Category Archives: Laser Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal For Men

Dr. Bonnie Marting

Many men are afraid to take off their shirts in public-and it’s not because they haven’t been working out, or worry about their beer gut. They may be exceptionally built, good-looking, and even downright sexy…so what gives?

Quite simply- it’s just too hairy an experience!

Hair or lack thereof, is an extremely personal decision. But if you look in all the Cosmo’s and Glamour magazines, you don’t see a sexy model saddled up to a man with a mountain of hair on their backs. (Unless it’s cascading down from their scalp like the Green Bay Packers’ Clay Matthews).

Men understand this. They even know that many women equate hair with virility, high testosterone and other things. Magnum made a hairy chest popular back in the 80′s, while David Hasselhoff and Chris Daughtry still look great showing those hairy pecs. But that’s where it usually ends- once the hair travels past the sides and up and back again, women start to look away. Women appreciate a well-groomed, “smooth” surface when cuddling. Yes we may want to feel like we’re taming a monster, but we don’t want to actually feel like we’re with one.

So, what is a guy to do? Genetics is why he’s hairy. He really has no control over it- until now! So men, take heart- laser hair removal could be just the answer you’ve been looking for.

It doesn’t matter why you want the hair gone- maybe your girlfriend is tired of brushing it, or maybe you’re an athlete and prefer the reduced resistance of smooth skin. The point is you can do something to greatly reduce and possibly remove almost all that back hair!

I get asked if it hurts. Probably not as much as your pride when someone asks if they can braid your back. But seriously, there is some discomfort associated with laser hair reduction.
Hair removal is very popular now and if you do the research and ask the right questions before scheduling your appointment, you’ll be sure to find the best and least painful option for you. It even matters what type of skin tone you have. If you have light colored skin, the Alexandrite laser is the best option. But if you have darker skin but lighter hair, the Nd:YAG laser is best.
Though both can be uncomfortable and require several visits, each time gets easier as there is less and less hair to remove. When asking about their lasers, ask if it’s fast or slow. A full back treatment can take at least a half an hour with a fast laser, so you want one that will get you in and out in the fewest minutes. Ask questions about who will perform the treatment. Are they experienced, how do they guard against burning? Do they use numbing agents? Some states can pull a person off the street to operate the lasers and no training is required- make sure you are going to someone qualified to do it correctly.

Many spas, hair removal sites, dermatologists and plastic surgeons are now offering laser hair removal. Many are offering deals in this economy to help offset the cost of those expensive lasers. Still, don’t be surprised if more than a few thousand dollars is shelled out over the series of treatments- especially if you’re really, really hair back there. (Pun intended) But the question you have to ask yourself is- “How great would it be to not have back hair any longer? Would I feel sexier? Would I be less self-conscious? Would I like the way I look if it were gone? If you answer yes to any of those questions, you may be buying yourself more than just a hairless back- you may be buying yourself some confidence and higher self-esteem. And that is something you can’t put a price on.

Facial Hair Is Not Pretty!

Dr. Bonnie Marting

There have been some pretty painful attempts to permanently remove facial hair. It’s recorded that in Egyptian civilization it was an ancient art to remove facial hair. That must be why all those men in the Cleopatra movies all have the same smooth cheeks and thick goatee on their bottom chin. I guess that was “stylish” back then. And while goatees may look good on some men, they never look good on women.

When women are approaching menopause, there is a significant drop in estrogen levels. This causes an increase in the DHT of the hair follicles. This increase is what creates the beard-like strands of hair that start protruding from the chin, jaw-line, cheeks and even the forehead of some women.
What procedures have been used in the past to remove unwanted hair? Typically the timeline goes something like this – Plucking, Waxing, Depilatories, Shaving, Electrolysis, IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and finally we’ve evolved to the Laser.

