Hair removal technologies
The various systems for permanent hair removal, such as IPL (e.g. the Toplite Cosmetic Systems Xenia Plus RF), SHR (e.g. the Toplite Cosmetic Systems Xenia SHR e-motion) and diode lasers (e.g. the Toplite Cosmetic Systems X-Laser NXT & the NEW 4 MAX) are all based on the principle of selective photothermolysis. This uses the property of the pigments in the hair to convert light into heat. Depending on the system, the heat attacks different structures of the hair that are responsible for its reproduction and thus prevents the future production of new hair. As hair growth is subject to a fixed cycle, around 6 to 12 treatments are required for a permanent result, depending on the technology used.
The systems differ in their light source, the mechanism of action, the treatment mode and the number of treatments.
Light source: IPL and SHR use a xenon lamp as the light source, while the laser generates light from the source of the same name.
Mechanism of action: With IPL, the matrix cells of the hair root, which are part of the hair’s reproductive mechanism, are desolate at a short-term temperature of 70-75°C. The stem cells, which command the hair root to produce new hair, must dock to the matrix cells in order to pass on the information to produce new hair. The stem cells, which give the hair root the command to produce hair, must dock onto the matrix cells in order to pass on the information that a new hair is being formed. If this “port” for “docking” is permanently impaired, no reproduction command is given and the hair growth cycle is permanently interrupted.
SHR, on the other hand, acts directly on the stem cells, which carry the information for new hair formation. If the stem cells are irreversibly damaged at a temperature of 40-45°C, there is no longer a production command and the hair growth cycle is interrupted.
Different laser systems are subject to the mechanism of action of IPL and / or SHR.
Treatment mode: The treatment mode is closely linked to the mechanism of action. As IPL requires a high temperature to be generated for a short period of time, we work with overlapping points. With SHR, we need a lower temperature, but this must be maintained over a longer period of time. Accordingly, we treat in motion and cover the area several times.
Number of treatments: Due to the different mechanisms of action, the intervals and number of treatments required vary depending on the technology. With IPL, 6-12 treatments are usually required for a permanent result. The interval depends on the corresponding growth cycles for each area of the body, as the hair is only anchored in the root during the active growth phase and the matrix cells of the hair root can only be reached in this way. With SHR, the treatment interval is 4 weeks, as the stem cells in question are located further up in the hair and can therefore not only be treated during the active growth phase. The number of treatments here is 6-10. 6-8 treatments are normally required with the diode laser, which combines both methods.
