Question:
I have just had laser hair removal done in New Jersey, and it
really really worked with a low regrowth rate.
This one works, the other ones have lots of regrowth... On the
page there will be a comparision of the different laser types
and the lasting results of each. This one was the Chromos laser,
and you'll see that it really killed the hair off!
Answer:
Question: I have just had laser hair removal done in New Jersey, and it
really really worked with a low regrowth rate. Answer: Diane, you did not specify what you mean by "just had", but it
suggests to me that you are only days or a few weeks
post-treatment. If so, that is not long enough to judge the
regrowth rate.
Moreover, I know for a fact that training of U.S. operators of the
Chromos 694 did not begin until mid-July; and only the first 18
U.S. machines had been installed as of 7 August, so you are
unlikely be more than about three months post-treatment, again,
too soon to make any meaningful claims.
Question: This one works, the other ones have lots of regrowth... On the
page there will be a comparision of the different laser types
and the lasting results of each. This one was the Chromos laser,
and you'll see that it really killed the hair off!!! Answer: I strongly disagree. They ALL have lots of regrowth!
Of course manufacturers all tend to claim that their lasers work
best. However, all of the available evidence strongly suggests
that about 50 percent of the hair regrows after 3 months, and that
most of it regrows by 6 months.
In selective photothermolysis, the principle underlying
laser-tissue interaction, the key parameters are fluence (energy
area-density, in J/cm^2) and pulse-width (duration). Here are
these values for the seven FDA-cleared hair removal lasers:
(this table will be readable using a fixed-width font, such
as Courier)
Fluence Width Wavelength
J/cm^2 ms nm
------- ------- ----------
Softlight 2.5 0.00002 1064
Chromos 694 5 - 20 0.85 694
EpiTouch 25 - 40 1.2 694
LaseAway 25 - 40 1.2 694
Photogenica 25 - 40 5 - 20 755
Epilight 30 - 65 2.5 - 5 590-1200
Epilaser 10 - 75 3 694
Some manufacturers and researchers express the belief that higher
fluence produces longer-lasting hair removal, and that wider
pulse-widths maximize heating of the follicle, while minimizing
heating of surrounding tissue. If they are correct, then MEHL's
Chromos 694 would be the second-least effective laser, since it
has the second lowest maximum fluence and pulse-width of the seven
FDA-cleared hair removal lasers. And it comes in at the low end of
the four ruby lasers (those with a 694 nm wavelength).
However, this argument may be moot, since the available clinical
results on both the lowest and the higest powered lasers are not
very impressive at all. Let's take a close look.
