• What is Unwanted Hair?
• What are the Typical Treatments Available?
• Harnessing the Power of Light to Treat Unwanted Hair
• What is the Approach at The Vein Institute  of Toronto?
• Hair Removal FAQs
• Studies on Light Sheer Laser Hair Removal
• Photo Gallery

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Unwanted hair is a problem shared by both men and women. In many cases the condition runs in families. Race can also be a factor — whites are more prone to having excess facial hair than are Asians and blacks. Some people experience unwanted or excess hair from the time they reach puberty; others find it to be a condition that gets worse with age. Some women experience additional hair growth during pregnancy or menopause. Women who experience sudden hair growth should consult with their physicians, as this may be a sign of other medical conditions.

Hair does not come in any one size or type. Follicles in different parts of the body produce differing types of hair. Hair can grow in thick, bushy patches or in long thin strands. In addition, hair is produced in follicles that can be found at different depths and densities — as close to the skin's surface as a millimeter or as deep as five millimeters or more. Until recently, this great variety in hair types and body locations made long-lasting hair removal a significant challenge.

Tweezing and Shaving: The most basic approach to removing unwanted hair has been the trusty tweezers — their use goes back to ancient Rome. The drawbacks of this approach are pretty obvious; in addition to being painful and time-consuming, plucking is only a short-term solution as the hair invariably grows back. Shaving unwanted hair is another quick, yet ultimately ineffective way to permanently rid oneself of excess hair.

Creams: Millions of dollars have been spent on messy chemical depilatory creams, which can cause redness and irritation, while having no permanent effect on unwanted hair. Consumers have found newer, "organic" hair removal creams to be less offensive to the skin, but they have not proved any more effective at getting rid of hair. Prescription creams often provide good results, but they must be used at least twice per day, and never provide a permanent solution.

Waxing: Waxing is quite popular, especially among women. This method only provides hair-free results for two to four weeks. Many people find the process painful, and waxing can cause skin irritation and ingrown hairs.

Electrolysis: Electrolysis is generally an effective means of hair removal, but this technique can be painful, time-consuming and expensive. During electrolysis, an electric current passes through a needle to destroy each individual hair root. It typically takes months and numerous visits to clear even small areas, such as the upper lip.

Innovative, light-based devices have revolutionized the treatment of unwanted hair, offering gentle, effective and convenient solutions for both men and women. The LightSheer Diode Laser System uses targeted flashes of light to block the regrowth potential of the hair follicle. These treatments do not damage surrounding tissue and each device targets numerous hair follicles simultaneously, allowing for the treatment of large areas quickly and effectively.

A laser produces a beam of highly concentrated light. The light emitted by the LightSheer diode laser is well absorbed by the pigment located in hair follicles. During the procedure, the laser pulses for a fraction of a second, long enough to heat up the hair and significantly impede the follicle’s ability to re-grow. The process also treats numberous hair follicles simultaneously. Therefore, LightSheer is appropriate for treating even the largest areas of the body both quickly and effectively.

An important part of the procedure is the cooling of the skin. A special contact-cooling handpiece allows your physician to treat even the most sensitive skin. It protects and cools the upper layer of the skin before, during and after each laser pulse while directing the laser energy to the hair root.

What Can You Expect?

The length of a laser treatment may last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more, depending on the size of the area being treated. It is important to know that the hairs in an active growth phase (referred to as anagen) are most affected by the laser. As all hairs are not in this phase at the same time, more than one treatment will be necessary to achieve the best result.

The laser treatment itself may cause some discomfort. Most patients tolerate the procedure well, but because some areas of the body are more sensitive than others, topical anesthesia can be an option.

The appearance of the treated area immediately following treatment will vary from patient to patient depending on the extent of the procedure and skin type. Side effects, if any, are minor. They include redness and swelling around the hair follicle, which are, in fact, desired clinical results and indicate that the follicle has responded to the treatment. Most people return to normal activity right away. We will be happy to tell you more about your treatment, possible side effects and what results you can expect during your consultation.

