Just wondering if someone can explain the settings on the Alexandrite laser. Fluence, pulse and spot size?

I'm pretty sure I know the difference, just looking for explination of which settings are better? ie. a strong fluence = a better result? how much does the pulse play in the final results?

Thanks!

What area again? How coarse is the hair? Maybe Choice can help on the level part or you can e-mail poster 'Romeo' if Choice doesn't see this.

Dee

Chin area and quite coarse hair, dark.

In the beginning when the hair is dark and coarse you want to use the largest spot size available at the highest setting. The Apogee I believe has a max spot size of 15mm. The Candela lasers have a max spot size of 18mm.

After a number of sessions, generally 2-3 with most areas of the body, but the face takes many more. Generally 10 proper treatments vs. 6 for other body parts.

So after the hairs become lighter and finer in my practice I would reduce the spot size and increase the joules. I use a candela so start at 18mm and 20j ideally. Reduce to 15mm and >25j and the last treatment will sometimes be reduced to 10mm with another increase in joules. This is to treat the finer hairs.

You are going to want a numbing agent on the face and be prepared for a long treatment schedule. The face is the most difficult area to clear.

I hope this was the kind of info you were looking for.

Ale, I just read in another post that you are female. These guidelines are true for areas of hair that are dense like male facial hair. Treating females, the main concern is induced growth. Its best to protect the surrounding areas with ice so the heat from the laser does not transfer to the surrounding areas inducing growth. Female facial hair is very tricky. Unless it is thick and coarse electrolysis is the best modality to use.

Apogee Elite is both an alex and a Yag. So if you want the alex, make sure they use that. Generally, highest joules, largest spot size and lowest pulse your skin can handle are best. Do some test spots. Joules in the 20s are best. Pulse goes down to 5ms. Spot size up to 15mm. Use 15mm if at all possible and just vary the joules and pulse.

Also, if you're female with just some patches of hair on your chin, you're likely better off with electrolysis. Laser is best for larger areas with coarse dense hair. Otherwise, it can stimulate finer hairs around those areas to become more coarse.

Tried to find a picture on the net to best show what type of hair I'm dealing with, it's not just a few patches, it dark and thick on the underside of my chin and on the sides. Kind of like this picture on the following page http://www.drjoannaday.com/laser-hair-removal_ba.html

If this is what you are talking about, a good electrologist using microflash or picoflash thermolysis with the biggest probe can clear this area in about one hour. You leave the office hair-free and wait for the next group of hairs to come to the surface in about 3 weeks. Keep clearing the area as groups of hair surface over the next six months. Appointments are usually every 2-3 weeks for the first 3-4 months and once a month for the next nine months.

Blend can be used as well, but the first clearing will take longer.

No matter what laser you would use, you had better have a professional electrologist nearby to close the deal when you have completed the laser treatments.

Hi Dee, thanks for the info. The person I'm seeing for laser also does electrolysis (23 years experience)and we do plan on using that to touch up at the end of my laser sessions. I also have a few other stray hairs that I'll be using electrolysis on at the end of my laser treatments.

lagirl or anyone else who can help,
I've had laser hair treatment at the london skn clinics (who I believe use the apogee elite) and altogether spent over £4000 on treatment on my full arms, full legs, abdomen, lower back, bikini, underarms and face (chin and upper lip) - so pretty much the whole body as I've always been embarrassingly hairy. I'm skin type IV or maybe even III (fair asian). I've had about 7 treatments on all areas. some areas have responded well - lower legs, bikini (although patches still remain). some areas i thought had respnded well - underarms, but after finishing the last treatment about 2 months ago, the hair has started to come back. however, some areas - upper legs, lower back and abdomen have had no change at all, and chin has possibly got worse! arms are very patchy. i dont have any known hormone imbalance and would have expected at least some change in these areas for the money I've spent. Having told my clinician I don't mind temporary scabbing if better results are likely, she switched to treating me on up to skin type II settings which did have better results. i'm reluctant to spend more money on these areas if no results will occur. I have had consultations with 2 other clinics who have both said I would have got better results with IPL (one uses the lumenis and/or epilight). can anyone advise me if I should continue with the laser, try IPL or call it a day? im getting married in 6months so really wanted the problem gone by then!
any advice is much appreciated.