelanin (which gives hair blonde or red color). Because of the selective absorption of photons of laser light, only black or brown hair can be removed.

Both men and women seek laser hair removal services to have superfluous or unwanted hair removed. Hair removal is commonly done on lip, chin, ear lobe, shoulders, back, underarm, abdomen, buttocks, pubic area, bikini lines, thighs, face, neck, cleavage, chest, arms, legs, hands, and toes.

Laser works best with dark coarse hair. Light skin and dark hair are an ideal combination, but new lasers are now able to target dark black hair even in patients with dark skin.[citations needed]

Hair removal lasers have been in use since 1997 and the Food and Drug Administration approved it for “permanent hair reduction.” Laser hair removal has become extremely popular because of its speed and efficacy, although some of the efficacy is dependent upon the skill and experience of the laser operator, and the choice and availability of different laser technology at the clinic which is performing the procedure. Some will need touch-up treatments, especially on large areas, after the initial set of 3-8 treatments. It has also been observed that some people seem to be non-responders – this is not confirmed and reasons are not known, and may in fact be due to lack of skill on the part of many laser operators and/or the type of machine and settings they are using.[citations needed]

Electrolysis is another hair removal method that has been used for over 135 years.[5] At this time, it is the only permanent option for very fine and light-colored hair. The FDA currently allows the term "Permanent Hair Removal" for electrolysis only. Unlike laser epilation, electrolysis is effective on all hair colors.

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Laser hair removal

Epilation by laser was performed experimentally for about 20 years before it became commercially available in the mid 1990s. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) epilators, though technically not a laser, use xenon flash lamps that emit full spectrum light. Laser and light-based methods, sometimes called phototricholysis or photoepilation, are now most commonly referred to collectively as "laser hair removal". One of the first published articles describing laser hair removal was authored by the group at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1998.[1][2]

The efficacy of laser hair removal is now generally accepted in the dermatology community, and laser hair removal is widely practiced. Many reviews of laser hair removal methods, safety, and efficacy have been published in the dermatology literature. [3]

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Permanent

Permanent hair removal involves several imperfect options. A number of methods have been developed that use chemicals, energy of varying types, or a combination to target the areas that regulate hair growth. Permanently destroying these areas while sparing surrounding tissue is a difficult challenge. Methods include:

* Electrolysis (electrology)
* Laser
* Intense Pulsed Light (Flashlamp, EpiLight) The terms IPL and EpiLight are trademarks of Lumenis Ltd.

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Temporary

"Depilation", or removal of hair to the level of the skin, lasts several hours to several days and can be achieved by

* Shaving or trimming (manually or with electric shavers)
* Depilatories (creams or "shaving powders" which chemically dissolve hair)
* Friction (rough surfaces used to buff away hair)

"Epilation", or removal of the entire hair from the root, lasts several days to several weeks and may be achieved by

* Plucking (hairs are plucked, or pulled out, with tweezers or with fingers)
* Waxing (a hot or cold layer is applied and then removed with porous strips)
* Sugaring (similar to waxing, but with a sticky paste)
* Threading (also called fatlah or khite, in which a twisted thread catches hairs as it is rolled across the skin)
* Burning off with hot wax can damage the cells and prevent hair from ever growing in the unwanted spot again.[citation needed]
* Use of Turmeric along with other ingredients like besan powder and milk
* Epilators (mechanical devices that rapidly grasp hairs and pull them out)
* Prescription oral medications
* Enzymes (fx. the Epiladerm-Complex) that inhibit the development of new hair cells. Hair growth will become less and less until it finally stops; normal depilation/epilation will be performed until that time. Hair growth will return to normal if use of product discontinued. Products include the prescription drug Vaniqa (active ingredient eflornithine hydrochloride inhibiting the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase).

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As punishment

In some situations, people's hair is shaved as a punishment. Before World War II, the Nazis would cut off the beards of Jews as a prelude to other forms of abuse.

After World War II, head-shaving was a common punishment in France, The Netherlands, and Norway for women who had collaborated with the Nazis during the occupation, and, in particular, for women who had "collaborated" sexually. [7]

In the United States, during the Vietnam War, conservative students would sometimes attack student radicals or "hippies" by shaving beards or cutting long hair. One notorious incident occurred at Stanford University, when unruly fraternity members grabbed Resistance founder (and student-body president) David Harris, cut off his long hair, and shaved his beard.

