The COSMETIC CLINIC

Hair Removal

Plasmalite is the third generation of light based hair removal systems which have superceded laser hair removal treatments. Plasmalite is safer, more effective and is suitable for all skin types and hair colors. Plasmalite is suitable for both men and women.

Plasmalite uses an intense pulse of light which targets the hairs in the growing ( or anagen) phase. Approximately 20 to 30 % of the body hair is in the growing phase at any one time. The intense pulsed light is absorbed by the active hair follicle, which causes the follicle to die and its ability to grow is destroyed.

Any part of the body is suitable for treatment with Plasmalite. Most people will require between 5 and 6 treatment sessions. However, women with hormonal imbalance and men may require up to 8 treatment sessions. Most people experience minimal discomfort, feeling no more than a slight tingling sensation. A typical cooling gel is applied prior to treatment to minimise the sensation.

A trained operator will discuss the treatment with you in detail and a patch test is essential to assess the safe and effective energy level required prior to commencement of a full treatment session.

Protective glasses are also supplied for use during the treatment to protect the eyes from the intense pulsed light.

The clinics now have Elos Syneron dual technology using combined IPL/Laser and RF with a chilled handpiece to allow for more comfort during the treatment and allows more effective treatment of Asian and Black skin as RF has no relationship with melanin in the skin, which is why it can be applied to all skin types safely. Also by combining both light and RF currents, the Elos Syneron technology uses 2 different energy sources to thermally damage the follicle, even follicles growing poor target hair such as grey, white, blonde, red and difficult to treat thin hairs which have a less melanin content than coarser hair. The synergy between light and RF current results in unparalleled safety and efficacy in hair removal. RF has been used for many years safely in medicine for electrocautery and surgery.

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Before Treatment		After Treatment

Before Treatment		After Treatment

Before Treatment		After Treatment

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How does it work?

A pulse of red and infrared intense light penetrates the skin. The hair shaft and the hair follicle contain more pigment than the surrounding skin tissue. Therefore they absorb more light, causing the temperature to rise. When it reaches about 70캜 the proteins in the growing cells denatures and the hair follicle dies.

How does it feel?

The sensation is anything from painless to a tolerable sting. The sensation is generated by the very thin epidermis, i.e. the superficial layer of dead skin cells. These become warm and heat the underlying live dermis. A skin surface cooling gel is applied prior to pulsing. As the epidermis is very thin, it is easily kept cool by the topical gel, minimizing the sensation.

How many treatments are needed?

The most dramatic changes usually occur after the second treatment. Most individuals, however, need between 3 and 5 treatments. A few people may require more. A man's beard can easily take 15 sessions for complete resolution due to the extremely dense hair growth.

Why the big difference?

The number of treatments required is highly individual. It is also affected by the location of the hair. Normally about 30 percent of the hair on the body is in a growing phase. The rest is dormant and regressed and unable to absorb light. Around 60-90 percent of the growing hair can be removed at each treatment.

How fast is the treatment?

Each pulse of light covers a 10 x 20 mm area of the skin. This is a balance between demand for efficiency and practical considerations. A pulse can be fired every 3-4 seconds. A moustache thus takes less than 30 seconds to treat, while a man's back or a woman's leg may require 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Does the hair thickness matter?

Thick hair requires more light to achieve the same result as thin hair. But it also absorbs more light during the pulse. The Plasmalite 600+ has a feature called Balanced Light?which makes the same pulse cover all grades of hair.

What about skin complexion?

Black hair in white skin is the easiest to treat. But clinical results show that in non-white skin, for example people of Hispanic, Middle East or Pakistan/Indian origin, the difference in pigmentation between the hair shaft/follicle and the surrounding skin tissue is usually large enough for the treatment to be successful.

Is hair color important?

In general the darker the hair, the easier it is to obtain a good result. However it is quite common that blond hair responds very well to the treatment even when the early prognosis is less optimistic.

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