Mentally preparing for your first laser hair removal treatment can be intimidating; worrying about how much pain the procedure will inflict and how your treated area will feel afterwards can be a challenge. And for a full treatment in your bikini area – also known as Brazilian laser hair removal – you might be extra concerned about possible pain and discomfort.
So what can you expect after your first Brazilian laser hair removal treatment? The first thing you should be happy to learn is that the patients report no extra pain or discomfort from laser treatment on the groin area.
If you have experience with laser removal elsewhere, you should already have a good idea of what to expect. Post-procedure, you will feel a slight soreness and swelling in the area similar to a post-workout.
Understanding Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is a simple procedure, but highly effective. Traditional hair removal treatments such as shaving, waxing, and threading work by removing the hair from the root. This damages the hair bulb underneath the skin, but leaves it intact to regrow hair again.
Laser hair removal works differently – instead of removing the hair, this treatment destroys the hair follicle, meaning the hair can’t simply regrow. The hair follicle must regrow before hair can return to the affected area, which can take several months.
Laser treatments attack the hair follicle by targeting pulses of laser light to the skin. The lasers are attracted to the pigmentation of the hair, and the energy from the laser is converted into heat as it travels down the hair to the individual hair follicles beneath the skin.
What Is a Brazilian Laser Hair Removal Treatment?
A Brazilian laser hair removal is similar to a Brazilian wax in results. Unlike a bikini hair removal, a Brazilin laser hair removal aims to remove nearly all the pubic hair a patient might have. This includes hair on the labia, at the sides, and along and around the bum, while leaving a small patch of hair above the vagina for aesthetic purposes.
We understand that some patients might have concerns about directing lasers on their most sensitive areas around their bikini area. However, when performed by trusted laser specialists, patients can anticipate no extra pain or discomfort during their sessions. At most, you will feel a slight pinching or stinging on the targeted areas.
Preparing for Your Treatment
Preparations are similar to preparations before any kind of laser hair removal session. Keep the following in mind before every appointment:
– Remove Hair: To ensure your treatment proceeds as smoothly as possible, you will want to remove hair in the targeted area the day before the treatment. This will help you get the most out of every pulse, as the lasers will more effectively penetrate your hair follicles. Remember: shave, don’t wax or thread, and try to avoid creating ingrown hairs while you shave your body. Avoid waxing or threading for 10-14 days.
– Shower: To minimize awkwardness, maximize hygiene. Shower immediately before your treatment so that your doctor can access your private areas with ease. Only use water and other safe products, as you will want to avoid irritating your results beyond the procedure.
– Wear Comfy: As for your clothing, stay comfy, stay loose. Loose shorts, skirts, baggy pants, dresses – nothing tight or fitting. Dark clothing can help protect your body from the sun.
– Avoid Tanning: Laser treatments work best when your skin and hair are at their most natural tone and shade, and sun exposure and tanning can alter this as well as lead to your skin being more vulnerable. Avoid stepping in tanning salons or the beach up to two weeks before your appointment.
– Don’t Drink: Consuming alcohol the night before your treatment can make the procedure slightly more painful, so for the most comfortable experience, avoid alcohol before every appointment.
During the Procedure
Most patients who experience Brazilian laser hair removal say that there is little to no extra discomfort from lasers directed on the vagina, as opposed to any other part of the body. The first few pulses can seem a bit more painful, but your pain levels should adjust before long, and the rest of your session will be smooth sailing.
By having your procedure performed by trusted laser specialists, you can be guaranteed that they will be equipped with the latest in laser technology, which should have cooling mechanisms to keep your pain as limited as possible. Your bikini area can also be dulled prior to the laser exposure with a numbing cream or gel.
So is a Brazilian laser removal procedure less or more painful than a wax? Most patients report that a wax is actually much more uncomfortable and painful than a laser session, especially without the worry of ingrown hairs. In fact, as you undergo more Brazilian laser treatments, you will feel less pain every time, as your hair will become less dark; lighter and finer with every session.
What to Expect Afterwards
Your first treatment will be the most uncomfortable, more due to the new experience of lasers on sensitive areas rather than the pain itself. For the rest of the day post-treatment, you might feel the following side effects:
– Soreness: Your groin will typically have a certain soreness all around for a few hours if not the entire day. Those who regularly work out and exercise will feel less soreness.
– Swelling: For up to three hours after the procedure, you can anticipate a swelling of the entire treated area.
– Redness: A slight redness of the region will go hand in hand with the swelling.
Reducing Discomfort
What can you do to avoid as much pain as possible? To reduce the discomfort after the procedure, read and follow the tips below:
– Cool compress against the treated area
– Avoid sun exposure (before and after every procedure)
– Do not have your procedure during your period – schedule it a week ahead or after
– Avoid waxing or plucking
– If more relief is needed, take a pain reliever such as aspirin
How Many Sessions Do You Need, and When Will You See Results?
For best results, it is recommended to continue laser treatments for 6 months, although some patients continue their treatments for up to 18 months. You may start seeing 7-10 days after your first procedure, with hairs shedding off without regrowth.
Get Your Brazilian With the Pros at Ethos Spa
The best way to ensure you have an awesome experience out of your laser hair removal is by working with trusted professionals with years of experience, and at Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser Center, you receive the best laser procedures New Jersey offers.
We have worked with countless women for Brazilian laser treatments and treatments on legs, underarms and more, and we would be more than happy to help you reach your desired hair beauty goals. Contact us to learn more about laser treatments, and start your hair removal journey today. After all, beauty shouldn’t be hard.
Do you have sensitive skin? Are you looking for a bikini wax? Do you find it hard to remove your body hair through waxing? You might be tempted to try DIY hair removal methods. With techniques that involve all-natural, painless, non-invasive methods that you can do at home without the need to spend any extra cash, it’s easy to see why plenty of people are choosing home solutions before more legitimate ones.
But do these methods actually work, or do they cause more harm than good? Most (if not all) of the unconventional DIY hair removal methods you will find actually have little to no effect on your hair, and in some cases, can actually lead to negative reactions for both your skin and hair.
Here are some of the most popular DIY hair removal methods out there, how they supposedly work hard for you, and why they are actually not worth your time.
1) Baking Soda with Coffee Grounds
The Claim: One of the most popular supposed DIY hair removal methods is baking soda; specifically, baking soda mixed with coffee grounds. Apparently, by combining baking soda with coffee grounds, you create a mixture that can prevent any future growth by breaking down the hair follicles on the skin.
After making the mixture of baking soda and coffee grounds, you are supposed to remove the hair through your preferred method – shaving, waxing, plucking, or threading – and then, immediately after, continue to rub the coffee grounds and baking soda mixture deep into the skin. This supposedly removes your hair follicles and prevents growth, leading to that perfect waxed or waxing look.
Why It Doesn’t Work: So does baking soda really remove hair? Unfortunately, this has been proven as just an old wives’ tale, and is just a recipe for a DIY hair removal disaster. While rubbing the mixture will lead to the skin looking slightly redder, it won’t do much else.
Hair follicles are too deep in the skin for the baking soda and coffee grounds to do anything effective, unlike waxing or laser treatment. It can actually also continue to make your skin worse, by leading to clogged pores and thus irritating the skin.
2) Turmeric Waxing
The Claim: There are tons of blogs out there claiming the magical removal properties of turmeric, either as turmeric paste or turmeric combined with another substance, commonly papaya paste. Turmeric paste is made of three-parts turmeric powder and one-part milk, mixed until you’re left with a thick paste.
After mixing up the paste, you are instructed to spread it over the area, allow it to dry, and then scrub it off with a washcloth, similar to waxing. By repeating this waxing process 3-4 times a week, the turmeric powder is supposed to lead to thinning growth as well as skin exfoliation.
Why It Doesn’t Work: Does turmeric waxing remove hair permanently? Not only does it not remove hair permanently; it doesn’t really lead to hair reduction at all. What many blogs miss when explaining the turmeric waxing hair solution is how exactly turmeric works to thin the growth, and the reason for this is that it doesn’t.
Follicles will remain unaffected by any turmeric or turmeric-infused paste, although your skin might experience some exfoliation from the waxing which can make you think that you have reduced growth in the area.
3) Pumice Stone Massage
The Claim: Pumice stones are another popular DIY technique that many beauty bloggers, as well as some massage parlors and spas, claim as their preferred body and facial hair treatment, but the science behind it doesn’t really line up.