In Arab countries, shaving off head-hair is sometimes used to shame and humiliate male prisoners.

During the witch-hunts the alleged witches were stripped naked and their entire body was shaved to discover the so-called witches' marks. The discovery of witches' marks was then used as evidence in trials[8].

In North American residential and industrial schools head-shaving and short haircuts were given to the Indigenous children on entry into the schools to force them to adopt the Western tradition. Head-shaving was also a form of punishment for the Indigenous students of the schools, and was particularly traumatizing as many Indigenous cultures place a social, cultural, and/or religious importance on hair.

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In military institutions

A close-cropped or completely shaven haircut is common in military organizations. In field environments, soldiers are susceptible to infestation of lice, ticks, and fleas. Also, due to hectic operations schedules, time allowed for personal hygiene and grooming is highly curtailed or even absent. In addition short hair is also more difficult for an enemy to grab hold of in hand to hand combat.

The practice serves to cultivate a group oriented environment through the process of removing exterior signs of individuality. In many militaries, head-shaving is mandatory for males upon induction training. However, even after the initial recruitment phase, when head-shaving is no longer required, many soldiers maintain a completely or partially shaven hairstyle (such as a "high and tight", "flattop" or "buzz cut") for personal convenience and an exterior symbol of military solidarity. Head-shaving is not required of females in military service, although they must have their hair cut or tied to regulation length.

Many military organizations also require males to maintain clean-shaven faces allegedly because facial hair can prevent an air-tight seal between the face and breathing or safety equipment, such as a pilot's oxygen mask, a diver's mask, or a soldier's gas mask. However, the concerns of personal hygiene may also apply as above.

Alternatively, Foreign Legion Sappers have traditionally worn beards as a sign of their rank and experience, similarly the Imperial Guard of the Grande Armee were allowed to grow beards as a sign of their prized position. European armies before (and to some extent during) the Napoleonic wars allowed soldiers to grow and lacquer pigtails, sometimes held in place by bone combs or regimental colour ribbons or bows. In the pre-Napoleonic era, the wearing of wigs, even within the ranks was commonplace, though impractical in such places as India and the Americas. Selous Scouts, once through training and induction, were expressly forbidden from cutting their hair in any way that might indicate that they were soldiers, allowing them to engage in anti-insurgency warfare amongst the rural population of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Tolerance of Sikh religious beliefs with regards to hair and beards has for some time been commonplace in most armies of former British colonies.

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For religious reasons

Head-shaving is a part of some Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Jain, Jewish and Hindu traditions. Buddhist and Christian monks generally undergo some form of head-shaving during their ordination; in Thailand monks shave their eyebrows as well. Brahmin children have their heads ritualistically shaved before beginning school.

In some parts of the Theravada Buddhist world, it is common practice to shave the heads of children. Weak or sickly children are often left with a small topknot of hair, to gauge their health and mark them for special treatment. When health improves, the lock is cut off.

In Judaism, men are prohibited to shave the beard and sideburns using a blade against the skin. However, electric razors may be used, since the cutting blade does not directly touch the skin. Women are allowed to shave their heads; in some Hasidic circles, married women traditionally shave their heads since they are prohibited to expose their hair to men other than their husbands and families.

The Bahá'í religion explicitly prohibits head-shaving. Sikhs take an even stronger stance, opposing all forms of hair removal. One of the Sikh "Five Ks" is Kesh, meaning "uncut hair". To Sikhs, the maintenance and management of long hair is a manifestation of one's piety.

Muslim law (Sharia) puts hair in three categories: that which it is recommended to remove (pubic and armpit hair), that which it is recommended to keep (the beard), and that which is the object of limited recommendation (foot, hand, back, and chest hair). Removal of armpit and pubic hair is a hygienic practice which was taught by Muhammad and which was enumerated as having been part of practices conforming to man's premortal (Fitrah) nature. On the other hand, shaving or removing part of the eyebrows is forbidden as the "modification of the creation of Allah and obedience to Satan in his work to fool men and bring them to modify the creation of Allah." Stray hairs between the eyebrows may be removed, but not the hairs of the eyebrows. A male may trim or cut hair on his head—however shaving of the head is forbidden in some branches of the religion. A male may trim hair on the chest and back but may not remove it, as this is considered to be too feminine. In contrast, women are permitted to remove hair from these areas.[5] In the 9th century, the use of chemical depilatories for women was introduced by Ziryab in Al-Andalus.[6]

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Male-to-female gender reassignment

Male-to-female transsexual women who are preparing for sex reassignment surgery usually remove their facial beard hair, typically either by electrolysis or laser, or a combination of the two procedures. While this is commonly done entirely before surgery, some patients will start the procedure before surgery, and finish a few months to several years afterwards, often due to cost.

