By: Timothy Jones, MD

Patients who want to reduce unwanted facial hair have two popular, FDA-approved options to choose from: laser hair removal and electrolysis. While both men and women have achieved good results with both, there are several factors to consider before deciding which one is best for you.

Basics: How They Work

Laser hair removal in St. Louis, MO works by directing light energy into the pigment of the hair follicle and damaging it to stop hair production.

Electrolysis is designed to stop hair from growing by inserting a thin needle into each individual hair follicle and directly applying electrical current to the root in order to kill it.

Comparison: Laser Hair Removal vs. Electrolysis

Results

Laser: Laser hair removal in St. Louis can reduce hair production by 40%-80%. The light targets pigment in the hair follicle, so this approach is most effective for people with light skin and dark hair, although newer laser systems have adjustable settings that make them for a wider range of patients.

Electrolysis: According to some practitioners, electrolysis removes hair more permanently than laser, but results are often compromised by burning, scarring, and other less welcome results.

Procedure Length

Laser: Usually, 4-6 treatments are required, spaced at least a month apart to treat all active hair follicles. Depending on area being treated, each laser hair removal procedure in St. Louis, MO will last about 15 minutes.

Electrolysis: Because hair follicles are individually treated, a single procedure may last 30 minutes or more, and anywhere from 15-30 procedures are needed to achieve desired results.

Risks

Laser: After treatment, some swelling and irritation of treated areas is normal, although this will generally fade quickly. Although the laser energy is designed to pass through the skin without affecting it, darker skin will tend to absorb more of the heat.

Electrolysis: This method is commonly associated with burning and skin discoloration, especially if the device is older. Skilled practitioners can often avoid this, although much of this risk depends on your healing tendencies.

Note that the skill and experience of the doctor performing the procedure is just as important as the selected hair removal method.

By: Timothy Jones, MD

Varicose veins and “spider” veins can be extremely frustrating as well as uncomfortable and unhealthy. Unfortunately, many patients are not sure of how to go about researching their options before they meet with a qualified skin care specialist at a St. Louis, MO laser vein center. Here are two steps to help you get started.

Step 1: Assess Your Veins

First, you need to understand your own condition accurately. Varicose veins require a different approach from spider veins, and while your vein doctor can help you understand which is which, knowing ahead of time will help.

• Varicose veins appear when the tiny valves in the veins fail, allowing blood to flow backwards and pool in the vein. Varicose veins occur five times more commonly for women than for men and typically appear as bluish, gnarled, “puffy” veins that may also create physical discomfort.
• Spider veins, a milder form of varicose veins, typically accompany varicose veins and occur in smaller veins and capillaries. Spider veins most commonly appear on the legs, face, or chest and may give a “marbled” or “blue cheese” look to the skin.

Step 2: Understand How the Treatments Work

You are more likely to have realistic expectations for the procedure – and know whether or not it is right for you – if you understand how the treatment works. Years ago, the conventional approach was to remove these veins surgically, but this technique often caused more problems than it solved, and today’s surgeons recognize that the most effective solutions sometimes require no surgery at all. Today’s two main options are:

• Sclerotherapy: This procedure offers a relatively fast-acting answer to the problem of larger varicose veins. The surgeon injects a special solution into the vein that will scar the inside of the vein wall, effectively closing it off so that the blood is re-routed through another vessel instead of being allowed to pool. This approach is only appropriate for veins that are large enough to be injected, and may require more than one treatment for the vein to “disappear” entirely.
• Laser vein therapy: Sclerotherapy can be very effective for larger veins, but facial varicose veins are generally too small and too visible for that approach to work effectively or attractively. A fully-equipped vein center in St. Louis, MO will often offer laser vein treatments, which eliminate smaller varicose veins by selectively destroying them. Because laser is a noninvasive and very “clean” approach, this technique involves minimal risk with fast results.

The key to getting excellent results with your vein treatment is to choose a surgeon and a laser vein center in St. Louis, MO that you feel confident offers the results and quality of care that you want. Meet with a few different doctors before you settle on one that demonstrates the highest standards of care.

By: Timothy Jones, MD

Just recently, the FDA approved a few do-it-yourself laser hair removal systems. Many St. Louis-area women are attracted to the idea of getting professional results at a cheap price, but anyone interested in these products needs to understand how these systems differ from the professional version in terms of technology and results.

How Professional Laser Hair Removal Works

Professional laser hair removal treatments use a highly focused beam of laser or pulsed-light energy that penetrates skin cells, focusing on the darker root and shaft of the hair in order to destroy it at the cellular level. Early designs worked for light-skinned, dark-haired patients only, but the latest generation of technology for laser hair removal in St. Louis offers satisfying results for a wider variety of women and men.

Because hair grows in three-step cycles, the typical person will need three to five treatment sessions, spaced at two-week intervals, in order to destroy most of the hair in the treatment area.

What’s the Difference? – How “At-Home” Systems Measure Up

The most popular “at home” laser machines appear to offer the same treatment process in a simplified form, but this simply is not the case. Professional-grade laser hair removal devices require certification and training to use, and experience to operate with the kind of precision that is necessary for great results.

The at-home versions, by contrast, offer lower-strength lasers that operate less precisely than a professional-grade system would in the hands of a qualified medical professional. They will remove hair, but at a success rate reported between 50-70% (professional treatments typically remove up to 80% of hair). These numbers seem close, but it’s important to note that the at-home systems do not allow for anywhere near the same degree of flexibility offered by professional treatment systems, which can accurately target hair for a variety of patient characteristics and treatment goals.

Know the Costs

Do-it-yourself products will actually remove unwanted hair, but not consistently for everyone. Because these treatments do not offer the advanced customization options of professional systems, they may also pose extra risks for darker skin. Also, most of these at-home devices have not been FDA-approved for use on delicate but high-priority areas like the face and bikini line.

Running at about $1,000, these products seem to be cheaper than a full set of professional treatments at a dedicated St. Louis skin care and laser hair removal center. However, when you factor in the lower success rate and unexpected side effects like burning and potential scarring of the treatment areas, these products seem less worthwhile.

The Bottom Line

The laser hair removal techniques I use in St. Louis, MO yield permanent reduction and long-term hair removal in a relaxed setting with minimal discomfort. Take-home devices may be beneficial for some, but in general most women and men will find that the professional approach offers a more satisfying experience and better results.