The Gold Standard in Laser Hair Removal!

You may think that if you want to be hair free you're going to have to pay the price in terms of time commitment and discomfort. And you may even think, depending on your ethnicity, that the laser won't work on your type of skin.

That might have been the case with some of the laser hair removal systems on the market in the past. But there is a new, improved laser in town and it's addressing all of those previous concerns.

Rockledge Medspa at the Dermatology & Clinical Skin Care Center www.dermskin.com in Bethesda is now featuring the Duet, considered to be the most exciting innovation in laser hair removal in over 10 years. The Duet is especially efficient for large areas which now can take half the time or less than they did before. And of course the reduction in discomfort would be enough to win us over since we like to keep our suffering for beauty to a minimum!

This is the time of year to start the treatments so you'll be ready when shorts and beach weather are in full swing. With that in mind we spoke to Jennifer Whitman, a Physician's Assistant at the dermatology practice who also uses Duet to answer some of our basic questions about how it works:

Q: Can you tell us about the Duet laser hair removal system and what makes it better than some other systems?

A: This laser is different from other lasers for a few reasons. It uses a 810 nm wavelength which is the most specific wavelength to target hair pigment. It also is much less painful than other lasers because it uses a suction device to pick the skin up before the laser fires and this greatly reduces any discomfort. The suction device also improves the efficacy of the laser because it blanches any competing pigments in the the skin and brings the hair follicles closer to the laser.

Q: Who is a good candidate for laser hair removal with this system?

A: The laser can be used on more skin types than the majority of lasers currently in use. We can treat skin types I-IV. This includes very fair skin, European skin types, Hispanic, and East and South Asian Skin types. Although the Duet has been used in clinical trials on darker skin types (African Americas), our providers’ personal experiences with this laser have shown that some undesirable pigment disturbances have occurred with the Light Sheer, so we still treat darker skin with a Yag laser which has been very safe and effective. All hair lasers work by targeting brown pigment so none of the hair lasers can treat blond or white hairs because they lack pigment.

Q: How many sessions will it take for some of the most popular treatments like underarms, legs, bikini and back?

A: For underarms, bikini, arms, legs and back most patients will need an average of 6-8 treatments to achieve 80-90% reduction. Facial hair can require more treatments depending on ethnic background, genetics and hormonal factors.

Q: Are there any risks or side effects with this laser?

A: The Duet has very few side effects. There can be temporary redness, swelling, or discoloration of the treated areas.

Q: Is the hair removal permanent or will it require touch ups later on?

A: With enough treatments, the hair removal will be permanent. With every treatment, the patient has a permanent reduction in the amount of hairs, the coarseness of the hairs, and the rate that it re-grows. For all these reasons, this is a great option for people who are prone to ingrown hairs, “hair bumps” and discoloration from shaving, tweezing, and waxing. Recently we have seen a great increase in the number of male patients who are choosing laser hair removal of their facial hair as an alternative to daily shaving.

Q: What is the approximate cost for the most popular areas to be treated?

A: Cost of treatments varies according to size and location of areas treated so it is impossible to give a complete price list. Complimentary price consultations are available in our Med Spa.

Rockledge Medspa
6410 Rockledge Drive Suite #205
Bethesda, MD 20817
301-968-1200
www.dermskin.com

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Skin & Hair Solutions Are the Goal at Laser Plus!

Lasers are being used for so many skin and unwanted hair problems these days and there is a place in Northern Virginia that specializes in solutions. Not only does Laser Plus www.laserplus.bz in Vienna, VA offer laser hair removal and IPL photo-facials but they are also one of the premier centers in our area for electrolysis--a treatment we don't hear as much about these days but may be needed in combination with laser hair removal to treat certain areas.

Having opened their doors almost 26 years ago, Laser Plus has professionals on staff who are licensed and are always keeping up with the latest technologies.

One of those professionals, Naiema Riaz is sharing some her expertise with BeautyInDC.com so we can choose the best anti-aging skin and hair removal treatments to suit our needs.

Q: Naiema what is your background and training?

A: I am a licensed Skin Therapist and a Certified Electrologist with over 15 yrs of experience. I owned my own business in Toronto, Canada and moved with my family to the US 10 yrs ago. I have worked with various skin types and am continually taking education classes or seminars to increase my knowledge in skin care and permanent hair removal.


Q: What are some of the skin therapies offered at Laser Plus?

A: At Laser Plus we offer Laser Hair Removal, electrolysis, Permanent Make-Up, Small Vein Removal, Tooth Whitening, IPL (photo facials), and Microdermabrasion.

We are very excited to be introducing Skin Care. We have added an all organic skin care line and now offer various facials but specialize in problematic skin care.


Q: If someone is focused on an anti-aging skin care and wants to improve the look of their skin what type of laser treatment would you suggest?

A: I would suggest they go for an anti-aging photo facial or IPL skin rejuvenation. IPL (intense pulsed lighting) uses a laser light to target spots, freckles, broken capillaries, rosacea and it also stimulates collagen production which in turn helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Loss of collagen and elastin fibers in our skin leads to fine lines and wrinkles. Within a few more treatments (approx 3-5) treatments, a client can see smoother firmer skin and a decrease in fine lines and wrinkles.


Q: Is there any down time or recovery time needed for the IPL Photo Facial?

A: This is the best part of IPL photo facials- No down time! You can come in on your lunch hour, have the treatment done and return to work with little or no side effects to worry about. The most important thing to do is apply SPF.


Q: What types of improvements can someone expect from IPL—will it improve wrinkles and brown spots?

A: If a client has brown spots, sun damage, rosacea, fine lines, wrinkles, or acne skin, a series of 3-5 sessions can improve and/or eliminate these conditions. As skin ages, we start to loose collagen and elastin fibers which cause the age spots,broken capillaries and fine lines. The IPL coagulates or shrinks the brown spots by heating the area and targeting the melanin (color), gradually making them lighter and eventually disappear.


Q: Tell us a little bit more about electrolysis and what problems you can solve with this treatment?

A: Electrolosysis is my love. Electrolysis is the only safe, permanent, and medically approved method of hair removal. A very fine probe is inserted into the pre which is a natural opening in our skin that contains the hair follicle and then the hair is removed with forceps. A good electrolysis treatment is one in which you don’t feel any tugging, pulling, or tweezing. The treated hair should gently slide out. Electrolysis is safe for any body part from head to toe.
It does take a few more treatments before results are obtained depending on previous hair removal methods. Our electrologits can do a consultation for you and help you choose whether you are a good candidate for electrolysis.

Laser Plus 380 Maple Avenue, West Suite 301 Vienna, VA 22180 703-281-1877 www.laserplus.bz

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