Laser Hair Removal in Twickenham

What is laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal treatment uses targeted amplified light which is absorbed by pigmentation (melanin) within the hair root and blood supply causing a growing hair to stop growing and fall out.

Thames Skin Clinic use Alexandrite (755) and Nd:YAG (1064) wavelength lasers which have the ability to treat all skin types. With 6-8 treatments we are able to eliminate 90% of hair growth.

Our expertise lies in defining best treatment options to make the most positive change. Always working ethically to give the best treatment result with the minimum number of procedures. We assess all patients before going ahead with treatment.

Thames Skin Clinic uses the safest and most up to date laser technology to treat patients and we are very happy to see you for an initial skin consultation where your concerns can be assessed as well as your suitability for individual skin treatments.

Tell me more about Laser Hair Removal

We assess patient specific factors to determine the likely number of treatments for your course.

patient skin type
hair type – thickness, colour, length
treatment site – facial hair, body areas
medical history – diseases
hormone conditions (poly cystic ovaries)
medications
ethnicity – genetic factors

Brown and black hair types show the greatest response to laser hair removal. White, pale blond and light grey hairs cannot absorb the targeted amplified light and do not yield the best results.

Usually 6-8 treatment are required. For some patients they may need more depending on your individual hair and skin types.

Laser hair removal treatments are spaced several weeks apart.

Facial hair 4-8 week intervals
Body hair 6-10 week intervals
Back or leg hair 8-12 weeks intervals

Facial skin has significantly more hair follicles per cm than the body, which is why you can see results within the first three to four treatments with shorter intervals than on the body.

Unwanted hair may be caused by medical conditions such as hirsutism, hypertrichosis and other disorders. Treatments using the Excel HR and V+ systems will not cure the medical conditions causing unwanted hair but will reduce the unwanted hair the condition causes.

How does Laser Hair Removal Work?

Permanent hair reduction is achieved by using targeted heat to disable the hair follicle and prevent re-growth.

The deepest part of the hair follicle is the bulb where stem cells work, this and an area called the bulge a little further up the follicle are the areas responsible for re-growth and are targeted by the laser hair removal treatment.
Treatment works on hairs that are in their growth (anagen) phase. Only growing hair is attached to the blood supply and therefore are in the right phase for the laser treatment to be effectively targeted and disabled.
Multiple treatments are required to achieve sufficient reduction in hair growth as each hair goes through 3 growth cycles independently of the neighbouring hairs, so not all hairs will be in the same phase at the same time.

How does hair behave after Laser Hair Removal treatment?

Hair may grow back lighter and finer, and settings may need to be adjusted to target this new hair.

Patients may experience a period during their treatment journey where minimal hair is present, this is due to a transitional or resting phase in hair growth. If this occurs we wait until hair is actively growing to resume the treatment cycle.

How often do we schedule Laser Hair Removal treatments?

Treatment interval recommendations are a general guideline only and are a compilation of intervals used by our Thames Skin Clinic Expert Laser Therapists.

Facial hair 4-8 week intervals
Body hair 6-10 week intervals
Back or leg hair 8-12 week intervals

Why is maintenance treatment needed?

Maintenance visits are required to maintain hair free skin.

Facial hair is retreated more frequently than body areas as the hair density is higher.

Maintenance treatment will be explained in detail at your consultation where we will educate you about hair growth and how maintenance treatments work.

Can results be guaranteed?

Our Cutera Lasers offer one of the most effective laser treatments in the world.

Even though these devices are effective in the majority of cases, no guarantees can be made. Complete clearance may not be achieved by all patients and it may take multiple treatments obtain optimal results. Some patients may not respond as well and, in rare cases, stimulation of new hair growth can occur on facial areas of treatment. This is less common on the body areas.

Why Cutera?

The benefits of our Excel HR and V+ laser hair removal treatment include:

Epidermal cooling and protection using our specialist sapphire window.
Fewer treatments required to achieve the same results as other less medical lasers

Is this treatment suitable for me?

We assess all patients before going ahead with laser hair removal treatment as different wavelengths of laser are suitable for different hair and skin types.

Laser treatment with Alexandrite 755 laser are best for lighter brown hair types and fairer skin whereas Nd:YAG 1064 laser can be used for Fitzpatrick skin type I – VI (White to Black) and darker hair. Laser does not target and cannot be absorbed by white or light grey hair.

Different colour hair responds to and is targeted by different wavelengths.

Both laser wavelengths can be used to treat multiple areas including

Facial hair
Body hair
Intimate areas

Specific targeted laser treatment is suitable for specific skin and hair types. At your initial assessment we will discuss the treatment options suitable for you.

In addition some medical conditions and medication can affect treatment. Please discuss this treatment with us if you are pregnant or breast feeding.

How safe is treatment?

Laser treatment is extremely safe when using medical CE and FDA approved lasers and fully trained staff.

Our doctors and therapists are highly trained in the use of Lasers and can be consulted to discuss treatment options.

Will I feel any pain or discomfort during my treatment?

We offer several types of laser treatment. Each can feel different but you do not need local anaesthetic for this treatment. Laser combines the use of different wavelengths for hair removal as well as to treat skin redness, vascular lesions, pigmentation and other conditions in the skin.

Are there any side effects to treatment or risks associated?

Treatment is safe and effective way to treat pigmentation and vascular skin conditions. Your skin will be a little red and some can have some skin irritation following treatment. It is essential to follow our aftercare advice following your laser treatment.

How much downtime is usually needed and what should I expect?

Following laser treatment your skin will be a little red. There is often no downtime. However we will be able to discuss this depending on your skin type.