Pumice stones are common products found in spas and “luxury” bathrooms, but what are they exactly and why do we see them in the spa market? Pumice stones are stones that are made out of volcanic rock, and are most often used for the removal of dead or dry skin cells, as well as callused skin on feet and hands.
The claim is that if the skin is roughly massaged with pumice stone products, the follicles are destroyed in the process, leading to the prevention of future hair growth.
Why It Doesn’t Work: So do pumice stones really work to reduce hair growth? Not at all. Relying on a pumice stones service instead of other methods such as waxing or shaving is a disaster waiting to happen. There has been no true scientific evidence verifying that pumice stone massages remove the follicles in the skin, and it’s not for the lack of trying.
You can achieve raw skin due to pumice stone massages without ever affecting the hair follicles. The problem is that people do not realize just how deep the hair follicles sit inside of the skin; no amount of rubbing on the skin can touch them.
4) Lemon and Sugar Scrub
The Claim: If you’ve ever tried to look up DIY removal techniques, then you’ve certainly stumbled on the lemon and sugar scrub method. The claim is that lemon combined with sugar (or honey if you prefer) creates the perfect wax that lifts away hair from the root.
They claim that natural waxes such as these have been used for hair removal waxing throughout history, particularly in the Middle East. Another popular similar combination is honey mixed with oats, which aims to continue to reduce hair while also increasing the hydration, smoothness, and softness of the skin.
On top of the waxing effect of the lemon and sugar or honey combination, it’s said that lemon juice contains natural bleaching elements, which lead to a significant reduction of dark hairs when applied on the skin. The coarse yet gentle sugar or oats acts as a soft scrub that pulls out the hair and the root without much pain.
Why It Doesn’t Work: Do you find this method hard to believe? That’s because it’s not true. Not only has this “all-natural”, no pain solution never been proven to actually work as a hair reduction method, the lemon in the concoction can actually cause a negative reaction on the skin.
Lemon juice, when regularly applied to the skin, can lead to severe irritation and burning, particularly if the user has sensitive skin.
While it’s true that the lemon juice can make the hair lighter, this won’t lead to any significant physical appearance changes, and doesn’t actually cause any removal. This won’t replace your bikini wax waxing any time soon.
5) Blackstrap Molasses
The Claim: Unlike the other techniques listed above, the blackstrap molasses claim actually acts as a supposed dietary method, as opposed to rubbing a substance against the skin. Blackstrap molasses has a long-standing place in pop health magazines as the best substance to consume for a variety of health benefits, including the removal of unwanted body and facial hair.
But what exactly is blackstrap molasses? Sold in the form of a syrup, blackstrap molasses is a byproduct of the refining process of sugar cane. The hard sugar cane is mashed to create juice, and once the juice is boiled over three times, it leads to blackstrap molasses.
This substance contains a number of essential minerals and vitamins, including selenium, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, and iron. Supposedly, the minerals and vitamins help to correct a hormone imbalance leading to excessive hair growth in the legs and other parts of the body, thus reducing unwanted body and facial hair without any chemicals or other non-natural substances.
Why It Doesn’t Work: While too much or too little of certain hormones can lead to more or less body, legs and facial hair, it is incorrect to believe that any changes or additions to your diet can lead to reduced hair growth. This is because once a hair follicle has grown and become active in the skin, it will continue growing hair until it is destroyed and removed.
Even those on the strictest blackstrap molasses diets will see no changes to their hair growth if no other proven methods are used to destroy the active hair follicles. Whether your hair is in your upper lip or your legs or anywhere else, you will be hard pressed achieving the waxed look without removing your hair follicles.
Permanently Remove Your Hair the Right Way: Laser Hair Removal at Ethos Spa
Body and facial hair removal is something you want done and settled immediately, so why waste your time on DIY solutions based on junk science that don’t actually work? With laser hair removal performed by trusted professionals, you are guaranteed a hair removal solution that will actually lead to real results, without resorting to painful and repetitive waxing or shaving.
At Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser Center, we pride ourselves on being the most trusted provider of reliable, safe, and painless laser hair treatments in the New Jersey area. Our team of professionals have assisted countless patients with laser hair service and other treatments.
Contact us to find out exactly why laser hair removal is right for you, and begin your path towards removing your unwanted body hair today!
Feeling like your cheeks are a little thin? Maybe you wish your cheeks would be more angular, or cast more of a shadow, or just have a bit more volume to them. No matter what you do, you might just not have the right bone structure, or age might leading to volume loss in your cheeks. That’s why you need injectable cheek fillers.
Injectable cheek fillers are growing in popularity, and it’s no surprise why: more and more patients are seeing the value in having their cheeks shaped and volumized to perfectly complement the rest of their face.
In this article, we discuss everything you need to know about cheek fillers and the cheek filler procedure.
What Are Cheek Fillers?
Cheek fillers are essentially dermal fillers that are specifically injected into the cheeks. Dermal fillers are gel-like, soft injectables that are injected beneath the surface of the skin. They are used for a variety of common cosmetic applications, such as smoothing lip lines, volumizing lips and nasolabial folds, lifting cheekbones, reducing circles under the eyes, volumizing the hands, and of course, filling in the cheeks.
Dermal filler products come in both synthetic and naturally-occurring formulas. The most popular formulas use hyaluronic acid or HA as their base substance. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that is produced by the body, helping the skin with rejuvenation, augmentation, hydration, and general skin health.
How Do Cheek Fillers Work?
When injected into the skin, the dermal filler process is determined by the formula of the product. In most formulas, particularly those that are made with hyaluronic acid, the gel sits underneath the skin, spreading in the area around the injection site.
After a period of six months or longer, the filler is gradually and safely absorbed into the body, after which another treatment is required to maintain results and beauty.
With the gel injected into the cheeks, the hyaluronic acid or similar compound used in the formula acts to increase the volume and hydration of the cheeks, giving the cheeks a natural and healthy augmentation and fullness.
A major benefit of using injectables made with hyaluronic acid is that hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved by certain safe solutions. This means that if a patient is unhappy with their cheek filler, the provider can follow it up with a solution to force the filler to dissolve, rather than waiting for the filler to be naturally absorbed by the body.
Other safe and popular options are made out of polymethyl methacrylate, poly-L-lactic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite, and autologous fat, which is fat that is sourced from the patient’s own body and injected into the treated area.
While each substance brings its own advantages and disadvantages to the table, hyaluronic acid fillers are the most popular choices due to their risk-free and immediate results.
Why Are Cheek Fillers Important?
While popular applications include injections around the lips and the eyes, most people are less aware of the potency of treatments around the cheek areas. So what exactly do cheek injectables accomplish?
Cheek injectables have a singular goal: defining the patient’s cheekbones. Many plastic surgeons and dermatologists agree that defined cheekbones are the foundation of a prominent and attractive facial bone structure.
When an individual has prominent cheekbones, their face automatically has a more elevated and lifted look, while the central shadow underneath the cheekbone creates a slimness and youthfulness to the upper and mid-face.
This treatment is also surprisingly customizable. While other treatments can be slightly more limited in how they are used, cheek injectables offer individuals many different choices in application. For example, people with round faces can customize the treatment to give them an angular face; people with thinner faces can focus on plumping their cheeks.
With the cheek treatment, here is more art to it than just adding volume to the treated area. The goal of the doctor or provider should be to complement the face with the cheek filler, to achieve a right and left facial symmetry, creating harmony out of the patient’s natural facial beauty.
Some doctors like to refer to cheek fillers as a “contouring treatment in a syringe.” However, it is important that you use the right compound, as well as the right technique. As we said above, strong cheekbones are the foundation of an attractive facial bone structure, but the cheekbones are a delicate area which can be easily overtreated.
If the patient and doctor use a cheek filler that is too harsh or overly effective, you run the risk of achieving a too-angular look, making the face look weird instead of attractive.
The best cheek fillers to choose are those with formulas that contain a hyaluronic acid base, as well as fillers that have a higher viscosity. High viscosity options are more difficult to spread as they have greater firmness. When treating the cheeks, you want fillers that will stay in their intended injection site, to create the cheekbone prominence that you are looking for.
Most doctors recommend Juvederm Voluma for cheek fillers, as Juvederm Voluma is made with hyaluronic acid and is known for its high viscosity. Individuals who are treated with Juvederm Voluma see their cheeks lift up without becoming too angular, which could possibly resemble a plastic facial implant.
