Chicago Laser Hair Removal Has 6 Skin Types… Which One Are You?

Did you know that dermatologist actually caterogize people by their skin type? I didn’t… Why you might ask? Because (especially if they are using laser hair removal) the machines they use are calibrated by your skin type.

So what are the skin types? Well, first let me tell you a little about who discovered them.

A gentleman by the name of Dr. Thomas B. Fitzpatrick of Harvard medical school developed this rating scale in 1975. What he found was that almost all people, when exposed to the sun could be grouped into 1 of 6 different groups. These are labeled Skin Type I-VI.

Skin Type I: This group usually consists of people who have very pale skin and are very sensitive to the sun. This skin type always burns when they are out in the sun. Eye and hair color seems to be an indicator as well. Those with red or blond hair and blue/hazel eyes usually are of type I skin. Also, people with numerous freckles or are albino.

Skin Type II: Skin of this type is usually very sensitive to the sun and burns easily. There is none to very little tanning with this skin type. Most people with fair skin and blue eyes would be characterized as having skin type II. But they do make good candidates for laser hair removal as the lasers can discern between the skin and the darker hair follicle!

Skin Type III: Darker white skin will normally fall into this group. They are sensitive to the sun and will sometimes burn. They do tan but is a slow tan and the skin will become a light brown color. Examples of this skin type would be people of European mix and darker Caucasians.

Skin Type IV: People with this skin type normally have a darker skin color and they are minimually affected by the sun. There is very little sun burning and they readily tan to a medium brown. This is a very large group of people in our society and they usually are part of one of these heritages: American Indian, Hispanic, Mediterranean, Asian or European. You see… this is definitely a large part of our population today.

Skin Type V: Skin Type V: Brown skin… The person with this skin type usually is not sensitive to the sun and they will very rarely get sun burns. Their skin also tans very well to a medium or dark brown. Most people that are in this skin type are Hispanic, Middle Eastern or Afro-American.

Skin Type VI: Skin Type VI: The last but not the least is the skin type that is not sensitive to the sun at all and it never sun burns. This skin has a very dark pigmentation and is usually from Afro-American, Middle Eastern or African heritage.

I guess you are probably wondering why I’m telling you this… It’s because when you go to get laser hair removal whether it’s in Chicago or another city, they should have you fill out a questionnaire. This questionnaire is what’s used to determine you Fitzpatrick Skin Type. This is important because the technician will use your skin type to help set up the laser’s energy level! The laser needs to pass through your Skin and target the hair follicle underneath. Now you can see why it’s a good thing thing to know your skin type. You can ask intelligent questions of your technician and hopefully understand his answers when he talks about your skin type of how he came up with your skin type using the Fitzpatrick Skin Typing!

Come back again as i discover and learn more about laser hair removal in all cities including Chicago…

Why Laser Hair Removal In Chicago Or Anywhere Else?

Hello… thank you for stopping by and giving us a read!

As people become more and more aware of laser hair removal whether it’s in Chicago or another city, the procedures become more popular! But, with the increased interest in these procedures that are numerous questions that keep coming up with people i know. So, i thought i’d spend some time talking about those and how lasers work. I know when i had my first treatment, i had a bunch of questions. Luckily, the people that treated me were very professional and answered all my questions.

What kind of questions you might be asking… well… some of these:

1. What is a laser and how does it work?
It’s a hand held device (machine) that the laser hair removal technicians use during the procedure. They come in about 5 different (main) types. Two of those really aren’t used much if any at all. So, basically there are 3 main types: Alexandrite, Pulsed diode array and Nd:YAG. The first one Alexandrite is used mainly on light skinned people as it’s very effective for that skin type. Pulse Diode Array is for a medium skin type. Nd:YAG will treat all 6 different skin types and is very versital. This one is the best for darker skin types.

Now, how does it work… lol.. i’ve talked with friends and the answers they’ve come up with are … well … silly and funny… One lady i know said she thought it worked like a very very tiny razor and just cut the hair super close to the skin… umm.. not really.. LOL…. another friend of mine said she thought it melted the skin and filled in the holes where the hair lives thus sealing in the hair!  Wow… really??? NOT!  heheh…  This is how they basically work:   It’s a high energy light that is pulsed (so it’s only on for a very short period). This intensified light targets the dark pigment of the Hair Follicle and burns it causing damage to the follicle. By doing this, it disables the hair growth cycle. Now, the important part to remember is that Hair Grows in 3 stages! … it must be damaged during the growing stage to be effective. The treatment can’t pick out which hairs are in which stage and that’s why there are multiple laser hair removal sessions needed. All you hair isn’t growing at the same time. Make sense?

The bigger the Hair to Skin color difference, the better the results. But, with technology gaining strides with new developments most hair and skin colors can be treated. Just make sure you talk with the doctor and discuss your specific skin and hair color and what kind of results they think are possible. Unfortunately, not everyone is a good candidate for the procedures. The spa that you go to should be able to tell you how you will respond to the treatments. Oh… a good spa will also give you a FREE consultation!

2. What’s the Biggest Advantage of Laser Hair Removal?
Well, that’s a relative question i think… but i think it’s probably Body Parts! Sounds weird huh? lol… what i mean is that most of the body can become hair free! You can get your face, lip, chin, arms, chest, back, legs, bottom, pubic area all treated with laser hair removal. I know all those are available in Chicago and guessing they are treatable in other cities as well! I think the only area they can’t or don’t treat is the area very close to the eyes.

3. Does Laser Hair Removal Hurt?
For the most part, it’s relatively painless. But, i really depends on your pain threshold. It sort of feels like snapping a small rubber-band against your skin. The good news is that there are topical ointments that can be use to help reduce or even eliminate the small amount of pain! All spas are different and what they offer for pain reduction. If you are afraid of the small amount of pain… i would definitely ask your treatment provider what they recommend and how effective it really is…

Well, that’s all i have for now… please come back often to see what else i have instore for YOU!