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Why Home Hair Removal is Ineffective …and Even Dangerous!

Saving a few dollars on home hair removal tech may seem to be a great idea at first glance. However, these solutions are far less effective than clinical hair removal solutions, which can lead to you throwing away hundreds of dollars on treatments and technology that doesn’t work on your skin type. Even worse, new studies have shown that hair removal procedures should be performed in a safe environment to reduce the odds of serious health complications.

However, these solutions are far less effective than clinical hair removal solutions, which can lead to you throwing away hundreds of dollars on treatments and technology that doesn’t work on your skin type. Even worse, new studies have shown that hair removal procedures should be performed in a safe environment to reduce the odds of serious health complications.

Improper Hair Removal Can Be Dangerous

Unfortunately, home hair removal options can have unintended side effects that take years to discover. Recently, researchers have revealed that certain systems emit subtle smoke after the procedure has finished. For years, everyone involved assumed that the only issue with this was the smell of sulphur, which most people find repulsive.

However, after more patients, nurses and doctors became aware of the wisps of black smoke generated by some types of hair removal technology, including serious illness, researchers decided to look deeper into the issue. Despite initial skepticism from colleagues, Dr. Gary S. Chuang, a surgeon with Boston’s Tufts Medical Center, revealed that hundreds of different chemicals are released into the air. Potentially, hair removal might even release breathable pathogens into the air.

Among the 300 chemicals found in the black smoke, “13 of which have been shown to be harmful to humans”, including “benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and diethyl phthalate.” These types of toxic chemicals, especially after repeated exposure, can lead to various respiratory problems, even increasing the odds that certain types of cancer will manifest.

If you find yourself interested in performing this type of laser hair removal from home, you may be inadvertently exposing yourself to these types of mutagenic chemicals. When you visit a clinic for this type of procedure, they have the ability to reduce the risk by making use of a smoke evacuator, which draws most, but not all, of the offending particles out of the room. In addition to the evacuator, a laser mask is also used to help filter airborne particles. Without these types of protection, you might be inhaling particles dangerous to your health.

Experts Know How To Treat Specific Types of Skin

No single treatment works for all skin profiles. Hair removals should always be performed depending on the pigmentation, hair color and thickness. Some treatments work well on lightly pigmented skin while others are recommended for thicker hair follicles. If you decide to apply a hair removal treatment intended for a different type of skin, you may find that it doesn’t work as well as it should. Even worse, if you have sensitive skin, you may trigger a negative reaction causing you to break out in blemishes.

In addition to skin and hair types, experts in hair removal are familiar with the best time to apply hair treatment. Specifically, the part of the hair growth cycle referred to as the Anagen phase. During this time, the treatment is able to attack the papilla, which is the source of hair growth. If treatment is given during the Telogen phase, the effect of the hair removal tech will be negligible.

Experienced Doctors Increase Hair Removal Effectiveness

Considering the variety of hair, skin and treatment types, visiting a clinic familiar with all the latest methods will ensure that your hair removal process remains safe and effective.

Dr. Kenneth Dickie offers patients a personable approach to cutting-edge surgical and non-surgical procedures.  We proudly offer plastic surgery services to Barrie, Collingwood, Sudbury, Orillia, Huntsville, Bracebridge and surrounding areas.

Fill out the form on the right to schedule a personal consultation with plastic surgeon Dr. Kenneth Dickie. Or call us at the phone number posted at the top of the page.