The Ideal Candidate for Cheek Fillers
As these are a noninvasive and nonsurgical treatment, most people can be safely and successfully treated with injectables around the face, including the cheeks. The ideal candidates for cheek fillers are those who:
Don’t smoke
Are physically healthy
Completely understand the filler process, and the potential results and expectations afterwards
Are aware of proper after-care methods after the treatment
Have faces that can be complemented by cheek fillers (consult your chosen provider or doctor about whether or not a filler treatment is appropriate for you)
Price: How Much Does It Cost for Cheek Fillers?
The exact price of your cheek filler treatment will depend on a number of factors, including the expertise of your provider or doctor, the location of your treatment, and the amount of filler required for your cheeks.
On average, you can expect a range of $1000 to $4000 for a complete filler treatment.
Non-Filler Treatments for Defined Cheeks
Dermal fillers are by far the easiest and least invasive way to increase the prominence of your cheekbones or to add volume to your cheeks. Cheeks and cheekbones are a difficult area to treat with other methods, and the only other treatment to volumize deflated cheeks is a facial implant.
Facial implants provide permanent beauty results, but they also require long and tedious surgery, which is why many individuals these days opt for cheek fillers instead.
The Cheek Filler Experience: Everything You Need To Know
Before the Procedure
Choosing a Trusted Provider
Before any treatment, it is important that you choose a doctor or provider that you can trust. Due to the high cost of this treatment, there is a growing black-market dermal filler presence, for DIY usage as well as practitioners who provide the treatment for much more affordable costs, but use questionable products.
Anything that is injected in the skin should be FDA-approved for absolutely safety, as there can be dangerous complications that arise when unsafe products are used during treatments by untrained practitioners. In some cases, off-brand gels are made of nonsterile substances (commonly hair gel or plastic compounds).
Hair gel based fillers or plastic compounds can often lead to skin cell death, dangerous infections, wildly allergic reactions, and in some cases, embolism, which can cause blindness.
If you are tempted to purchase an off-brand derma filler or have your treatment done by an unlicensed and more affordable practitioner, note that the FDA has released an official warning, advising consumers to avoid Internet options as they might be contaminated and harmful.
Consultation
Once you have chosen a trusted provider or clinic, a consultation will be set up between you and your doctor prior to the treatment. During this consultation, you and your doctor will discuss:
Your goals and expectations with the filler treatment
Any existing allergies, medical conditions, and ongoing medical treatments
Any medications or supplements that you might be on
Any drug use, alcohol, or smoking
The expected results, as well as how they will last
What the treatment will hope to accomplish, and how the injectable will be used to actively shape and contour your face
During the Procedure
The procedure itself is quite simple. The patient will come in on the scheduled day of the treatment, and the procedure begins with the patient’s face being numbed, to avoid any pain from the injections. The numbing process should take no longer than five minutes.
After the face has been numbed, the cheeks will then be drawn on, so the doctor can position the exact injection sites for proper filler placement. The injectables are then injected into the cheeks and surrounding area; this process should take no longer than five to ten minutes.
You should not expect to see results immediately after the procedure.
After the Procedure
Possible Side Effects
After the procedure, it is typical for a patient to experience minor swelling around the injection sites. To reduce the swelling, you can apply ice to the swollen areas, however this should not be necessary as the swelling will naturally go away after just a few days. After the swelling, any previous volume loss should start to improve.
It is important that you have your treatment performed by an experience and trusted professional, as serious side effects only generally occur when the treatment has been incorrectly performed. As stated above, some serious possible side effects when treated by a non-professional include:
Embolism
Skin cell death
Allergic reactions
How Long Do Cheek Fillers Last For?
The lifespan of the filler dermal in your cheek depends on a number of factors, most importantly on the natural metabolic rate your body breaks down and absorbs the hyaluronic acid gel, which can slightly vary from person to person.
However, typically a patient can expect a dermal filling injection to last and continuously improve for as little as 6 months, to an average of 10 to 12 months, with some individuals even still seeing results 18 months after their procedure.
While this might disappoint some readers, note that there is nothing stopping you from getting a treatment again once your results begin to fade. Many patients choose to book a treatment every nine to ten months to maintain their ideal beauty structure and volume results in their cheeks.
Set Your Cheek Filler Appointment with Ethos Spa Today
It is crucial that you have your cheek fillers done by a trusted professional, and at Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser Center, we are home to one of the most trusted dermal filler teams in the New Jersey area. Search no further for the ideal cheek filler provider close to you!
We have performed countless cheek filler procedures on patients young and old, and can help you craft the ideal facial structure with your cheekbone and face shape. We do more than just volumize your cheeks – we understand the art of contouring the face to make it the best version of itself it can be. We treat all parts of the face to increase a patient’s beauty – lips, nasolabial folds, eyes, and more.
Call or message us today, and begin your journey to your ideal treatment with doctors you can trust. Let us help you with your search for maximum beauty. Your perfect close up is just days away.
The two most popular choices of dermal fillers for lip treatments are Restylane and Juvederm, but how do you know which lip filler is better for you? Picking the right lip filler can define your entire lip filler experience, from your results to the side effects to the cost.
So which dermal filler is better for the lips, Restylane or Juvederm? Truthfully, there is no clear answer – Restylane and Juvederm are both highly rated hyaluronic acid dermal fillers that provide their own solutions to common lip issues, such as vertical lines and thin lips.
In this article, we discuss the differences between these two dermal fillers, helping you understand which dermal filler is best for you.
Why It’s Important to Choose the Best Lip Filler For You
If it’s your first time getting a lip filler, you might just think that all lip fillers are the same, or that it doesn’t matter which one you pick, but this actually isn’t true. The differences between lip filler types and lip filler brands are huge, and can change your entire experience with getting a lip filler.
Your choice of lip filler can shape a number of factors in the outcome of your treatment, such as:
The stiffness of the filler
The area most influenced by the filler, whether the lip border (also known as the vermillion border), the lip shape, or the lip body
The down time after the treatment
The time it takes for best results to show
The cost
The possible side effects
Like most potential patients, you might be tempted to ask your lip filler doctor or provider, “What is the best filler for lips available?” While this might not be a case of one-size-fits-all, there are two popular brands that most patients pick: Restylane and Juvederm. So which will work best for you: Restylane VS Juvederm for lips?
What is the Difference Between Restylane and Juvederm?
Restylane and Juvederm are similar in certain ways – both are dermal fillers which contain hyaluronic acid to plump up the lips and reduce wrinkles around the area. These dermal fillers can be applied to the patient in noninvasive (nonsurgical) methods.
There are a few crucial differences between Restylane and Juvederm. The main difference is their results – while Restylane Silk is known for treating lip lines and increasing lip augmentation, Juvederm Volbella XC is most commonly used for giving lips a mild plump and reducing any vertical lines right below the nose; Juvederm Ultra XC is most commonly used for plumping up the lips and contains lidocaine.
Restylane and Juvederm are both composed of the same foundational ingredients, however they show differences in side effects, cost, results, and terms of use. Below we compare each of their differences:
1. Effects
Restylane Effects – The Restylane product used for lip treatments is known as Restylane Silk, which was the first FDA-approved fillers in lips in the US. Restylane advertises itself as the best dermal filler option for patients looking for smooth, silky, and natural lips.
Doctors generally recommend Restylane for patients most bothered by lip lines and in need of lip augmentation. While there are other Restylane products for the lips, Restylane Silk is the most common choice for fillers in the lips.
Juvederm Effects – Unlike Restylane, Juvederm has two products for its fillers for lips line: Juvederm Volbella XC and Juvederm Ultra XC with lidocaine. Juvederm Volbella XC is best used for slight increase to lip volume and washing away vertical lines above the upper lip; Juvederm Ultra XC is specifically formulated to provide filler lips augmentation with lidocaine.
When using either Restylane and Juvederm, it is important to remember that your side effects can also depend on the type of lip treatment you get. A lip plump can lead to bruising and other symptoms that can last up to two weeks, while lip line treatment side effects might just last a week with or without pain.
2. Procedure Time
Restylane Procedure Time – A lip filler treatment involving Restylane injections should take anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes per procedure. You can expect lip treatments to require shorter procedure times as compared to procedures on other parts of the face simply because there is a much smaller injection area to treat.
Juvederm Procedure Time – Juvederm and Restylane should take the same injection treatment time, anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Results
Restylane Lip Results – Restylane results can take a few days to start to show, but once they appear, ideal results will settle in almost immediately. Patients can expect results to last 10-12 months before they begin to fade.
