Page 148 - Chapter 3 - An Introduction to Laser/IPL Hair Removal

Chapter 3 – Fundamentals of Laser/IPL Hair Removal 1st Edition
When cooling the skin you must cool before, during and after the application of the energy. Remember, we are deliberately trying to “burn” the skin – but using a controlled burn designed to selectively damage just the hair follicles, not the surrounding skin.
As we heat the skin with the light energy, we must also remove excess heat form the skin using cooling. Skin surface contact cooling is the most efficient way to do this – using ice packs or similar. Applying an ice pack on a treatment area for up to ten minutes after a session is a good way to remove heat energy and minimise any potential skin damage in future.
Contraindications
There are a range of contra-indications which must be carefully considered before starting any laser/IPL treatment. These include medications, other treatments (such as cancer therapy), state of health, state of the skin, porphyria (light sensitivity), a tanned skin and any skin condition which has changed the natural physiology and/or structure of the skin.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list by any means. Please investigate this further by checking online reference sources.
Timings
As discussed in Section 3.1 the intervals between repeat sessions are important in determining the final number of sessions required.
The longer the interval,
the fewer treatments overall are needed!!
The choice of timings is up to you! It depends more on how you wish to run your business than the science/biology.
Post-treatment
Immediately after laser/IPL treatments the skin needs to be properly protected from the environment. This includes the application of a cool, soothing cream to aid in cooling it,
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