The Science of Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal has become one of the most popular types of treatments for the removal of unwanted hair. Both men and women have been using this type of treatment for years now. There is an especially interesting science involving the work of laser hair removal. The lasers used will specifically target certain parts of the follicle and the skin.

The first part of the science of laser hair removal involves how the laser that is used targets the hair. The laser will work to target a chromophore, which is a melanin pigment that is found in the hair follicle and in the skin. The apparatus in the hair that helps to make the hair grow is surrounded by melanin that will absorb the energy from the laser. The energy will produce heat that will help to damage the follicle and therefore prevent it from growing.

The melanin that is in the skin is one of the greater factors in the science of laser hair removal. This is needed to be used so that the growth apparatus in the hair will be destroyed. The follicle resides underneath the skin, so the laser will have to go into the skin. The laser will lose some of its energy in the melanin.

One of the main concerns about the melanin is the pigmentation of the skin. There is a greater amount of melanin in the skin when it is darker. When more energy is absorbed by the melanin it will be especially difficult for the laser to get the best results that it needs. This is also going to be the case when the hair is lighter than the skin. This is the reason as to why people with darker skin are not going to get the best results with laser hair removal.

Another part of the science of laser hair removal involves how it works to exploit the cooling abilities of the skin and the hair. The skin has a greater ratio of surface area to volume, so cooling the skin with cool air or cryogen before the laser hair removal treatment begins is especially useful. This helps to get more energy the move through the melanin.

Lasers with multiple pulses are especially important in the science of laser hair removal. Energy in this type of laser will break into a series of pulses that are separated by a few milliseconds. This is done to help get the skin to cool off. The follicle will still be hot as the next pulse is sent into the area. This is one of the best advancements in the science of laser hair removal in that it not only targets the hair but it also significantly reduces the chances of the skin being damaged.

For more information on the science of laser hair removal it is best to consult a local laser hair removal specialist for information on how the process works.