Juvederm Lip Results – Unlike Restylane, patients can expect to see immediate results with Juvederm. Your ideal results should provide you with 12 months Juvederm lip results, before you can begin to see it fade.
4. Best Candidates
While both treatments might have FDA approval, they aren’t necessarily made for everyone. Both Restylane and Juvederm bring risks to the table that the patient should be prepared to deal with.
Restylane Best Candidates – For Restylane, patients should be at least 21 years old. They should also have no history of illnesses or medical complications that might lead to issues upon injection. These include bleeding disorders, any history of allergic reaction to lidocaine or hyaluronic acid, and any inflammatory conditions of the skin, including rosacea and eczema.
Juvederm Best Candidates – Juvederm’s candidate criteria are similar to Restylane’s – the dermal filler should only be injected to patients at least 21 years of age, and they should have no history of skin or bleeding disorders, and no allergic reaction to lidocaine or hyaluronic acid.
5. Dermal Filler Cost
The first thing you should be aware of is that health insurance does not cover dermal fillers. This is because dermal fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm are categorized as aesthetic procedures, particularly when they are used to fill in the lips.
While this might limit some potential patients, the good news is that these treatments are much more affordable than surgery and demand zero downtime.
The exact cost of your procedure will depend on a number of factors, including your area, the expertise of your provider or doctor, and any other specifics of your treatment. In general, the average cost of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers as recorded by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons falls at $682 for a single procedure. Contact your chosen provider for a more relevant quoted estimate.
Restylane Average Costs – When dealing with the cost of a dermal filler procedure, patients should be aware that they are paying per syringe of dermal filler. Restylane Silk can cost anywhere from $300 to $650 per syringe, depending on the location of your treatment and where the filler is injected.
Juvederm Average Costs – Juvederm products tend to cost slightly more than Restylane products. While some providers price their Juvederm for lip treatments at anywhere from $500 to $600 per syringe, other providers can be seen pricing their injections at $600 to $900 each.
While it might seem like a better idea to select Restylane due to its more affordable cost, note that Juvederm tends to last slightly longer than Restylane, meaning you would need fewer treatments, saving you money in the long run.
6. Side Effects
Many patients make the mistake of believing that noninvasive procedures are risk-free, simply because no surgery is involved. However, noninvasive treatments such as Restylane and Juvederm can still possibly lead to minor side effects.
Side effects as a result of dermal fillers are typically caused by a negative unexpected reaction of your skin to the formula. Some formulas simply don’t work well with some people, leading to issues such as scarring or irritation.
Restylane Possible Side Effects – Patients who undergo Restylane treatment in their lips can possible experience the following mild side effects:
Bruising
Tenderness
Redness
Swelling
More rarely, serious side effects can occur as well. These include:
Death of the skin tissues around the injection point, also known as necrosis
Infection
Skin color changes, also known as hyperpigmentation
Patients who have inflammatory conditions of the skin, bleeding disorders, smoke, and any other relevant medical history should inform their doctor or provider prior to the procedure.
Juvederm Possible Side Effects – Juvederm generally brings about the same possible mild and serious side effects, including swelling, redness, tenderness, and bruising, as well as necrosis, scarring, and hyperpigmentation.
Some patients also occasionally report numbness, slight pain, and dry skin around their lips, however this should only last up to a few days after the treatment.
Remember: it is crucial that you pick a provider or doctor with years of experience providing successful dermal filler treatments to patients. While some complications are caused by a negative reaction between the patient’s lips and the dermal filler, most problems are caused by inexperienced providers with improper injection technique.
Want to Avoid Side Effects?
If you want to make sure that your lip filler experience is as easy and pain free as possible, there are a few steps you can take to prepare your body for the procedure. These include:
Avoid extreme temperatures after the injection procedure, until minor side effects such as swelling or redness are gone (Juvederm encourages patients to avoid excessive sun exposure, and Restylane encourages patients to avoid cold temperatures)
Avoid alcohol, tanning beds, and strenuous physical activity for 24 to 48 hours after the injections, as these can possibly add stress to your body during its initial healing
Minor side effects such as redness and swelling are normal, and should fade away after 1-2 weeks, or just a few days. If symptoms persist or worsen, contact your provider or doctor immediately
Which Filler Is Best for Lips? Ask the Experts
There is no clear winner here – as we said above, the best lip filler is the one that fits you and what you are looking for most.
If you are still struggling to pick your desired lip filler, it might be time to make an appointment at Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser Center, home of the most trusted dermal filler experts in New Jersey. We have assisted countless patients with lip fillers as well as other cosmetic procedures, and can help you figure out which lip filler will work best for you.
Contact us and let us help you choose your ideal lip filler today!
For many years, laser hair removal was a procedure that was marketed towards patients with fair skin, and for good reason: for a long time, we simply didn’t have the technology to safely treat dark skin tone patients with the laser hair removal procedure.
So what is the best laser hair removal machine for patients with dark skin? Patients with dark skin should be looking for trusted and experienced clinics who are equipped with Nd:YAG laser machines, as these are the ideal wavelengths for dark skin treatment.
How Laser Hair Removal Works
Before we can understand why there are different processes involved with laser hair removal for dark skin, it is necessary to understand exactly how laser hair removal works.
Laser hair removal is a procedure that utilizes a laser, or a concentrated beam of light, to remove hair from the body and face. During the procedure, the device is aimed at the skin with unwanted hair. The laser emits from the device, and the light is absorbed by the melanin or the pigment in the targeted hair.
This light becomes heat when absorbed, and the heat travels down the hair follicle to its root. Due to the damage, the root of the hair follicle becomes temporarily or permanently unable to grow hair.
Why Laser Hair Removal Favored Fair Skin and Dark Hair
The reason for this was because of the way the technology worked: as the light goes into the hair follicle due to its attraction to the melanin of the hair, there needed to be a distinct contrast between the pigment of the hair and the pigment of the skin. The greater this contrast, the more successfully the light energy could convert into heat in the hair follicles.
So what happened with patients who didn’t have light skin and dark hair? Simply put, doctors could not guarantee effective hair removal treatments on them, and in many cases, it was dangerous to even try.
Without the advanced technology that we have today, devices that emitted wavelengths that weren’t absorbed into the hair follicle could lead to scarring, blistering, irregular skin color, and more, with some side effects being permanent. Without the sophistication of today’s devices, women of color who wanted hair removal were putting the safety of their skin up for gamble.
The diagram above is known as the Fitzpatrick skin scale, and it’s the typical scale used to identify skin tones for treatments. While the scale is now considered outdated, it was the original chart for determining skin types, based on a study involving the effects of ultraviolet light on skin types (an outdated chart because lasers actually use infrared light, not ultraviolet light).
With older hair removal technology, only patients who fell under Skin Type 1 and Skin Type 2 could safely undergo treatment. Patients under 3 and 4 could risk it, while patients of 5 and 6 were almost guaranteed an unsafe procedure.
Why Laser Hair Removal is Now Safe for Darker Skin Tones
Thankfully, advancements in hair removal came quickly, and within a few decades doctors were safely offering hair removal to patients of all skin tones. Admittedly, the reason why hair removal for darker skin tones came arrived much later was because companies hadn’t done much research in the relevant markets, and believed they were disinterested in the treatments.
According to Dr. Fran Cook-Bolden, founder of a research facility for medical procedures for people of color, “When lasers were first being developed, they were only used on people with lighter skin types. Companies were aware of the risks [of giving the procedures to people of color] and they didn’t want to be bothered. There was enough need with lighter skin types already, so companies thought, ‘Why take on that additional liability?’”
But what exactly did recent advancements bring to laser devices to make the procedure safe for darker skin? For this we have to understand how lasers are made up – with wavelengths.
Laser devices typically operate with a single wavelength, and the output wavelength of the device makes it better suited for some skin types over other skin types. The original wavelength for hair removal were ruby and argon wavelengths, measured at 694.3 nanometers (nm) and 488 nm respectively.
Since then, the Alexandrite wavelength (755 nm) has become the default wavelength for light skin. The shorter, older wavelengths are now considered dangerous for the skin. The shorter the wavelength, the higher its frequency; the higher the frequency, the more energy carried in each photon.
To make the procedure safe for darker skin, filters needed to be applied to the machines to create even longer wavelengths. By increasing the length of the wavelength, they further lowered its frequency, thus creating lasers with less energy in each photon.