In addition, it is recommended by some surgeons that part of the pubic hair be removed prior to surgery as well, usually by electrolysis. Since the neovagina is created using the skin of the penis and part of the scrotum, which usually has active follicles, the hair is removed from these areas prior to surgery, in order for the genitals to be fashioned without the concern of hair growth inside of the neovagina. In some cases, the surgeon scrapes the underside of the skin to remove the follicles at or near the beginning of the surgery, eliminating any need for pre-surgical hair removal.

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Social, cultural, or sexual reasons

Hair is normally removed for social and sexual reasons related to the social role of hair in human society. Many cultures have an aesthetic "ideal" amount of hair for males and females. People whose hair violates such standards may experience real or perceived problems with social acceptance.

Many men in Western cultures shave their facial hair, so only a minority of men have a beard, even though fast-growing facial hair must be shaved daily to achieve a clean-shaven or hairless look. Some men shave because they cannot grow a "full" beard (generally defined as an even density from cheeks to neck), because beard color is different from scalp hair color, or because it grows in many directions, making a groomed look difficult. Some men shave because their beards are very coarse, causing itchiness and irritation. Some men grow a beard from time to time to change their appearance.

In many cultures, particularly North American and Western European, it became increasingly common during the 20th century[2] for women to remove some or all of their body hair, due to societal values that consider it unattractive and/or not feminine (see gender role), or as a matter of practicing good hygiene. People may also remove some or all of their pubic hair for aesthetic or sexual reasons. Adult film stars are well known for this practice. Men may also practice this for sexual and aesthetic reasons, but not too commonly. In a sexual context, pubic hair removal is done to increase visual exposure of the genitalia and/or facilitate access to the genital area by removing the barrier of hair.

Some women in Western cultures choose not to remove hair from their bodies as an act of defiance against what they believe to be an oppressive ritual. Others choose not to remove hair simply because they have no desire to. Likewise, some men in Western cultures show defiance by choosing to shave body hair such as leg or underarm hair.

Some men shave their heads, either as a fashion statement, because they find a shaved head preferable to the appearance of male pattern baldness, or in order to attain enhanced cooling of the skull (particularly for people suffering from hyperhidrosis). A much smaller number of women also shave their heads as fashion or political statements.

Some women also shave their heads for cultural or social reasons. In India, tradition required widows in some sections of the society to shave their heads as part of being ostracized (see widowhood in Hinduism). The outlawed custom is still infrequently encountered mostly in rural areas, the society at large and the government are working to end the practice of ostracizing widows.[3]

In Ancient Egypt, many people depilated their entire bodies to prevent infestation by lice, fleas, and other parasites. Ancient Egyptian priests also shaved or depilated all over daily, so as to present a 'pure' body before the images of the gods.

In art paintings or carvings from ancient times, one can often see women portrayed with no pubic hair: pubic hair was linked to sexual acts and desires in the general mindset, and thus it was deemed improper and impure in a public painting. This may have influenced aesthetic views regarding the matter as well.[4]

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Medical reasons

Patients' body hair may be removed before surgery for reasons of hygiene. In the past this may have been achieved by shaving, but that is now considered counter-productive, so clippers or chemical depilatories may be used instead.[1] The shaving of hair has sometimes been used in attempts to eradicate lice or to minimize body odor due to accumulation of odor-causing micro-organisms in hair. Some people with trichiasis find it medically necessary to remove ingrown eyelashes. Incorrect shaving (shaving against the grain) can often cause ingrown hairs.

Many forms of cancer require chemotherapy, which often causes severe and irregular hair loss. For this reason, it is common for cancer patients to shave their heads even before starting chemotherapy.

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