Page 129 - Chapter 3 - An Introduction to Laser/IPL Hair Removal

Chapter 3 – Fundamentals of Laser/IPL Hair Removal 1st Edition
typically 1 pulse each, at a fluences starting at the thresholds for the particular areas, initially. We recommend using pulsewidths in the range 5 to 50ms – as pointed out previously, the pulsewidth becomes less important as the fluence increases.
Always start at the threshold fluences and increase gradually, in steps of 0.5 J/cm2. These should also only be used with truly ice-cold gel of a minimum 2 mm in thickness. (In such cases the gel should feel slightly solid due to ice particles).
The client should be asked to return after 1 to 2 days for evaluation and the first full treatment. The purpose of the test patching is two-fold. Firstly, it allows you to assess whether the client’s skin is amenable to this type of therapy. Clients suffering from photo-sensitivity will undoubtedly have an adverse reaction such as blistering or mild burning sensations. Be sure to check with them before doing any tests.
The second function of the test patch is to find the most appropriate fluence for the hair(s) being tested. If it eases out soon after the test patch, then you will have the correct fluence. If none of the hairs ease out then you will probably need to increase the fluence, as suggested above.
Experience has shown that it may be necessary to test patch different areas of the body according to the requirements of the client. It has been found that some areas of the body may react very well to the treatment while other will not, in the same client. This is principally due to the different depths of follicles across the body. Hence, it is a good idea to test all areas where the client wishes hair to be removed.
In addition, the client’s/patient’s skin colour will naturally vary across their body. Typically, the skin colour in the underarms region tend to be darker than in many other areas. As a consequence, more cooling must be applied there, but the correct threshold fluence MUST be applied to achieve good results.
Do not treat or test any client who has waxed the required area within the previous eight weeks. You will need to allow the follicles to settle and new anagen hairs to grow before starting this type of treatment.
Likewise, clients should be advised not to indulge in waxing, threading or electrolysis during the laser/IPL treatment period. Such actions will undoubtedly compromise the efficiency of the treatment.
Pain control using RF energy
There is some anecdotal evidence that RF may help reduce the pain sensations felt by patients/clients. Based on a research publication applying some RF electrical current to the skin surface whilst firing the light energy appears to alleviate some of the pain sensation. This may be due to ‘pain gate theory’ which suggests that certain pain signals have a higher ‘priority’ in the brain.
We feel that more research should be carried out to investigate this idea further.
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