Jun. 17, 2024
Hair removal has been a worry of women since the dawn of time. Persian and Egyptian women removed their body hair already. Although it has for long been deemed a feminine care issue, more and more men are now looking to remove their body hair. Some will try waxing for a longer reprieve although shaving remains the tool of choice. But why bother twice a week shaving or once a month shaving when you can remove your hair permanently? Through the history of laser hair removal, we will let you know how this came to be.
Please visit our website for more information on this topic.
Millions of people use laser technology for permanent hair removal solutions, and the industry only continues to grow annually. However, laser hair removal technology is relatively new, with the alexandrite laser only cleared for hair removal use by the FDA in . Attempts at laser hair removal started in the s, soon after the invention of the first laser. However, it took almost 40 more years before it became a hair removal method. It took many more years before patients started to trust the procedure and go beyond the many myths about laser hair removal that circulated around back then and still now.
In their quest to get rid of their body hair, human beings have tried several hair removal methods, some with more success than others. They indeed had time to try out a few options since hair removal is not something new and has been practiced by the earliest civilizations. As a matter of fact, while the Egyptians perfected sugaring, the Persians gave a go to threading. Women used blades of all kinds in place of razors. Some Europeans noble women even used walnut oil in their hair removal rituals.
Nowadays, a few hair removal options still remains. The most popular are: waxing, shaving and depilatory creams. While we have extensively talked about the damage chemical creams can do to your skin, we have also highlighted why women should ditch the razor altogether. Inconvenient, annoying, repetitive and quite itchy in term of regrowth. Even though of the three, waxing seems to be the most effective hair removal option, it still has its own negative side-effects and is not that convenient in the end.
If you are however looking for permanent hair removal, you need to look elsewhere. Towards laser hair removal or electrolysis that is. Electrolysis remains the only permanent hair removal method deemed as such by the FDA. Simply because it has been around for a few hundred years already. As opposed to laser hair removal which is fairly new and thus do not have that many studies to prove its permanent state. For now, it is called a long-term hair growth reduction method even if most patients experience permanent hair removal.
Now, laser hair removal is faster, less painful, less convenient and cheaper than electrolysis. Thus, it is the hair removal of choice if you want permanently hair-free legs. What do we know of the history of laser hair removal though? When was the procedure invented? How did the inventor come to use lasers precisely to remove hair? The discovery of laser hair removal is mostly due to two men from the twentieth century.
At first, laser was never intended to be used for hair removal. The concept was a research topic that Albert Einstein had theorized. Ever since , a device known as a maser (Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) was available. The laser hair removal industry and story owes much to Theodore Maiman, also known as the father of the electro-optics industry. He indeed invented the laser as we know it today. Indeed, Maiman wanted to extend the microwave capabilities of the maser to the optical range, with a device creating short wavelength light.
He invented the first laser in and published his research in Nature. However, his colleagues back then did not really grasp the potential of laser technology. Maiman found so little support for finding a real-world application of the laser that he had to start two separate laser manufacturing companies in the 60s, Korad and Maiman Associates.
His first laser was a ruby laser. It was slow and inefficient, like all first prototypes and inventions are. However, it was well on track to change laser technology forever. Somehow, researchers tried it on hair. While they found that laser can minimize hair growth, it also resulted in severe skin burns back then. Thus, it took quite some time of researching, improving the first lasers and undergoing extensive testing to finally get a laser that would be both efficient and safe.
Then, the FDA approved a new invention, the YAG laser, in . While it was effective at reducing hair growth, it did not offer permanent results. Research carried on and in the 70s, the alexandrite laser was invented. Although it was safer than all the lasers before it, it still did not create the required heat to permanently end hair growth. Electrolysis remained the only permanent hair removal but was still more expensive, more painful and longer a process than laser hair removal.
After Maiman's invention, research on laser hair removal did not progress that much. Laser technology did not improve and the devices available were ineffective of a treatment for long-term hair removal needs. At this point, many scientists and doctors had given up on the idea.
Until Dr. Richard Rox Anderson came along. Over the course of his research, he achieved over 60 national and international laser-related patents. Anderson was working at the Harvard Medical School and had recently hired a new doctor for his team, Dr. Melanie Grossman. While Anderson did not particularly make laser hair removal a focus of his research, it is Grossman that suggested they look into it. She cited previous research into lasers and ineffective results.
The duo started to tests laser on hairy dogs. Then, in , they released their first paper and laser hair removal on a human subject. Anderson was the first of their human trials, in accordance with his golden rule: &#;Do unto yourself before you do unto others.&#; His specific laser hair removal technique laid the foundation of modern laser hair removal as we know it today. A concentrated light beam is directed at the skin, which travels into the hair follicle.
As the intense light damages the hair follicle, any future hair growth stops. While the process was generally similar to previous studies decades earlier, Anderson and Grossman had perfected the duration and intensity of the laser applied on the skin. Furthermore, they had made it safer.
Because of Anderson and Grossman&#;s success with laser hair removal technology, the method was later approved by the FDA in . Anderson would continue to conceive and develop many more laser treatments, including those for tattoo removal, pigmented lesions, birthmarks, and more.
It took time before laser hair removal got to where it is now. A lot of time, research, testing and perseverance. However, it is now more sophisticated than ever. Indeed, success rates go up to 95% permanent reduction of hair growth in most patients. While the FDA still has not approved laser hair removal as a permanent hair removal per se, due to the lack of long-term research, most patients still achieve permanent hair removal.