The Differences with Longer Wavelengths
With longer wavelengths, darker skin could safely be treated with hair removal, as the longer wavelength lasers would no longer burn their skin. The longer wavelength lasers are known as the pulsed diode array laser at 810 nm and the Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm, which is the recommended laser for patients with dark and black skin.
How important is it to make sure that the device and wavelengths you use matches your skin tone? Very important, especially if you have darker skins. While people with fair skin won’t have to worry much about experiencing other wavelengths – other than a less efficient laser treatment for them – people with black skin tones can experience blistering, scarring, and burning from treatments with Alexandrite devices and other wavelengths that aren’t meant for their skin.
It is best to consult with your chosen specialist prior to your procedure to make sure that they have the device that best fits your skin. Less experienced and reputable laser providers will try to get by with a single laser device, claiming a “one size fits all” situation, but this simply isn’t the case.
IPL Machines VS Laser Machines for Dark Skin: Is IPL Suitable for Dark Skin?
One way they will make the “one size fits all” claim is with IPL devices, or intense pulsed light machines. Many people interchange IPL machines and laser machines, but they are actually two different devices. While laser devices work on a precise wavelength, selectively targeting the skin and light hair styles that they were built to treat, IPL machines use a range of wavelengths during the procedure.
This means that an IPL device will hit a patient with wavelengths of 500 to 1000 nm. The entire range of wavelengths will be exposed to the skin at the same time, making it impossible for the light to properly be absorbed into the melanin of the hair follicle. With a broader spectrum of wavelengths, the energy being emitted out of an IPL device will be much less effective than that which comes out of a laser device.
This means that IPL devices are forced to emit higher levels of energy to achieve the same results as laser devices. With higher levels of energy emitted and exposed to the skin, there is a much greater risk of complications, such as burning and blistering of the skin, particularly when used on black skin tones.
IPL does have its uses – it is a great way to treat certain skin issues such as capillaries, redness, and pigmentation, however if a laser hair removal clinic claims to use IPL effective for hair removal, it is best to find another specialist. IPL is not a suitable stand-in for laser when it comes to hair removal, and when performed on a patient with darker skin, it can lead to long-lasting and painful side effects.
Are There IPL Devices That Work on Dark Skin?
If you want to persist with home IPL devices for your hair removal solution, then you’re in luck: there are a few IPL devices on the market that are clinically proven to be safe for dark skin tones.
As IPL devices emit a range of wavelengths and demand more energy to be as effective as laser machines, safe home IPL devices are made to emit much lower intensity ranges, and have certain filters to further weaken the emitted energy.
When searching for an ideal home IPL device for black skin, you should be looking for products that are made with Colorblind RF and ELOS technology features.
ELOS Technology: Short for Electro-optical Synergy, ELOS technology combines radio frequency (RF) and intense pulsed light (IPL) to better selectively target hair follicles efficiently and safely. This combination of ELOS makes hair removal quicker, easier, and gentler on black skin tones.
Colorblind RF: RF is a colorblind electric technology, making it ineffective when on its own in IPL devices. It may heat up the skin with the pulses of light, but there will be no selective targeting without ELOS. When paired with ELOS technology, it can effectively reduce hair on dark-skinned users.
You should also be on the look-out for IPL devices that have durable features, as users with darker skin tones will need to use the IPL devices for longer and more frequent sessions for visible results.
The most important factor that makes or breaks a home IPL device’s durability is its bulb. For this, you want to find a device with a Quartz bulb, as these bulbs last much longer than xenon flash bulbs, especially when set on higher temperatures for longer sessions.
Finally, your chosen home IPL device should be FDA-cleared. Safety should be your top priority when searching for home IPL devices for darker skin, so only trust devices that have been cleared by the FDA.
Some home IPL devices that are safe for most skin tones include:
Silk’N Infinity
Smoothskin Muse
Braun Pro 5 IPL
Lumea Prestige
If your skin tone resembles Skin Type 6 on the Fitzpatrick skin scale, it is strongly recommended not to try any IPL devices at all. Stick with laser machines for maximum safety. And for those with darker skin tones who purchase a home IPL device, remember: while you may see some results, it will never be as effective as what you would achieve with proper hair removal treatment.
The Best Laser Hair Removal for Dark Skin: Nd:YAG
As we said earlier, dark skin patients who are looking for the most effective hair removal machines should look no further than Nd:YAG machines, and in some cases, diode machines.
Simply put, Nd:YAG machines produce the Nd:YAG wavelength, the longest wavelength available, making it an absolutely foolproof solutions for dark skin tone patients. With the longer wavelength, it goes deeper through the epidermis than diode lasers, allowing it to bypass the initial layer of skin pigmentation.
Who can benefit from Nd:YAG devices? Any patient with dark skin tones, as well as patients with light skin tones who have recently tanned their skin. It is without a doubt the safest option available for dark skin tone patients, while also boasting higher success rates than other types of laser machines.
Does this mean that the diode – the other “long” wavelength, although not as long as Nd:YAG –has no place in clinics? This doesn’t seem to be the case. Some dermatologists and hair specialists claim that the diode solution is actually the least painful laser hair removal procedure. This is because the diode energy is delivered much slower than the Nd:YAG, giving the skin more time to cool down from the heat.
Diode devices also typically come equipped with a cooling device that instantly cools down the skin, preventing any risk of overheating or skin damage. One popular diode device is the Lumenis LightSheer device, which is equipped with a built-in suction mechanism that helps distract patient from the pain of the procedure.
Does TRIA Work on Dark Skin?
One popular hair removal machine is the TRIA line of devices, specifically the Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X. Unfortunately, the Tria Hair Removal 4X is designed specifically to be used on patients up to Skin Tone 4.
This means light skin and light to medium brown skin tones can safely experience TRIA devices for hair removal, but anyone with darker skin should avoid these devices at all costs.
For Indian patients and other patients with brown skin, as well as patients with darker skin tones, Nd:YAG machines are the ideal hair removal solution on the market. It is effective for thick and dense hair, and can be used for bushy hair, facial hair, and body hair removal.
Not only do Nd:YAG machines reduce the hair growth in the targeted area, they also lead to finer and softer hair growth, should it ever begin growing again. However, some individuals with dark skin tones might be considering other hair removal solutions. Here are other ways you can remove your body hair:
Shaving: Shaving is plain and simple, however, it is an easy solution with short-term results. The hair is only gone from your body until it can regrow, and when it grows back it leaves an awkward and uncomfortable stubble that you nor your partner will enjoy feeling.
Threading and Waxing: Threading and waxing salons are quite popular, especially for individuals who aren’t looking for the long-term commitment of a series of hair removal sessions. However, like shaving, threading and waxing do not permanently destroy the hair follicle. They may lead to hair follicle removal, which only prompts the regrowth of the hair follicle rather than paralysis.
Electrolysis: Another safe and effective method for hair removal of unwanted body hair in dark skin individuals is electrolysis. Electrolysis is a great solution for those who aren’t ready for laser hair removal, especially amongst patients with darker skin who are generally more prone to folliculitis, or excess ingrown hairs. Advantages of electrolysis include permanent unwanted hair removal, hair removal along any part of the body, and effective treatment on all skin and hair pigment.
Schedule Your Laser Hair Removal with Ethos Spa Today
Want to know more about laser hair removal for dark skin? Looking for a laser specialist you can trust in the New Jersey area? At Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser Center, we have treated countless patients of all skin and hair types for hair removal.
We understand the importance of matching patients with the best laser device suited for their hair and skin, and will always make sure that patient safety and comfort is our top priority.
Getting tired of having a carpet of hair over your chest? Sick of ingrown hairs and razor burns when you try to wax or shave it off?
For men who are serious about permanently removing their chest hair, there is only one real solution to consider: laser hair removal.
Laser hair removal for the chest is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures amongst men today. For those who are seeking that perfectly bare and smooth chest, there is no better method than laser hair removal.
In this article, we discuss everything there is to know about manscaping, chest hair removal options, and why laser hair removal is the ideal permanent hair removal solution.
Chest Hair – To Manscape Or Not?
For a long time, chest hair has been considered a staple of male masculinity and male beauty. A man with a not-too-thick layer of hair over his pecs, with strands peeking out from his shirt collar, could be considered a “real” man.
But these days the standards of male beauty and what makes someone a “real” man have loosened up a bit. More and more men are considering manscaping, or trimming or completely removing their body hair – including hair in their armpits, legs, back, neck, arms, and of course, the chest.