Procedure

First your medical history will be taken followed by an examination of the areas where you would like hair to be removed. We will discuss whether laser treatment is the most suitable for you and if this will address your expectations from our treatment.

When the treatment procedure has been fully explained you will be required to sign a consent form and a photograph will be taken for your confidential records.

How to prepare your hair

Do not pluck or wax targeted hair in between treatment sessions as the bulb and bulge of the hair follicle must be present in order to laser it.

Patch Tests

A patch test is always required at least 24/48 hours prior to treatment, in some cases the patch test will cover the whole treatment area, ie for a single spot treatment, in this case a patch test is not required.

A patch test helps to monitor settings and response of the lesion and see how the surrounding skin tissue reacts. It is safe practice and enables effective results.

Treatment areas

Both laser wavelengths Alexandrite 755 and ND:YAG 1064 can be used to treat multiple areas including

- Facial hair
- Body hair
- Intimate areas

To discuss laser treatment further and understand how laser treatment can help you specifically we invite you to make an appointment with our Senior Therapist.

Side effects

Normal post-laser side effects include some heat and redness/blushing in the skin and some tightness, darkening and crusting of the lesion.

Some resolve within hours, others a few days up to 7-14 days post treatment. This all depends on the type of concern treated on the day.

Aftercare

Once treated with Alexandrite or Nd:YAG laser the hairs in their growth phase will slowly fall out. Fall out normally takes 2 weeks but in some cases can be up to 4 weeks. The remaining hairs can then be treated in your next session.

How to look after your skin

Avoid make-up for 24-48 hrs.
Ensure makeup, brushes, pads and other applications are clean, preferably new.
Do not use active treatment products on the skin for the next 24-48 hrs (Glycolic, Retinol, Salicylic acid).
Omit your normal skincare routine until discussed with your Thames Skin therapist. Some products in skincare can irritate your skin following treatment.
Your Therapist can provide a suitable post-procedure skincare plan for you.
Use sun cream / moisturiser with high SPF (Factor 30 and above for 4 weeks post treatment). High quality SPF can be purchased after treatment. We recommend ZO SPF 30 or BroadSpectrum SPF50
If feeling tight and hot post treatment we recommend ZO Skin Health hydrating and calming cream.
Moisturise the skin, starting 4 hours post treatment and continuing twice a day for 4 weeks. Hydrating and Calming cream is excellent for this.

Things to avoid

Avoid excessive exercise for 48-72 hrs post treatment.
Avoid direct sunlight on the area for 7-14 days post treatment.
Avoid steam rooms, saunas, swimming and hot showers for 24-48hrs post treatment.
Avoid touching, picking or scratching the area as this will increase the chance of scarring.

When skin returns to normal your skincare regime can resume. If you do not have a skincare routine we can set this up for you. Good skincare encourages skin health and helps prolong treatment results.

If you have any concerns following your laser treatment please contact the clinic immediately.

At Thames Skin Clinic Dr Hemming has designed her bespoke laser treatments to help vascular skin problems and treat pigmentation and skin rejuvenation as well as smooth unwanted lines and wrinkles. Click here to arrange a consultation.

Laser treatments vary by the area of treatment and type of treatment to give you the best results. We often get asked about the cost of treatment. At Thames Skin Clinic we pride ourselves on results rather than focus on the price of a treatment, it is more important that we get the correct quality of product rather than offer cut price treatments, products and services (especially when it comes to medical treatments). You will never see Thames Skin Clinic advertising services on social coupon sites such as Groupon as we believe they have a negative impact on our customer safety, results and satisfaction. We also wish to abide by the advertising regulator and work in a safe ethical manor.

Our prices reflect the skill, training and premier product choices we have made as well as the true reflection of the beautiful bespoke clinic surroundings.

To discuss Laser treatment and for a detailed consultation regarding the best options for you please call us today and book an initial consultation with our specialist practitioners. There is a charge for appointments with Dr Hemming and deposits are taken for appointments with laser therapists which are then put towards to the treatment cost and redeemable on the day of first treatment. If you decide not to go ahead with laser, the deposit is redeemed as a consultation charge.

As our lasers treats so many different skin condition and hair types, colours and body areas. We prefer to assess your skin before providing you with a quote for treatment. We price laser treatments into body areas for laser hair removal as well as single lesion, small, medium and large areas for facial veins, body veins and pigmentation.

Laser Hair Removal treatments prices

Courses of 6 may be recommended for optimal results.

From £50
Courses of 6 treatments from £250

Here are some of the areas we treat. More available by contacting Thames Skin Clinic.

Women

Upper Lip – From £55
Chin – From £60
Underarms – From £100
Legs – From £220
Arms – From £135
Bikini – From £165

Men

Beard – From £160
Chest/ Stomach – From £220
Shoulders/ Back- From £220

Laser Rejuvenation treatments prices

As our laser treats so many different skin conditions we prefer to assess your skin before providing you with a quote for treatment. We price laser treatments into lesions as well as small medium or large areas.

Courses of 3 or 6 may be recommended for optimal results.

Facial Veins

Single thread veins from £195
Medium areas from £395
Full Face £595

Leg Veins

Small areas from £295
Medium areas from £495
large areas from £695

If laser isn’t suitable for your leg veins, we can look at other options such as Sclerotherapy.

Pigmentation

Small area, spot treatment from £195
Medium lesions / cluster of small lesions £395
Large lesions / multiple small lesions £595

Laser Genesis

Single treatments from £395
Packages of 3 £999
Packages of 6 £1999

Acne Treatment

Single treatment £395
Package of 3 £999

Cutera Excel HR

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