Since the first tests were done on white subject, lasers were more suitable to white skin. Thus, for long, clinics and laser spas unadvised people of color to undergo laser hair removal. Indeed, the risks of burns and other negative side effects were higher. However, advancement in laser technology solved that problem. People of color can do laser hair removal and laser is safe on all skin types. Some lasers work better on some types of skin. For example, laser hair removal for dark skins must use a diode laser or ND:YAG laser.
With competitive price and timely delivery, bodesi' sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
ND:YAG lasers do not rely too much on melanin to get to the follicle. Which is also why they are great at treating fair hair. These days there is also less risk of damage to the skin and surrounding hair follicles (due to shorter and more controlled laser pulse rates) and faster sessions. There are also various cooling technologies paired with laser hair removal, to make the experience as comfortable as possible.
There is also growing popularity and trust in at-home laser hair removal devices. However, it should be noted that at-home devices have not been proven to offer the same levels of efficiency or long-term results that patients experience at professional clinics. They are also not as safe as in-spa treatment and are not always suitable for all skin colors since the intensity cannot be adjusted.
What has the future in store for laser hair removal? More efficiency, greater speed, and virtually no pain. Lasers haven&#;t changed much over the last two decades. Yet, there have been some small but important developments that affect the patient experience, including cooling systems, ability to help dark-skinned patients, and quicker procedures. Some laser hair removal machine indeed can combine different wavelengths, allowing to treat all skin colors and hair colors with just one machine.
As research goes on, laser hair removal could become even less uncomfortable (even though it is not painful). Sessions could be shorter and the treatment would require less sessions. The history of laser hair removal is not a complicated one. It took some time before lasers became a tool for hair removal. Then, patients needed time to accept it as a safe and reliable way or removing body hair. While laser hair removal is getting more and more popular, a lot of misconceptions still tarnish its reputation.
Hair removal has progressed substantially compared to when it first originated. Laser hair removal is one method that results in prolonged hair reduction. A laser that produces a beam of highly concentrated light waves is used to penetrate deep into your hair and skin follicles. The pigment in the skin absorbs this light and destroys the hair. This treatment is more accessible than ever, but how did it come to be?
Laser hair removal is the latest advancement of a beauty practice that has continued to evolve over the years as technology has progressed. Ancient Egyptians removed unwanted hair using early versions of beeswax and sugar-based waxes, tweezers made from seashells, and pumice stones. During the Roman empire, men and women looked to razors made from flints to help remove excess hair.
In , a French barber created the first straight razor for men. Some women used this razor too. It was in the s that a doctor invented the first hair removal cream. This century also gave birth to the first modern-day razor for men. It wasn&#;t until that Gillette® created the first razor specifically designed for women. The following decades gave birth to electric razors, wax strips, and electrolysis.
Theodor H. Maiman developed the first laser hair removal method in the s. Maiman&#;s laser hair removal method was only able to minimize hair growth while causing severe damage and burns. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new laser, the nD:YAG laser, for hair removal in . The nD:YAG laser reduced hair but still didn&#;t produce any permanent results.
The next attempt at laser hair removal came in the s when the alexandrite laser was invented. Radiation was forced through an alexandrite crystal, causing a reduction in hair growth. While this method was safer than earlier lasers, it still did not have enough heat to stop hair growth permanently.
Years later, Dr. Richard Rox Anderson worked at Harvard Medical School when his new team member, Dr. Melanie Grossman, suggested they investigate laser hair removal. The pair started testing on hairy dogs, and in , released their first paper on laser hair removal on humans. The team created a laser that used a concentrated light beam. This beam is directed at the skin and travels into the hair follicle. As the light damages the follicle, it stops any future hair growth. This process was similar to earlier studies, but Anderson and Grossman were able to perfect the laser&#;s intensity and application duration to the skin. This method would go on to be approved by the FDA in .
Laser hair removal has gained popularity, making it more affordable and accessible. The five leading technologies being used in today&#;s medical spas are:
While lasers haven&#;t evolved drastically in the last two decades, that doesn&#;t mean there have been any improvements to the process. Thanks to small but monumental developments, there have been enhancements to patient experience like cooling systems, quicker procedures, and the ability to help patients with darker skin tones. As technology advances and research continues, laser hair removal will improve, meaning shorter and fewer session treatment plans. At-home devices may continue to improve. Currently, there are several laser hair removal devices for you to use at home. However, these devices are not as safe as the ones used in medical spas.
While sessions generally last 20 to 30 minutes, you will need multiple sessions for results to become noticeable and permanent. After multiple sessions, your permanent hair loss could be around 80-95% and require only minimal shaving. Before having your first session, schedule a consultation with your doctor to ensure this hair removal option is safe, and have your medical history and current medications reviewed. While shaving is recommended the day before your treatment, all other hair removal techniques must be avoided for four weeks prior. Laser hair removal can be used to rid unwanted body hair from several areas of your body, including:
The benefits of laser hair removal go beyond saving time that would be spent on shaving and saving money to purchase shaving products, including:
Thanks to laser hair removal&#;s technology advancements, people of any skin and hair color can be treated. While most successful on coarse hair, this treatment works on a variety of hair textures. If you have questions regarding whether laser hair removal is the right choice for you, schedule a consultation with the professionals at Spa MD today.
The company is the world’s best Painless Laser Hair Removal supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
If you are interested in sending in a Guest Blogger Submission,welcome to write for us!
All Comments ( 0 )