This is not easy to determine! It depends on the type of device you are using – IPL, diode, alexandrite, Nd:YAG laser. It depends on the depth of the follicles. It depends on the hair colour. I built a computer model to try to calculate these fluences. It considers all of the above, but today… Continue reading What are the threshold (minimum) fluences needed to ensure successful hair removal?
How Many Laser/IPL Hair Removal Sessions do I need to get a Good Result?
I’m often asked ‘how many hair removal sessions will I need using laser or IPL?’ This is not an easy question to answer because it depends on a high number of variables including your equipment, your training and, of course, your patient/client. But, I have tried to answer this question using a computer model of… Continue reading How Many Laser/IPL Hair Removal Sessions do I need to get a Good Result?
What is the ‘best’ interval between hair removal sessions (after treatment by lasers or IPLs)? Part 2.
I wrote a blog post back in September 2021 discussing my thoughts on the how to determine the optimum interval between laser/IPL hair sessions. It proved very popular amongst my readers. But, as soon as I posted it I began to doubt my own conclusions. Back then I suggested that we should wait for an… Continue reading What is the ‘best’ interval between hair removal sessions (after treatment by lasers or IPLs)? Part 2.
My history in lasers and IPLs and other stuff…
I started in medical laser clinical research in 1986 as part of my Ph.D. studies in the Bioengineering Unit, Strathclyde University and in Canniesburn Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit. After gaining my degree in Physics and Astronomy from Glasgow University in 1984, I decided not to get a ‘proper job’ for a few more years,… Continue reading My history in lasers and IPLs and other stuff…
New training web site
I’ve just launched a new training web site at DermaLaseTraining.com. It includes all the courses I can deliver plus a new shop where I will be selling some items which you may find useful. If you think I should include anything else in this new site please let me know. Likewise, if you find any… Continue reading New training web site
New Book – Medical/Aesthetic Lasers & IPLs and Skin Treatments
I have been asked many times in the last few years for a recommendation for an introductory book describing the application of lasers and IPLs in aesthetic treatments. My answer was always the same – “There isn’t one!!” So, I finally took the plunge and decided to write one, with my colleague PA Torstensson. The… Continue reading New Book – Medical/Aesthetic Lasers & IPLs and Skin Treatments
My history in lasers, IPLs and rock ‘n’ roll…
A brief history of my life in medical lasers and IPLs…
MasterClass interview – Claire Louise
During our 1st DermaLase MasterClass we interviewed Claire-Louise seeking her views on the event so far. This was recorded after the end of the first day when we discussed the basics of lasers and IPL systems, and laser/IPL removal of hair. CL had been trained by me a couple of years ago and was keen… Continue reading MasterClass interview – Claire Louise
MasterClass interview – Paul
During our 1st DermaLase MasterClass we interviewed Paul seeking his views on the event so far. This was recorded after the end of the first day when we discussed the basics of lasers and IPL systems, and laser/IPL removal of hair. Paul has been in this industry for around ten years but he seemed to… Continue reading MasterClass interview – Paul
IPL Hair Removal – How to achieve good results, from an expert – Marlon!
This is an interesting post! In it I will introduce one of my oldest customers – Marlon, from SkinteX Clinic in Glasgow. His is an unusual route into this industry. He has been an IT consultant, a driving instructor and a circus lion-tamer. About 9 years ago he decided that a life in the beauty… Continue reading IPL Hair Removal – How to achieve good results, from an expert – Marlon!
It is impossible to ‘over-cool’ the skin when treating hair with lasers or IPLs
For years I have been teaching people to pre-cool the skin surface before firing laser or IPL energy into the skin when treating hair. And I’ve always suggested pre-cooling for between 2 and 5 seconds. My thinking was that we should not “over-cool” the skin because that might lower the temperature of the hair follicle… Continue reading It is impossible to ‘over-cool’ the skin when treating hair with lasers or IPLs
Why we should NOT reduce the fluence when treating darker skins!!!
The fluence must be chosen to kill the germ cells in the target follicles. Those are the real targets – not the melanin in the hair shaft. The melanin can be viewed as a surrogate which we can heat using light energy. But, the germ cells do not have a chromophore which we can exploit… Continue reading Why we should NOT reduce the fluence when treating darker skins!!!
Where do photons go in the skin?
When photons (light) enter the skin they can undergo only two processes – absorption or scattering. Once a photon is absorbed, its energy is ‘gained’ by the absorbing site. This may be a melanosome in the epidermal basal layer (see figure 1 – ‘Epidermal absorption’). This absorption will transfer the photon’s energy into the melanin… Continue reading Where do photons go in the skin?
SHR/In-motion tehcnique – an update
I read an interesting paper on this topic, last week. It was a clinical study looking into the application of ‘super hair removal’ using a low fluence output from a diode laser. As you may already know, I’m not a big fan of this technique. I feel that it is ‘tricky’ to administer properly and… Continue reading SHR/In-motion tehcnique – an update
How can there be more fluence inside the skin than is applied at the surface???
Here’s a strange thing…. When we fire a laser or an IPL at the skin surface we usually know the fluence that is applied. So, we figure that a 10 J/cm2 will penetrate into the skin and diminish with depth. Well, bizarrely, it doesn’t!! This is entirely due to scattering. So, what is scattering? The… Continue reading How can there be more fluence inside the skin than is applied at the surface???
What is the risk of ‘burning’ the skin with a laser or IPL?
Many people are worried about ‘burning’ the skin during laser/IPL treatment of hair, tattoos, blood vessels etc. But, what is the actual risk? Well, we can work this out knowing the skin colour and the applied fluence. Now, as many of you already know, I don’t like the Fitzpatrick Scale because it does not determine… Continue reading What is the risk of ‘burning’ the skin with a laser or IPL?
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