Hair, Hair Everywhere!

If at-home methods haven't worked, it may be time to ask your doctor about some new and exciting treatments for hair removal

By Angela Dyer Associate Editor

Are you one of the many people with a drawer over flowing with tweezers, hair removal creams, razors, and bleaches? If so, you should be aware of new options available that would free women from hiding their "mustache" under their hand and let men comfortably take their shirts off at the beach without feeling conspicuous.

Aside from the general advances in laser hair removal, in recent months there have been even more developments - lasers to remove hair from dark skin and a prescription cream that slows facial hair growth in women - that may allow you to finally be follicle free.

Why some people suffer with this problem more than others is typically up to our genes, although pregnancy and menopause may cause unwanted hair growth specifically in women. Thyroid and ovarian dysfunction can also cause excess hair growth.

For years, temporary fixes have been available - shaving, waxing, and electrolysis to name a few - but pain is usual associated with many of these methods. Now, more people are turning to newer treatments to help them end their battle with unwanted hair.

Cream the enemy

A new prescription cream has recently been introduced that helps slow the growth of unwanted facial hair in women. The most important thing to remernber with this breakthrough is that it is not a hair remover and does not replace your current methods of removal. Instead, it complements these methods by slowing hair growth. So after you've been waxing, tweezing, or plucking, Vaniqa cream (also known as eflornithine HCI) works to reduce the amount of time you have to spend on hair removal. It can even complement laser hair removal, especially in fast growing or resistant areas, like the chin.

It can work is fast as eight weeks on some women, and works on all skin types. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, you will likely use the cream twice a day, every day. Once it has been applied, you call wear make-up or sunscreen over the cream. Also, keep in mind that it should he applied after cleansing your face and before putting on any moisturizer.

There are only a few side effects to be aware of: Some women had mild and temporary skin irritations such as redness, stinging, burning, tingling, or rash.

A look at lasers

Since this cream has been FDA approved only for facial hair on women, laser treatments might be a better option for those men and women with unwanted body hair. Plus, lasers can lie used to treat facial hair as well.

Lacers emit a powerful beam of red or infrared light which passes harmlessly through the skin, but is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle. By selectively absorbing the laser energy, the hair follicles are disabled, impairing their ability to grow hair. Since the laser works by releasing this energy into dark pigment, the ideal candidate for the procedure is someone with light skin and dark hair.

Laser hair removal offers many advantages over traditional methods. Not only is it long term, but it can be used to treat larger areas and is effective on nearly any area of the body. Most lasers offer what your doctor will call "partial permanent removal." The more treatments you have, the more hair will be destroyed. For example, after three sessions, you will likely see 50 to 80 percent of unwanted hair permanently destroyed.

A recent advantage of laser hair removal is its ability to treat patients with darker skin. Because not everyone. is an "ideal" light-skinned, dark-haired individual, don't panic if you don't fit this profile - new lasers have been created that can effectively and safely treat hair on olive or darker skin tones. There are just some extra things to be aware of. Dark-skinned patients need to discuss their added risks - typically a higher chance of temporary skin pigment change - with their physician before any treatment plan is put into place. A test session can be performed to see how the skin reacts.

During laser treatment, regardless or whether it's on dark or light skin, the sensation experienced is similar to a series of rubber band snaps to the skin. No anesthetic is required, but a topical numbing cream can be used for your comfort.

The amount of time it takes for the treatment depends on the size of the area. For example, the lip usually lakes less than five minutes, and other areas - such as a leg or back - will take significantly longer. Several treatments will be necessary since not all hair follicles are in the active phase of growth at the same time.

Before you go in for any treatments, your doctor may recommend that you let the hair grow out to 1 or 2 mm. It's also important to stay out of the sun and discontinue use of anything irritating to the skin, such Retin-A or alpha hydroxy acids.

After the treatment, the areas may became pink or red, and could feel much like a mild Sunburn for anywhere from a few hours to a day. You can resume any and all of your normal activities immediately. Complications are very rare, but as with any procedure it's wise to ask your doctor about the chances of scarring and permanent skin discoloration.

Cosmetic Surgery Times, Summer/Fall 2001

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