In response to the ever-increasing demand to remove unwanted hair on virtually any body area, the ability to offer superior results to the widest variety of patients is critical. At The Vein Institute of Toronto we utilize a LightSheer Diode Laser System which offers high powers and both short and very long (400 ms) pulses to safely and effectively treat all skin types including tanned skin and the broadest range of hair colors, diameters and depths.

• The "Gold Standard" for hair removal with an unsurpassed library of clinically documented success
• Treats all skin types including tanned skin, most hair colors, depths and diameters
• Patented ChillTip provides continuous contact cooling of the epidermis for maximal patient safety and comfort
• Fast coverage rate with a large  12x12 mm square spot and up to 2 Hz repetition rate

Each patient undergoes a free personal consultation with Dr. Sanjoy Kundu the Medical Director of The Vein Institute of Toronto. Our Medical Director will do a comprehensive history and physical examination focused on the possible causes of unwanted hair along with a detailed skin history to determine a treatment plan.

Once the personal consultation is completed, Dr. Kundu will outline a personalized treatment plan tailored to your individual needs and goals. This treatment plan will be given to you for your future reference and will be kept on your chart to ensure your goals and needs are fulfilled.

At The Vein Institute of Toronto we strive to offer you the best experience possible and ensure your individual needs are met or exceeded. The quality of your assessment and care are very important to us. We appreciate that every patient is a individual and has unique needs and goals. Therefore every patient must have a personalized treatment plan optimized to the patient’s schedule, lifestyle and needs. We believe in meticulous attention to detail, sterility and hygiene to ensure patient safety and quality of care.

For laser hair removal we utilize a Lightsheer XC 800 nm diode laser with a 12 mm focal spot and repetition rate of up to 2 Hz with a peak power of up to 2900 watts. We have the largest focal spot of the Lightsheer laser line. Our laser parameters allow us to minimize patient treatment times.The Lightsheer laser is recognized as the gold standard in permanent hair reduction with proven results. We can safely and effectively treat unwanted hair on all skin types (I-VI), including tanned skin. The unique output control enables treatment of nearly any hair diameter or colour.

The system emits near-infrared laser light that is absorbed by the pigment located in the hair follicle. The laser is pulsed, or turned on, for only a fraction of a second. The duration of each pulse is just long enough to damage the follicle, while the system's unique, patented contact-cooling handpiece, the ChillTip, helps protect the skin by conductive cooling during the laser energy delivery.

The LightSheer Diode Laser System was designed from the ground up for laser hair removal, so it has the wavelength, fluence, pulse width, and active epidermal cooling system—the ChillTip ideally suited for laser hair removal.

The LightSheer Diode Laser System's design provides for enhanced comfort during treatment, minimal risk of infection, speed and accuracy. Since the system uses a unique cooling handpiece, it minimizes skin irritation that other methods may create. Since it is non-invasive (no needles to penetrate the skin), the risk of introducing bacteria into the skin is reduced. Because the system is fast, it allows for larger areas to be treated, considerably increasing the efficiency of the hair removal process. Finally, the LightSheer Diode Laser is a precise instrument that can be adjusted to damage only the hair follicle while minimally affecting the surrounding skin.

The LightSheer diode laser system safely and effectively treats all skin types (Fitzpatrick Skin Types I-VI) as well as tanned skin. For darker skin types and people with tans, appropriate fluences are generally lower and appropriate pulse widths are generally longer to prevent damage to the epidermis. Using the appropriate treatment parameters, however, people with all skin types can benefit from laser hair removal with the LightSheer.

The LightSheer laser has been cleared by the FDA for hair removal and permanent hair reduction on all skin types and tanned skin.  To achieve a satisfactory level of clearance, 3-5  treatments are typically required.

Traditional hair removal techniques, such as shaving, tweezing, and waxing, provide only temporary relief. Until the introduction of the laser systems , the only permanent hair removal method available has been electrolysis; where each hair is treated individually. In contrast, the laser hair removal systems can now safely remove unwanted body and facial hair on both large and small areas of the body.

