Laser Hair Removal

For the Polinidal Cyst info, scroll down.


What is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser Hair Removal is a quick, non-invasive way to permanently reduce unwanted hair.

How does the treatment work?
The area to be treated is cleansed and shaved by the patient at home the day before procedure. This helps minimize discomfort. A topical numbing cream may be applied. The technician scans the treatment area with the laser, which emits a specific wavelength that passes harmlessly through skin and into the hair follicle. The follicle is heated and damaged, putting an end to hair growth.

How many treatments are required?
Hair growth can only be affected during the growth cycle. Several sessions are required to destroy all hair follicles.

Is Laser Hair Removal safe?
Laser Hair Removal is a common, quick and safe procedure. A variety of lasers have been FDA approved for hair reduction.

Are there any possible side effects?
You may experience stinging, mild swelling and pigmentation changes immediately after treatment. These effects are temporary, as are the rare appearance of blisters and lesions. Scarring and the activation of viral infections, such as herpes and shingles, may occur if you are already predisposed. For this reason, you must give a complete medical history before treatment.

Will there be any downtime?
No, you may return to your normal routine immediately.

What are the benefits of Laser Hair Removal over other treatments?
Laser Hair Removal is fast and has long term results. Other hair reduction methods must either be done often or hair by hair.

What can be expected post-treatment?
The area may be red and swollen immediately after treatment. You can return to your normal schedule, but keep out of the sun and use sunscreen. Over the next few weeks your hair will appear to grow as it falls out.

How soon will results appear?
Results are revealed as your hair goes through its normal cycles. By six months, you should have an idea of how much hair has been reduced.

How long does a Laser Hair Removal treatment last?
The procedure may take anywhere from minutes to hours depending on the size of the area to be treated.

What conditions respond best to this treatment?
Laser Hair Removal works best on those with darker hair than skin tone.

Who are candidates for Laser Hair Removal?
With the newest lasers, individuals of all skin and hair types can be treated.

Who should avoid Laser Hair Removal?
If you have a history of keloid formation, excessive scarring or poor healing, you may not be right for this treatment. Tattoos and permanent makeup can be altered by Laser Hair Removal. This treatment
cannot be performed in areas with open sores, lesions or infections.

How does the treatment feel?
Patients usually experience mild pain which can be followed by several hours of a sunburn-like sensation.

How long do the results last?
Results vary from person to person. Permanent reduction is common but cannot be guaranteed.

What are the alternative treatments?
Traditional methods of hair removal include shaving, plucking, waxing, depilatory creams and electrolysis.

Is additional treatment necessary?
Yes, several sessions are required to achieve a consistent hairless effect.

What are the limitations of Laser Hair Removal?
Certain lasers work on melanin, so their use is limited to people with hair darker than skin tone. In general, Laser Hair Removal cannot guarantee permanent hair removal.

Instructions prior to treatment:
Avoid Accutane® for six months before treatment, and avoid anti-inflammatory drugs and Retin-A® for three weeks before treatment. You should not tan (sunless or otherwise) or use any method of hair removal besides shaving for six weeks prior to your session.

Instructions for after treatment:
Keep the area clean and dry. For the first few days, do not scrub or irritate the skin with heavy creams, chemicals, lotions or sun exposure. Use sunscreen with SPF 45 or greater. Apply moisturizers, cold compresses or over-the-counter steroid creams at your discretion. Contact your physician if you develop blisters, scabbing or signs of infection. Your hair will still appear to grow for two or three weeks as it falls out. Additional treatments can be performed until you achieve the desired effect.   


Pilonidal Cyst

A Pilonidal (Abscess, Cyst, Sinus, Dimple) is an abscess in the natal cleft (more commonly referred to as your butt crack) that tends to become infected and cause intense pain and drainage. Sometimes a Pilonidal contains hair and sometimes they don't.

A few basic facts:

FACT: The term "Pilonidal" technically means "nest of hairs". This is not always true and there are people who have Pilonidal abscesses that have no hair in them (most frequently the case in females.) Many doctors will tell you that all Pilonidals are caused by hair, this has not been proven to be true and certainly doesn't explain how so many develop with no hair present.  A Pilonidal cyst is basically an abscess beneath the skin - a boil gone very, very bad. Pilonidal abscess are prone to excruciatingly painful infections and they can expand (tunnel) .

FACT: The term "Pilonidal Cyst" is actually incorrect.  99% of all Pilonidals are actually abscesses, not cysts.  Use of the word "cyst" has caused a great deal of misinformation about treatments among doctors and patients alike. Pathologists and surgeons on rare occasions find the sac is lined with epidermis, made up of cells from skin, but only cells from the outer layer of skin. That outer layer, which we call epidermis, contains no follicles. Pathologists find epidermis lines the sac only in rare late cases where epidermis has crept into a long-standing abscess in an attempt to heal it. They never find a sac lined with intact skin and follicles, only an occasional sac lined with epidermis.

FACT: While the terms Pilonidal Cyst and Pilonidal Sinus are frequently used interchangeably, they are not technically the same thing. A Pilonidal is an abscess; a pocket of infection below the skin. A sinus is a cavity/passageway that links the abscess with your outer skin. Not everyone who has a Pilonidal abscess has a Pilonidal Sinus; the sinus (and there can be more than one) is a small dimple-like hole, usually below the actual abscess, which allows it to drain. 

FACT: Pilonidal abscesses usually occur at the top of the "natal cleft" (aka your butt crack). Their usual position is slightly to the left side, with sinus openings traditionally right along the midline (middle) of the cleft. Many people have cysts lower in the cleft or on both sides, it depends on the individual.

FACT: The peak incidence of Pilonidal Disease is between 16 and 26 (however, older and younger happens regularly too). It affects males only slightly more than females. It is uncommon (but not unknown) in Asian and Black peoples.  We have heard from people in their 50's having their first Pilonidal episode and from parents with children as young as 12.  Our experience is that girls see signs earlier at the start of puberty (12 - 14) than boys, who we hear about more in the 16 - 22 range.

FACT: Many babies are born with a "Sacral Dimple", however, this is not the same as the Pilonidals discussed on this site.  Some Sacral Dimples will become infected and turn into Pilonidal abscesses, but most are harmless blind tunnels (which should be checked anyway for possible connections with other problems.)

FACT: Pilonidals rarely go away on their own. Most require some form of surgical intervention, although there are cases of "disappearance" after a lancing or antibiotic treatment. Pilonidals can go dormant for years at a time, lulling their owner into a false sense of escape. Some people have flare-ups every month and some people only get one every few years. 

FACT: Pilonidal abscesses are medically related to a group of diseases known as Follicular Occlusion - meaning blocked hair follicles. At one time it was believed that Pilonidals were all congenital, however, current medical philosophy is that very few of these abscesses are congenital and most are acquired.