More than ever, patients are seeking safe, effective, and long-lasting treatments to get rid of unwanted hair. Offering the latest in hair removal technologies allows your clinic to tap into this growing segment of the aesthetic market. The global laser hair removal market size is expected to grow.
Beauty trends come and go, but unwanted hair is an evergreen concern among customers with high aesthetic standards. At the moment, facial hair, such as hair growth on lips, neck, chin, and the sideburn area, are the new areas driving consumer interest in hair removal treatments.
Additionally, technological advancements in aesthetic lasers are augmenting market growth by making hair removal treatments safer for a broader range of skin types. These combined factors mean that there’s never been a better time for clinicians to focus on their hair removal
The Best Hair Removal Technologies
Early laser treatments for hair removal were typically very slow and painful, and they only worked on people with dark hair and fair skin. Thankfully, science has come a long way since then. Today, four types of lasers are generally used for hair removal, each employing a different medium to deliver energy. This energy deeply penetrates the melanin in the hair root, disrupting the follicle and, therefore, disabling hair growth.
Ruby lasers and Alexandrite lasers were two types of lasers used early on to treat unwanted hair. The Ruby laser has become less popular as more effective technologies have been developed due to its narrow beam, which requires more and longer sessions to obtain results.
The Alexandrite laser is among the fastest lasers available, but its effectiveness is limited to people with light to olive-toned skin. Diode and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) are the most recent technologies for hair removal and offer safe and effective results for light and dark-skinned patients.
Diode Laser Hair Removal & IPL
Diode laser technology has outstripped the competitors in terms of efficacy in safety. It also has been shown to be more successful with a broader spectrum of skin shades. Besides the aforementioned benefits, diode lasers offer higher precision during treatment. This means that they can selectively target a particular body part and effectively remove the hair without harming the surrounding skin of the area. Combined precision and performance make diode laser treatments faster and more comfortable for the consumer, which in turn makes them more popular. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) uses selective photothermolysis for the removal of hair. The main consideration with IPL is that they take greater skill on the part of the clinician to get the best outcome.
Pulse duration is an important consideration with laser hair removal treatments for patients with darker skin tones. A longer pulse duration, or pulse width, improves safety because the energy is delivered over a longer period of time at a lesser intensity than lasers with shorter pulse duration. Shorter wavelengths and pulse durations can damage the epidermal layer and result in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), which appears as a darkening of the skin or other avoidable side effects. The advent of longer wavelength lasers is helping more patients obtain safe and effective hair removal, including those with darker skin tones.
Market Check: Hair Removal Treatments For Darker Skin Tones
One market segment that has been underestimated until recently is that of consumers with darker skin tones. This is an untapped client base that has a high level of interest in treating unwanted hair. Advances in device technology have now made laser hair removal appropriate for dark-skinned individuals. However, most of these consumers are not aware of this yet. Reaching out to these oft-ignored potential clients will pay off for clinics who make the effort to do so. This can be done through marketing that focuses on patient education and highlighting the safety and efficacy of the new hair removal technology for darker skin types.
The first step for growing your aesthetic practice’s patient base is by offering the treatment that works for people with pigments skin, such as diode laser and intense pulsed light treatments. Many studies also stress the importance of pre- and post-treatment cooling to prevent the risk of side effects, such as post-treatment hyperpigmentation, which is more likely to occur in dark skin.
Venus Concept Hair Removal Devices
The right hair removal equipment is essential for any aesthetics business. Venus Concept has you covered with various options for IPL and diode laser hair removal machines.
Venus Versa™ is a versatile, multi-application platform that uses Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) with SmartPulse™ to deliver hair removal treatments. For clinics prioritizing a high return on device ownership, it also provides other popular, non-invasive aesthetic procedures, including photofacials, acne treatments, skin resurfacing, and wrinkle reduction. Adaptable and innovative, it makes the most of Venus Concept’s cutting-edge technological advances in one powerful platform.
Venus Velocity™ is our full-scale hair removal device, for clinics that are planning to offer robust hair removal services. With the proven efficacy of diode laser technology and a real-time cooling system, Venus Velocity™ provides the optimal balance between high energy absorption of melanin chromophores and deep penetration into the skin. Its pulse and slide modes make it a versatile device ready to use on all areas of the body. Of course, it is effective for all skin types, including tanned skin.
Venus Epileve™ is a tabletop device, making it compact, portable, and mobile for increased efficiency. The easy-to-use applicator delivers fast and comfortable hair removal treatments for an experience that’s as smooth for the operator as it is for the client. Like our other devices, it is designed to be safe for all skin types, including tanned skin.
To learn more about these, or to discover our many other aesthetic devices, reach out to speak to an expert today.
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