We are using the most advanced laser hair removal system to safely and rapidly remove unwanted hair, with a excellent level of effectiveness and convenience. Our Lightsheer XC laser selectively targets the hair and follicles without damaging the surrounding skin.

The process is as follows. The area is shaved before the treatment. This allows the energy to target the area at the base of the hair follicle. A coat of clear cold soothing gel is applied onto the skin, and then pulses are quickly and evenly applied with a small handheld device. We also utilize a Zimmer Air Cooler during laser hair removal to increase patient comfort and satisfaction. Within 2 to 3 weeks, a percentage of the hair remaining under the skin in the treated area is expelled.

The Lightsheer XC diode laser has been used on tens of thousands of people with excellent results. With our laser system, most patients experience no more than a slight stinging sensation. We attempt to minimize this with the Chill Tip cooling system at the tip of handpiece. We also use a Zimmer Air Cooler to increase patient comfort. Sensitivity can also be reduce by applying EMLA cream prior to a treatment. Some parts of the body are more sensitive than others, and sometimes redness or slight swelling may occur. In such instances, a cool compress is applied to soothe the skin, which causes any redness to dissipate almost immediately. Most normal daily activities can be resumed directly after treatment.

The number of treatments depends on the individual and the area being treated. Hair growth follows a cycle, moving from an active (anagen), visible stage to an inactive (telogen), dormant period. The LightSheer laser works by disabling only hair in the active growth stage at the time of treatment. Since not all hairs will be at this stage during treatment, additional treatments will be required.

Any man or women, with any skin type, who suffers from unwanted hair is an excellent candidate. If you are on special medication or suffer from a known disorder, please advise our Medical director  at the time or your consultation. To individualize your treatment plan and to ensure we meet your goals, we will take a complete medical history including skin type.

Our LightSheer laser can remove hair from almost any part of the body including the face, chest, back, buttocks, underarms, arms and legs; as well as sensitive areas like the chin, upper lip, cheeks, ears, nose, breast and bikini line.

After treatment, you can return to most of your normal daily activities. Although treated areas should be handled with care for a short while while you may clean the area using mild soap and tepid water. Avoid using Retin-A, alphahydroxyacids, glycolic acids, and astringents. Shaving is permitted, but you should refrain from waxing, plucking, bleaching or electrolytes between treatments.

Since hair removal is considered a cosmetic procedure, most insurance companies do not offer reimbursement for it. However, some companies do provide an allowance for self improvement care, for which receipts can be provided. You may wish to consult with your insurance provider for more specific information.

Please contact our office for a personal consultation with our Medical director. During the consultation, we will take a comprehensive history and perform a focused physical examination. We will develop a treatment plan based on your goals and medical history. We will answer your questions and discuss your personalized treatment plan. There is no charge for this consultation.

1. Wendy Lou; Adelle Quintana; Roy Geronemus; Melanie Goldman. Prospective Study of Hair Reduction by Diode Laser (800 nm) with Long-Term Follow-Up. Derm Surg. 2000; 26:428-432.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and long-term efficacy of the 800 nm, pulsed diode laser at reducing hair count.

Methods: Fifty volunteers, primarily Fitzpatrick skin types II and III, with dark brown or black hair, were treated with a diode laser (800 nm, 10-40 J/cm2, 5-30 msec, 9 mm x 9 mm, 5oC chilled hand piece). Each subject had eight treatment sites at varying fluences and pulse durations, as well as a varying number of treatments and pulses. Hair counts were obtained at each site at baseline, 1, 3, 6, 9, and an average of 20 months after treatment.

Results: After one treatment, hair regrowths ranged from 22 to 31% at the 1-month follow-up visit, then remained stable between 65 and 75% from the 3-month to the averaged 20-month follow-up. After two treatments there were relatively longer growth delays, with hair regrowths plateauing beginning at 6 months after treatment and ranging from 47 to 66% for the remainder of the follow-up evaluations. Side effects were limited to pigmentary changes, transient in subjects with skin types II and III.

Conclusions: This 800 nm diode laser with a chilled sapphire tip and variable pulse duration is safe and effective for long-term hair reduction in individuals with skin types II and III.