There have been many gimmicks and gadgets over the years which have tried to combine some of the more primitive steps. One example is Nair®. This was quite effective, unless you were one of the millions that got incredible skin irritations from the formula. Another gadget seen on thousands of infomercials was the Epilady®. You could almost hear the screams in the night as these women endured the torture of having their hair follicles ripped out by the evil Epilady® spring!

We’ve come a long way since springs and razors ladies! IPL was one of the first light technologies for unwanted hair. The downside to them though is that the frequencies are so broad that it makes it hard to have predictable success. That’s why I’m so happy that Alexandrite Lasers are now available. These lasers have dramatically improved the IPL’s capability and are now the “Gold Standard” of hair removal.

In layman’s terms- the Alexandrite Laser is the actual name of the synthetic gem being used inside a laser. This gem focuses the lasers frequency at a 755 nanometer wave length. For fear of getting too technical, let me just say that this is the best frequency to achieve hair reduction. Alexandrite Lasers are attracted to the pigment in your skin and the best combination for success is if you have lighter skin with darker hair.

Don’t despair if you have light colored hair on your upper lip or other facial areas. There is always another solution. A YAG laser operates on a different frequency and usually reduces the hair growth by more than 50%. This is because, unlike the Alexandrite Laser, the YAG laser is basically color blind. If you are one of the few who have darker skin but lighter hair, a YAG is going to work better than the Alexandrite. Prescriptions are also an alternative. Vaniqua® is a medication you can get from a doctor that inhibits hair growth.

Lastly, (I’d say as a last resort) electrolysis could be tried. It will reduce the amount of unwanted hair over time, but be ready for a slow, painful set of treatments.

Hopefully you’ve educated yourself a bit more about the various techniques to rid your body of unwanted hair. Please realize that lasers are very expensive to buy and maintain. So if the doctor still has old technology, or still has only IPL machines, you may need to look for an office with the latest technology. It is available and effective! Ask before you make that first appointment and you could save yourself a lot of valuable time (and Pain) in the long run.

Is There A Difference In Hair Removal Lasers?

Dr. Bonnie Marting

Effective Hair Removal using Laser technology depends on two major factors. The type of laser used;and the person administering the treatment. A good practitioner will study your skin and hair for things like texture, skin color,and hair growth cycles, then determine the correct laser to use to get the best results. Don’t let the practitioner use a laser on your skin before you find out exactly which one they have.
In this video I talk about the differences and how to tell which one is right for you. Our economy has forced some cosmetic medical practices to postpone purchasing new technology. They are still using the laser they bought a few years ago. That means your hair removal may be more painful, less effective, and take longer than it should because they don’t have the latest technology. In this video, I hope to simplify all this, and build your knowledge base BEFORE you make a Laser Hair Removal decision.

Will My Hair Be Gone With One Removal Treatment?

Dr. Bonnie Marting

Patients frequently think they can come into the office, get a laser hair treatment and walk out with skin as smooth as a baby’s bottom. I wish that were true every time. In reality though, while some patients can see enormous results from the very first treatment, most take several treatments. I always make sure they understand why follow up visits are a necessity for total removal. Though there are many factors to consider,the most important factor is understanding how your hair grows in phases.
In this short video, I will explain the three growing phases of hair. I want you to be more knowledgeable about what to expect before you set up your laser hair removal treatments with the wrong expectations.

Does Hair Removal Really Work?

Yes, hair removal works. But hair removal can be a real blessing or a painful curse. The color of your hair, the complexion (dark or light) of your skin, and naturally it’s sensitivity can all make a big difference on the effectiveness of the treatment. In addition to that, there are different lasers designed for different skin and hair combinations. The good news is, if all the factors are considered correctly and you use a capable skilled practitioner, you could be looking at a less-hairier you in the mirror very soon.

Can I Go In The Sun After Hair Removal?

Without giving away the “secret” ahead of time, don’t schedule any beach get-a-ways the day after your treatment! Protection from the sun’s rays is really important in the days after a hair removal treatment. Click below to see why sun protection is not just needed, but mandatory right after Laser Hair removal.

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