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.

New Treatment Options: Lightsheer^TM and IPL^TM

Innovative, light-based devices have revolutionized the treatment of unwanted hair, offering gentle, effective and convenient solutions for both men and women. Both the LightSheer Diode Laser System and Intense Pulsed Light System (IPL) use 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.

What to Expect

The length of an individual treatment may last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more, depending on the size of the area being treated. The number of treatments required depends on several factors related to specific kinds of hair and skin. It is important to understand that hairs in an active growth phase (anagen) are most affected by treatments. Since all hairs are not in this phase at the same time, several treatments are necessary to achieve the best results. Practitioners design customized treatment programs, and give patients an estimate of how many sessions may be needed in order to meet expectations.

The treatment may cause some minor discomfort — patients often describe it as a slight tingling or compare it to a pinch or the sting of a snapped rubber band. Most patients tolerate the procedure well; topical anesthesia is rarely required, but may be an option when treating more sensitive areas.

The appearance of the treated area immediately following a session will vary from patient to patient, though side effects are rare. Any swelling or redness at the treatment site typically goes away within a couple hours, and most people are able to return to normal activity immediately. The best news is that many of the unwanted hairs are gone at the end of the treatment.

What People Say

Leading physicians around the world have treated hundreds of thousands of people with the LightSheer system. The results have been remarkable, and many patients are eager to share their thoughts on the subject with others. View some video clips of what a few of them have to say. (Windows Media Player Required)

How does LightSheer work?

How does LightSheer feel?

Who can have the LightSheer procedure?

What will my skin look like after a treatment?

Continue to: Before & After Photos