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Looking Good in Later Life 32
May 2004

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Lasercare - Treatments for Broken Veins, Blemish & Birthmark Removal, Lines and Wrinkles, Botox, Collagen, Tattoo removal, Cosmetic surgery and moreLooking Good in laterlife is a regular column reporting on the latest tips on beauty products and processes for the more mature face and body.

Anyone who has looked after her (or his) appearance over the years has the edge in later life compared to ravers who burned all their candles at both ends. 

3lookinggood.jpg (14084 bytes)A vast industry is out there to help with all and every beauty concern. In this column every month laterlife.com will report on ideas and products, old and new. All with the focus on maturity of course.

  

Hair Removal: Electrolysis v. Laser Treatment

Hair on the face and body may be natural and normal, but women don’t like it.  And the paradox is that with age, hair on the head gets thinner as facial hair increases. Of course it’s all to do with hormones – in this case, more testosterone and less oestrogen. So what can you do about it? 

Shaving makes hair seem coarser and produces stubble. Waxing is painful and unsuitable for the face. Creams do work but have to be used regularly. The ideal solution is to get rid of the hairs permanently, and there is only one method, electrolysis, though laser treatment may be an alternative.

Electrolysis

How it works:  Fine needles are used to penetrate each single hair. An electric current passes through the needle to destroy the hair follicles, one at a time. There are three main systems of electrolysis,  Short Wave Diathermy, Galvanism and a combination of the two. These use either heat or a chemical reaction, or both. Choice depends on type of skin and hair, and a qualified practitioner will advise on this.  

Advantages:  A permanent treatment in the long run.

Disadvantages: A slow process, as each hair must be treated. Some people will find the treatment slightly painful. Many hairs will regrow, though more finely, and have to be treated a second or even third time. Because of this, the treatment can be costly, with a 15 minute session costing around £15.  Treatment usually takes several months, with sessions once every 6 weeks. Can irritate sensitive skin and even cause scarring in the hands of someone unqualified. Choose a practitioner who is on one of the professional registers – see below. 

Laser and Intense Pulsed Light

How they work: With standard lasers, a beam of light is focussed on the hairs and this weakens hair follicles. The treatment is most suitable for people with light skin and dark hairs as it is the pigment of the hair that is affected. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) may be offered under a brand name such as Epilight. This uses a particular type of light thought to be more effective than standard lasers, especially on people with light coloured hairs or darker skin.

Advantages:  Quicker, with a large area of hair treated in a single session, therefore more suitable for leg as well as facial hair, though several sessions are usually required

Disadvantages:  Results are very variable and not usually permanent. Studies show that a range of 10 per cent up to 80 per cent of hair treated will regrow after a year. Some people experience no hair change and there is concern that some salons claim permanent hair removal rather than ‘reduction’.  Neither laser nor IPL work well on blonde or red hair. The treatments are expensive – could be £300 or more for facial hair, around £1,200 for legs. Sensations during treatment may be a mild sting or heat, and the skin may be red or swollen afterwards.

If used incorrectly, lasers and IPL can burn and scar, and alter the pigment of skin.

British Association of Electrolysists
0870 128 0477

http://www.electrolysis.co.uk/



 

Institute of Electrolysis
01908 521511
www.electrolysis.co.uk

   

  

        

Previous editions of Looking Good in laterlife 

Edition 1 (including a visit to Estee Lauder)

Edition 2 (including a visit to Clarins)

Edition 3 (including a visit to Medestea Internazionale

Edition 4 (including a visit to Martha Hill Skincare)

Edition 5 (including a visit to Harrods)

Edition 6 (including a visit to Belgravia Centre)

Edition 7 (including a visit to Vichy Laboratoire)

Edition 8 (including a visit to Avene Spa)

Edition 9 (including fashion tips)

Edition 10 eyebrows, eyelashes, sun and skin

Edition 11 (including a visit to Lasercare Clinics)

Edition 12 - Lasercare Clinics offer their expertise on common skin conditions

Edition 13 - Ageing skin in the new millennium

Edition 14 - A visit to Helen Sher

Edition 15 -  More from Helen Sher and Lasercare Clinics

Edition 16  A visit to Champneys London Clubs

Edition 17 - Seeking Cosmetic Surgery

Edition 18 -  Does hair dye cause cancer?

Edition 19 - How not to look like mutton dressed as lamb..    

Edition 20 - What cosmetic dentistry can do for you  - Part one

Edition 21 - What cosmetic dentistry can do for you  - Part two

Edition 22 - What’s new at Estee Lauder?

Edition 23 - Lancome -  a perennial favourite

Edition 24- The latest from Clarins

Edition 25 - East meets west with Shiseido  

Edition 26 -  Nutrimetics

Edition 27 -  Nutrimetics - Special offer

Edition 28  - Nutrimetics workshop

Edition 29  -  Exfoliation

Edition 30  - mail order shopping

Edition 31  - sunscreen lotions

Edition 32  - Electrolysis

 verticalline.jpg (2301 bytes) Previous Visits

laterlife.com occasionally visits one of the great cosmetic houses, up-and-coming beauty collections or other organisations of interest to the more mature visitor.

Edition 1 Estee Lauder

Edition 2 Clarins

Edition 3 Medestea Internazionale

Edition 4 Martha Hill Skincare

Edition 5 Harrods
Edition 6 The Belgravia Centre

Edition 7 Vichy Laboratoire

Edition 8 Avene Spa  

Edition 11 Lasercare Clinics

Edition 14 - Helen Sher

Edition 16  A visit to Champneys London Clubs    

 

 



laterlife interest

Don't forget to take a look at the rest of the features sections of laterlife.com:

laterlife interest containing a variety of articles of interest for visitors to laterlife.com written by a number of experienced and new journalists.

It includes both one off articles and also regular columns of a more specialist nature such as healthwise  and talkback

Also don't forget to take a look at our regular IT question and answer section called YoucandoIT by IT trainer and author Jackie Sherman.

To view the latest articles and indexes to previous articles click on laterlife interest here or above.  To search for articles about a certain topic, use the site search feature below.

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