Here are some common types of styles for chest hair today:
Style
How
Pros
Cons
All Natural
Just leave your chest hair as it is, without ever touching it or bothering with it.
You have nothing to worry about. No time or energy spent styling it, cutting it, or trimming it. No risk of irritating your skin.
This is definitely the ideal option for some men, but not all. While some men have chest hair that naturally stop growing after a certain point, other men have chest hair that grows too thick, making the chest hair look unattractive.
Trimmed
Maintain your chest hair instead of letting it grow all out. You will need a men’s body trimmer, generally set on the lowest setting, applied to the chest once or twice a month.
For men who have thick chest hair but still want to have chest hair without looking like a bear, the trimmed style is a great way to go.
It can be difficult to get it right, as you will have to learn how to cut your chest hair properly at the level you want. You run the risk of giving yourself patches or cutting your hair to a stubble, which can feel very weird. Also a possibility of razor burns and ingrown hairs.
Hairless and Smooth
Have your hair completely removed. This can be done through laser hair removal or with wax. Shaving is not recommended.
It can look amazing if you have a great chest that you work out at the gym. You also will never have to deal with razor burns from shaving.
Not everyone can pull off the hairless and smooth chest look.
Chest Hair Removal Advantages
There are actually many advantages to having your chest hair removed. These include:
1. Attractiveness
While some men are blessed with the lucky perfect amount of chest hair, most of us don’t have that luxury. When you take off your shirt, you don’t want your partner or your date cringing at the carpet of body hair between your pecs, do you? The truth is that most women actually prefer the smooth and clean option, especially if the alternative is a bear’s chest.
2. Less Odor and Sweat
When it comes to hygiene, having more hair is never the answer. Body hair and hygiene do not go hand in hand – with chest hair, you leave room for more bacteria and sweat to get trapped on your chest, causing extra odor and general discomfort.
3. Bald Patches
If you’re in your 20s or 30s, you might not realize it yet, but chests tend to experience bald patches just like scalps. You don’t want to be the older man at the beach getting weird looks because of irregular bald patches on your chest, and your partner doesn’t want to be with that man either.
4. Hair and Clothing
If you tend to wear tighter tops, then you might have experienced the discomforting and sometimes painful feeling of having your chest hair tugged and pulled out by your clothes. And for those few elite triathletes in the audience, chest hair also increases your resistance while you bike or swim.
5. Unclogged Pores
Like the rest of your body, your chest has pores, and keeping these pores open is essential towards keeping your skin healthy and fresh. Having no chest hair clears up the pores on your chest.
We understand that for many men, manscaping your chest doesn’t necessarily feel like the right option, especially when you are considering it for the first time. However, more and more men are manscaping their chest hair, with some studies finding that 40-60% of men work on their chest hair.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to see if you are ready to manscape your chest hair for the first time:
Does my chest hair bother me?
Do I think I have the type of chest and style to pull it off?
Would my partner prefer me with no chest hair?
Do I care about my grooming and hygiene?
Do I know the best way to have my chest hair removed?
If you have asked yourself all the questions above and you’re still ready to learn more about manscaping, then it’s time to understand your best options for chest hair removal.
Chest Hair Removal Options for Men
1) Trimming
Trimming is the first-choice men generally take, simply because it can be done on their own, in front of the bathroom mirror with a pair of scissors or a trimmer. If you are manscaping for the first time, you might want to test the waters with trimming, just to see if you are happy with the idea of lessening your chest hair.
Pros: You can try out the concept of manscaping without over-committing just in case it’s not for you.
Cons: As trimming won’t get much done, you will have to go back at it every few days or once a week to maintain your chest hair at the level you want.
2) Shaving
When you’re ready to step up from trimming, you can put down the scissors or trimmer for a razor. Shaving can help you achieve the bare and smooth look without needing any professional help, and it can be done in just a few minutes.
Pros: Simple and stress-free.
Cons: Shaving is terrible when it comes to stubble. Having stubble on your chest can be a very strange feeling, as the feeling of it grazing against your shirt will bother you all day. There is also the chance of giving yourself pimples and razor burns, causing intense itchiness on your chest.
This is also known as folliculitis, in which you cause inflammation to the hair follicles (which in turn is caused by a fungal or bacterial infection). In the worst case scenario of razor bumps (or pseudofolliculitis barbae), you might end up giving yourself dark raised scars, known as keloids.
3) Waxing
Waxing your chest hair involves applying a creamy lotion to the chest, and then applying cloth strips over the cream, letting the strips dry on the cream. When the strips are pulled off, the hair is pulled out with the dried cream.
Pros: A single waxing session can guarantee you a bare chest for anywhere from 3-6 weeks, depending on how fast your body hair grows.
Cons: Bruising, burns, and pimples are all possible side effects caused by waxing on the chest.
4) Electrolysis
One popular method for hair removal is known as electrolysis. This method involves the use of an ultra-slim needle, which delivers tiny electrical shocks to the hair follicles beneath the skin, causing the death of the hair-producing cells. A single session can take 10-20 minutes, however quite a few treatments are necessary to truly leave a part of the body hairless.
Pros: Effective at hair removal, as it targets hair production at the cellular level.
Cons: Can be painful, will take several treatments (with the entire treatment sometimes lasting up to a year), and in some cases, there might still be some patches of hair in the area.
5) Laser Hair Removal
Our choice of hair removal is laser hair removal, and it’s not hard to see why. Laser hair removal involves the use of laser technology – harmless lasers are directed at the skin, which travel down the hair follicle and burn it at the root, thus disabling its growth factors.
Pros: Efficient, quick, and harmless, with the lasers feeling like light pinches against the skin. This method has zero side effects and can reduce the growth of hair in an area for a long time. Maintenance is also simple, as a session requires no preparation and demands zero downtime from the patient.
Cons: It is important to work with a trusted professional laser hair removal provider, as there is a slight risk of blisters and dark scarring if performed by an inexperienced technician.
Out of all the options for chest hair removal for men, our recommended method is laser hair removal. Below, we discuss everything you need to know about chest laser hair removal and how you can find the ideal providing clinic.
Laser Hair Removal for the Chest
Can You Get Laser Hair Removal on Your Chest?
One of the first questions that people ask is whether laser hair removal can be performed on the chest. While laser hair removal is a popular option for hair removal in the armpit, bikini area (Brazilian laser hair removal or laser hair removal Brazilian style in women), and the face, laser hair removal for chest hair is a lesser known procedure, however it is indeed possible.
Laser hair removal can be performed on any part of the body, as long as it has hair that the patient wants to be removed. For the smooth and bare chest look, laser hair removal is the best option available, as it completely removes the hair in the area, leaving no patchy areas behind.
How Does Chest Laser Hair Removal Work?
Chest laser hair removal works through the use of laser technology. The patient is asked to lie or sit down, and the doctor or technician applies a cream over the area to be treated. This cream protects the skin from the heat of the lasers.
The type of laser to be used generally depends on the treated area; for the chest area, doctors will typically use lasers made for larger and wider areas, allowing them to cover more space in the same treatment time.
During the treatment, flashes of high-energy lights (the lasers) are directed to the skin. The heat from the laser flashes are absorbed into the hair follicle, where they travel down to the root of the follicle and destroy it. For a complete hair removal, patients are required to return for an average of 6-8 sessions.
Patients will start to see results within a few weeks after their first session, and best results will be seen after all the recommended sessions are complete. This is because only a small percentage of the hair in an area can be targeted per treatment.
After all recommended treatments are completed, patients should expect the result of a bare, hairless chest with a semi-permanent reduction of unwanted hair growth.
Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Chest Laser Hair Removal
1) Research and Find the Best Provider
Before anything else, it’s important that you do your research. Don’t walk into the first laser hair removal clinic you see; look online and find laser hair removal clinics you can trust, with quality, real reviews, and a strong, transparent online presence.
It is crucial that you only work with trusted laser hair removal professionals, as laser hair removal is a process that can lead to scarring or burning if performed by an amateur.
2) Shave Your Chest
While you will most likely be advised to do this during your consultation, it is important to remember to shave your chest the day before your first treatment.
This is because the heat must travel down the hair strand and into the hair follicle root. By leaving your chest unshaved, the heat must travel further to get to the root. If you don’t shave your chest, the clinic will be required to do it before your treatment can begin.
