Laser hair removal is a one of the more popular minimally-invasion cosmetic procedures; in 2006 there were about 887,000 laser hair removal procedures, placing laser hair removal third behind chemical peels and Botox® in terms of numbers of procedures performed.
Laser hair removal works by using a laser to locate the hair, then “stun” it. The hair then falls out. The laser, delivered in bursts over a small area of skin, detects the pigment in the hair against the background skin color; the contrast of dark hair on light skin gives the best contrast, and usually better results than other combinations of hair and skin color. Darker skin, for example, may require use of a lower powered laser (and hence more treatments).
One laser pulse can cover more than one hair, providing a quicker treatment when compared to techniques such as electrolysis. About one-third of the hairs do not grow back after a treatment. Complete hair removal will most likely involve multiple treatments.
Questions about whether the technique is a medical procedure, and who should be able to perform the procedure, have been raised. The Texas Medical Board attempted to formulate a rule designed to answer those questions; this rule was challenged by lawsuits, and then those lawsuits were abated when legislation on the subject was introduced into the Texas legislature.
Currently the situation is at a stalemate. The Legislature has not enacted legislation on laser hair removal, the lawsuits remain undecided, and the Texas Medical Board has recently decided to repeal the rule. The uncertainty leaves physicians, non-physician providers of the service, and potential clients without clear guidance regarding whether laser hair removal is a medical procedure, and what qualifications may be demanded of those performing the procedure.
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Laser hair removal works by using a laser to locate the hair, then “stun” it. The hair then falls out. The laser, delivered in bursts over a small area of skin, detects the pigment in the hair against the background skin color; the contrast of dark hair on light skin gives the best contrast, and usually better results than other combinations of hair and skin color. Darker skin, for example, may require use of a lower powered laser (and hence more treatments).
One laser pulse can cover more than one hair, providing a quicker treatment when compared to techniques such as electrolysis. About one-third of the hairs do not grow back after a treatment. Complete hair removal will most likely involve multiple treatments.
Questions about whether the technique is a medical procedure, and who should be able to perform the procedure, have been raised. The Texas Medical Board attempted to formulate a rule designed to answer those questions; this rule was challenged by lawsuits, and then those lawsuits were abated when legislation on the subject was introduced into the Texas legislature.
Currently the situation is at a stalemate. The Legislature has not enacted legislation on laser hair removal, the lawsuits remain undecided, and the Texas Medical Board has recently decided to repeal the rule. The uncertainty leaves physicians, non-physician providers of the service, and potential clients without clear guidance regarding whether laser hair removal is a medical procedure, and what qualifications may be demanded of those performing the procedure.
Download: PDF Ebook
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