The new LightSheer Diode Laser is now available at Tayside NHS specially designed to remove unwanted hair. The laser produces a beam of highly concentrated light which is absorbed by the pigment located in hair follicles. The laser pulses for a fraction of a second, just long enough to destroy hair cells, disabling numerous hair follicles at a time to eliminate or significantly impede the hair's regrowth. The LightSheer's special contact-cooling handpiece protects and cools the upper layer of the skin before, during and after each pulse while directing the laser energy to the hair root. Dark hair colours are more successful than naturally blond or red-haired where the lack of pigment makes the technique relatively ineffective. Please note that staining a blond hair dark is useless as a method of improving the effectiveness of therapy.

Session

The length of laser session may be a few minutes to one hour or more, depending on the size of the area being treated. As the laser tends to treat hair follicles that are in an active growth phase, more than one treatment may be required to disable hair follicles that subsequently enter this growth phase. Typically about 6 treatments are required.

Side effects

Laser treatment itself may cause a slight tingling sensation. Most patients tolerate the procedure well. However as some areas of the body are more sensitive than others, topical anaesthesia may be an option for some.

The appearance of the treated area immediately after a laser session will vary from patient to patient depending on the extent of treatment and skin type. Immediate after-effects are minimal consisting of redness and swelling, which disappear in a short time. Rarely there are changes in skin pigmentation which may persist for several months. Also rare is the risk of scarring

Sometimes dark coarse hair is replaced by fine light hair which is much easier to manage. Nevertheless this technique does not guarantee permanent hair removal although present experience indicates improvement. Treatments to prevent hair regrowth may be wise in those whose excess hair has a defined endocrine cause such as polycstic ovarian syndrome.

CLINICS

Patients with excessive facial hair caused by an endocrine disorder may be referred by their general practitioner to the laser hair removal clinic at the Photobiology Unit, where they will be assessed for laser treatment. If it is desirable for the patient to be seen by a dermatologist they should be referred to the general dermatology clinic. Waiting time is very long for the NHS laser clinic.

An alternative is self-referral to the Tayside Laser Clinic. This is a charitable trust set up by the Photobiology Unit, Dermatology Department, level 8, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee DD1 9SY

Phone 01382 632267

The clinic provides a laser hair removal service on a fee-paying basis, profits from the clinic go towards research conducted in the Photobiology Unit into understanding the nature of skin disease and developing improved methods of treatment

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Ó NHS Tayside; 2006; version 1.0

Disclaimer; no liability whatsoever is accepted for information given and all such information, especially with regard to drug usage (UK version provided), must be checked with a person’s health provider.