3) No Pain, Skin Irritation, and Ingrown Hairs
You might have bad experiences in the past with hair removal in your chest, particularly when doing other hair removal options, such as shaving or waxing.
You will be happy to know that when performed by a trusted laser hair removal doctor or technician, you should experience very little pain (a snapping or pinching sensation caused by the lasers), and no ingrown hairs or skin irritation. Feel free to sit back and relax during your treatment.
4) Don’t Miss Your Treatment Calendar
After you get your first laser hair removal treatment for your chest, you will be scheduled to come back for your next treatment on a specific date. It is important that you clear up your schedule to make sure that you do not postpone your following treatments, as this date is not arbitrarily selected.
The treatments are planned to align with the cycle changes of your individual body hair strands. Missing or delaying a treatment can make the overall result less ideal.
Chest Laser Hair Removal FAQ
How much is chest laser hair removal?
The cost of a laser hair removal treatment depends on the location of the provider, the expertise of the provider, and the area to be treated. For the chest area for men, patients can expect a typical cost range of $350 to $600, but this can vary state by state.
How can I remove my chest hair permanently?
Searching for hair removal permanently can be difficult, as solutions for hair removal aren’t always as permanent as some people would prefer. There are cases where methods such as laser hair removal do lead to long-term hair removal, but it is always possible for the hair follicle to grow back (and thus the hair to grow back).
However, the best solutions for long-term hair removal are electrolysis and laser hair removal, with laser hair removal being the less painful and more accessible treatment.
How long does hair laser removal last?
Laser hair removal can cause a permanent marked hair reduction in the targeted area, but some hair might begin to grow back after 6-12 months. Maintenance treatments can be done after the patient sees some hair growth to continue keeping the area hair-free.
Chest Laser Hair Removal and More at Ethos Spa
Whether you are looking to learn more about laser hair removal for your chest and other areas, or you are ready to schedule your first laser hair removal appointment, there is no better place than Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser Center.
Ethos Spa is the premier provider of laser hair removal and other laser and skin treatments in New Jersey, and has successfully provided safe and effective laser hair removal to countless patients for years.
Contact us today for your free consultation, and find out more about how laser hair removal for your chest is perfect for you.
Expert techniques are crucial for successful laser treatments, but it turns out it’s not the only deciding factor in effective tattoo removal. The lymphatic system is a network responsible for carrying, filtering, and metabolizing waste, including tattoo ink. Undergoing a detox can improve the results of your laser treatments.
So, how do you detox in preparation for a laser tattoo removal? Drinking more water, working up a sweat, getting a massage, and reducing the consumption of processed foods are all great ways to prepare for a treatment.
In this article, we share all the different ways you can detoxify. By helping your body eliminate waste in the form of tattoo ink, you can make the most out of every session and get ink-free skin in no time.
What Happens to the Tattoo When It Is Removed
Tattoo removal might look like a breeze compared to getting inked in the first place, but it couldn’t be farther from the truth.
The body’s natural reaction to foreign bodies, including tattoo ink, is removal. Ever notice that new tattoos seem to “fade”? That’s because white blood cells called lymphocytes eat away at pigment particles and process them as waste.
The reason why tattoos are permanent is because even though lymphocytes try to chip away at the pigment, pigments are typically composed of heavy metals like copper, lead, and manganese. These pigments are hard to dispose of, rendering the white blood cells’ continuous effort moot.
Tattoos may fade overtime but the only thing that can really remove them for good is a laser treatment. Microscopic evidence shows that pigment particles are physically larger than lymphocytes. The only way lymphocytes can “engulf” ink and process it out of your body is if the ink particles were broken down into smaller mass.
That’s precisely what laser tattoo removal does. It breaks down the ink into smaller particles, allowing lymphocytes to surround the ink, usher them through the skin’s lymphatic channels, and is then removed in the form of waste.
Why Detox In the First Place?
Foreign material is expelled through the lymphatic system. Because the ink is considered as a foreign material, it’s processed and expelled in the same way as waste. By treating tattoo removal as part of a biological process, this means that there are things you can do to improve your results.
Just like any system in your body, the lymphatic channel is constantly at work and needs to remain optimal in order to prevent immune and detoxification issues. The lymph flow can become congested, leading to toxin and waste build-up in the body. Undergoing a detox will unclog the lymphatic flow and improve your overall well-being.
Why do we need a well-functioning lymphatic system for tattoo removal?
How optimal your lymphatic system is will determine how successful your tattoo removal will be. By targeting your lymphatic system, you’re able to influence the tattoo removal process and produce the outcome you want.
A well-functioning lymphatic system gives you two benefits:
Better results: With better lymphatic flow, more tattoo pigments are carried out of the skin. The risk of inflammation and allergic reactions due to the laser removal are reduced. More pigment is flushed out of your system, improving your chances of completely removing all traces of ink on your skin.
Faster removal: Healthy, fast-acting lymphocytes mean a more optimal lymphatic flow. Every time the laser breaks down the ink, more lymphocytes can act on the pigment and zoom past the lymphatic channels. This means less sessions needed to get the results you want.
Tattoo Removal Detox: 12 Things You Can Do
Luckily, detoxifying your body isn’t as complicated as it sounds. There are different ways to improve your body’s lymphatic flow – from getting a massage to working up a sweat. Listed below are 12 things you can do to detoxify your system and speed up the tattoo removal process:
1. Hydrate
When you’re dehydrated, your body will take this as a sign of stress, and as a result will not work optimally. Improve blood circulation, hydration levels, and lymphatic flow by increasing your water intake.
Skip the soda and juice; water is the best liquid for hydration. Drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water a day (or more) will surely improve your body’s detoxification processes.
2. Limit Alcohol Consumption
The liver is responsible for processing about 90% of your alcohol intake. The liver metabolizes alcohol into a toxin called acetaldehyde before further converting it into a harmless chemical called acetate.
A never-ending cycle of metabolization can affect liver function. Continuous alcohol consumption can damage the liver, leading to inflammation and toxin build-up. As such, the liver can no longer properly process alcohol or other toxins, including tattoo ink.
By limiting alcohol intake, you’re allowing the liver to work on a steady pace and clean out your body more efficiently. Because it’s not focused on metabolizing alcohol, it can prioritize cleaning tasks and improve the results of your tattoo removal.
3. Get Enough Rest
Chronic sleep deprivation can make you feel sluggish and fatigued. It turns out that long periods of poor sleep can also affect your body’s detoxification processes.
Sleep is the body’s cue to reset. Without proper sleep, the little “sweeping” tasks the body does to rid itself of waste and toxins are left unfinished, or worse, undone. Getting the standard seven to nine hours a night will not only improve cognitive function, but also improve your general health.
If getting a full night’s sleep is a challenge, consider natural sleeping aids like herbal tea or melatonin. Limit your exposure to blue light screens (TV, computer, phone) at least an hour before bed.
4. Rethink Your Sugar Intake
The body relies on the lymphatic organs for proper detoxification. Unfortunately, today’s diet is filled with high amounts of sugar. Over time, the overconsumption of sugary beverages and foods can cause impaired liver and kidney function.
Keep your body’s detoxification system healthy by regulating your sugar intake. Weed out any foods with an unnecessarily high amount of sugar such as junk food and desserts. Instead, incorporate healthier sources of sugar into your diet.
5. Eat Healthy Foods
Restricting “bad” sugars is just the tip of the iceberg. To really improve your detoxification system, you have to prioritize healthy foods, specifically foods rich in antioxidants.
Antioxidants are fighting cells that protect your body from damage caused by free radicals. Although free radicals are naturally-occuring in the body, their production can be sped up with a poor lifestyle. An excessive amount of free radicals have damaging effects to the body and have been associated with major conditions such as heart disease and even cancer.
A diet rich in antioxidants will help your body combat free radicals. After making dietary restrictions, eating healthy foods will help with the “clean-up” and improve your digestive and lymphatic functions.
Foods rich in antioxidants include:
Lean meat such as chicken, fish, and turkey
Spices such as thyme, oregano, turmeric, ginger, parsley
Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage
Vegetables such as garlic, onions, sweet potatoes, and carrots
Sources of vitamin C including oranges, mangoes, and strawberries
6. Mind Your Digestion
A healthy digestive system means having a more effective waste disposal system. This translates to improved metabolism and a better response to the laser treatments.
