Hair today, gone tomorrow: a new hair removal system may be more effective and less painful than electrolysis - SoftLight laser - includes related information

American Fitness, Nov-Dec, 1997 by Susan Berliner

For millions of women and men who deal almost daily with the task of removing unwanted hair, relief is on the way. ThermoLase Corporation of San Diego, California has developed and is marketing a unique patented process called SoftLightSM. The low-energy laser offers advantages over conventional methods of hair removal such as electrolysis, shaving, depilatories and creams.

The SoftLight system works in conjunction with a specially formulated topical lotion that enhances penetrability of the laser light to remove hair from the upper lip, underarms, legs, bikini line, chest, back or other areas of the body. For years, dermatologists have been using similar lasers, at higher energy levels, to remove birthmarks and tattoos.

FDA Clearance

Following extensive clinical trials, the SoftLight system was reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and approved for commercial marketing in April 1995. It is the first laser to be cleared by the FDA as safe and effective for hair removal.

The SoftLight process is now being offered by ThermoLase's chain of SpaThira salons in major cities. It's also available through a growing number of leading dermatologists and plastiC surgeons throughout the United States selected by the company to license the process.

Advantages Over Electrolysis

The quick, virtually painless SoftLight procedure is dramatically different from electrolysis, currently the leading long-term hair removal system. During electrolysis, a needle is inserted into each follicle to heat it and destroy its ability to grow hair. This treatment is painful, and typically requires months and years of regular visits--even of small skin areas like the upper lip. By contrast, the SoftLight laser treatment "scans" the skin rather than treating one hair at a time, making it possible to cover large areas quickly, such as the legs and back, and with far less pain and discomfort.

"Long-term hair removal has always been associated with time, pain and expense, especially among the millions of women around the world who turn every year to electrolysis," says John Hansen, president of ThermoLase. "We expect the distinct advantages of SoftLight will attract many people who currently use electrolysis, as well as those who shave, wax, use topical creams and other less effective methods."

Proven Effectiveness

"The SoftLight technique is effective, fast and comfortable," says David Goldberg, M.D., a renowned dermatologist and president of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. "It brings hair removal into the 21st century."

Goldberg, chief of dermatologic surgery at the New Jersey Medical School, directed one of three clinical trials of SoftLight. More than 500 body sites on 114 patients were treated including the legs, thighs, upper lip, chin, face, abdomen and back. Four weeks after the first treatment, 85% of the sites showed a significant reduction in fair, and 65% exhibited a loss after 12 weeks. On the upper lip area in women, after just one application, there was a 72% reduction in hair after 12 weeks. In all cases, hair that grew back was less dense and coarse, and there were fewer ingrown hairs. Clinical trials were also conducted by Curt Littler, M.D., at Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, and Daniel Piacquadio, M.D., at the Medical Center of the University of California, San Diego.

Treatment

The SoftLight treatment begins with a gentle wax of an area to rid follicles of topical hair. Next, a deep and thorough cleansing of the area relaxes and opens the pores in preparation for applying a carbon-rich lotion which is massaged into the skin. A dermatologist or trained nurse then applies the laser to slowly scan the treated area.

The laser light is absorbed only by the carbon lotion and travels harmlessly through the skin to deliver heat and vaporize the cells responsible for hair growth. The laser hits the skin in short bursts, passing through it without harm or discomfort. Patients may feel a slight tingling sensation, and can see the laser "erase" the black lotion as it sweeps across the skin.

After the laser treatment, an aesthetician cleans, moisturizes and massages the area. The process lasts from a few minutes to an hour or more, depending on the size of the area being treated. The laser causes no damage to surrounding tissue, and does not disrupt the skin's natural pigmentation.

For further information about the SoftLight laser hair removal system, or to find out where it is available, call ThermoLase at (888) SOFTLIGHT.

RELATED ARTICLE: The Long and the Short of It

The hair removal market in the United States, including straying, waxing and creams, is estimated at $2 to $4 billion annually. More than one million women turn to electrolysis for hair removal, and tens of millions more shave, wax or use hair removal creams.

* For a majority of American women, unwanted body hair carries a serious social stigma with 63% saying that not removing it would make people think they don't care about their appearance, according to "A National Study of Consumer Athletes Toward Unwanted Hair," a study released by ThermoLase Corporation. The study also reflected Americans' concern for cleanliness and hygiene with 35% citing "feeling cleaner" as a hey motivation for removing body hair, followed by "feeling sexier" (32%) and "more spontaneous" (31%).