Improve your gut healthy by increasing fiber intake and eating foods with prebiotics. Foster good bacteria in your gut to increase your defenses against contaminated food and reduce your overall risk of inflammation and disease.
7. Exercise
It’s no secret that an active lifestyle makes a healthier individual. Improving your blood flow will also improve lymphatic flow. Engaging in physical activities is one of the best ways to get a good heart pump.
Choose exercises that increase the heart rate such as cardiovascular activities like running, jogging, jump roping, and swimming.
Pressed for time? Try out HIIT (high intensity interval training) exercises which are designed to increase your heart rate in a short amount of time. When done right, 20 minutes of HIIT will give you the same benefits as doing 45 minutes of steady state cardio.
8. Schedule a Massage
Not a fan of cardio? Schedule a massage instead. It also gets your blood flowing, minus the exhaustion. A specialized technique called the lymphatic drainage massage specifically targets the lymphatic system.
This technique involves rhythmic strokes to help the lymph fluid move throughout the body. Light pressure is needed to complete this massage, and is reliant on continuous stimulation of the target area in order to get the proper flow.
9. Step Into a Steam Room
Sweat is one of the avenues of waste expulsion. Going to a sauna will open up your pores and remove toxins on your skin. About 15 to 20 a day should give you the boost you need.
10. Go Natural
Swap out chemical-ridden household and hygienic items with their more natural counterparts. Using chemical-free alternatives means less exposure to toxins. As a result, your lymphatic system can focus on cleaning out the rest of the body, and work on removing tattoo pigments more effectively.
11. Don’t Stress Out
Lymph congestion and inflammation can slow down the lymphatic flow. Limiting your exposure to stress doesn’t have to mean eliminating the source. It just means you have to be better at coping with stress, and reduce its burden on your mind and body.
Discover coping mechanisms you can do on a daily basis. Write in a journal, talk to a therapist, or take a walk – all three things are useful in alleviating stress and anxiety. Maintaining a positive disposition, fostering a healthy self-image, and surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals are other ways to improve your mental health and reduce stress.
12. Wear Loose Clothing
Lymph obstruction can occur as a result of wearing tight-fitting clothes. Prevent this altogether by wearing loose clothing on most days. You can still wear skinny jeans and athletic wear – just don’t make it the bulk of your outfits.
How Can I Speed Up Tattoo Removal
A successful tattoo removal relies on a healthy lymphatic system. In order to get the best out of your laser treatment, consider detoxifying your body to increase lymphatic flow and improve your body’s response to the pigment.
At Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser, we help patients get the blank slate they’re looking for. By using state-of-the-art laser equipment coupled with advanced removal techniques, we’re here to make sure every inch of your tattoo ink is removed.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help with your tattoo. Book a laser removal session or an appointment today.
You might have recently decided that you were tired of a tattoo on your body, and you decided to have it removed. Thankfully, laser tattoo removal is a growing industry, with more advanced lasers being developed to increase treatment effectiveness every year. However, your tattoo seems to be darker after your first few treatments and you want to know why.
Why does your tattoo seem to be getting darker after laser removal treatment? Simply put, your tattoo has become darker because the metals in the ink have become oxidized, leading to a temporary greying or darkening until the tattoo fades. Thankfully, this proves that your treatments are working according to plan, and it is just a matter of time until your tattoo has cleared up.
To properly understand how this happens, it’s first important to review the laser tattoo removal process, and how exactly laser tattoo removal works.
The Laser Tattoo Removal Process
Laser tattoo removal works due to the breakdown of the tattoo pigment by the laser used in the procedure. Similar to the use of a laser in laser hair removal treatments, the laser is pointed at the tattoo and the heat is directly absorbed by the tattoo’s ink due to the pigmentation of the ink, which naturally attracts heat.
When the laser’s heat is absorbed by the tattoo, this causes the ink to breakdown. Once the ink has broken down, the immune system will proceed to flush it away, making the tattoo more faded with every session.
But how exactly does it take several treatments for laser tattoo removal to remove a tattoo completely? The answer is that the tattoo’s ink is inked deep enough in the skin that the skin naturally works overtime to preserve its placement. Even if the cells carrying the ink die, new cells form to actively ensure that the ink pigments remain in place.
These cells are known as macrophages, and they carry the foreign bodies in our system, whether it is tattoo ink pigment or bacteria. When the ink pigment is broken down, the macrophages aren’t completely destroyed, and they still have the ability to pass on the ink pigment to new macrophages that replace them.
Laser tattoo removal takes more than one session because of the efforts of the macrophage cells, requiring up to 10 sessions for a complete removal.
Tattoo Removal Oxidation: Why Does My Tattoo Look Darker?
So what is going on when a tattoo becomes darker after a laser tattoo removal treatment? As discussed above, laser tattoo removal involves breaking down the ink beneath the skin, and letting the immune system flush it out bit by bit.
However, as we break down the ink, we also release the components that make up the ink. In some pigments and inks popularly used in tattoos, some of these components are actually metals.
White ink gets its color from its high amounts of titanium dioxide, which is a white metal oxide that is known for its high reflectiveness (mostly used in sunscreen products). Other metals used for other pigments include chromium, iron oxide, and mercury.
When the laser treatment breaks down the ink and releases these metal components, they oxidize, or undergo a reaction in which they chemically combine with oxygen. This turns the white pigmentation into a darker, gray shade, spreading a darker color over the tattoo.
Does this mean that the laser tattoo removal treatments aren’t working? No; in fact, it means that the treatments are working, because it proves that the ink is being effectively broken down.
You might also notice that while the parts that were previously lighter have now become darker, other areas that were darker are becoming more faded. Just keep attending your laser tattoo removal treatments and your tattoo should be gone in no time.
Other Laser Tattoo Removal FAQ
How long does it take for a tattoo to fade after laser tattoo removal?
Laser tattoo removal is a slow and meticulous process that cannot be rushed, as it needs to follow the natural healing cycles of your skin. The exact timeline for your laser tattoo removal will depend on a number of factors, including:
The color of your skin: You may experience hyperpigmentation (your skin becoming darker) if you have a darker skin tone
The colors of your tattoo: The greater the contrast between your tattoo color and skin color, the easier it is to remove, which explains how black tattoos are generally easy to work with. And colors such as purple, yellow, and green can cause a lot of difficulty to remove
The location of your tattoo: The closer your tattoo is to your heart, the more blood circulation there will be around the area, meaning the body will have an easier time flushing out the ink. Tattoos on the ankles, while great for beauty photos, are known for taking the longest to remove
What should I do after laser tattoo removal?
What you should do after your laser tattoo removal mostly depends on what stage of the tattoo removal you are on.
If you just went through your first laser tattoo removal and you’re wondering how you still have your tattoo, remember that you’ve barely begun the tattoo removal process. It can take anywhere from 3-10 sessions spaced 4-8 weeks apart for proper skin rejuvenation and healing, depending on the size and color of your tattoo.
For laser tattoo aftercare, it is important to take care of your treated area, or you risk the possibility of bruising, scabbing, blistering, and swelling, as well as a kind of whitening of the treated spot. For best results, you will want to practice the following tips:
Keep the treated area bandaged for up to 3 days after every laser removal treatment, with ointment applied regularly.
Avoid picking any scabs and try not to worry about any blisters that may form. Itching is normal as well and should be avoided for optimal skin rejuvenation.
If you experience signs of redness, oozing, or dark crusting, there is a possibility your treated skin has become infected. Call your doctor immediately.
What else can I do to maximize my laser removal recovery and results?
It is essential that your body is as healthy as it can be, so the biggest piece of advice we can give you is to be healthy, and avoid unhealthy habits. This means that you should be eating only nutritious and organic food leading up to and between your laser treatments, as well as regularly exercising to keep your body pumped. Maximize your beauty by maximizing your health.
You should also avoid excessive stress, as stress can drastically reduce a body’s ability to properly heal. Smoking is also one way to dramatically lessen the effects of laser tattoo removal, with some patients who regularly smoke experiencing up to 70% less effective tattoo removal during the process.
Get Your Tattoo Lasered Off with Laser Experts Today
Looking to have your tattoo removed by the best laser clinic in New Jersey?
At Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser Center, we treat patients with unwanted tattoos all the time. Our state-of-the-art laser equipment coupled with our laser expert team makes us one of the best providers of trusted and reliable tattoo laser treatment and various other skin and laser treatments in the New Jersey area.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your tattoo, or any other laser concern you may have. We are more than happy to answer any questions and concerns!
