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Month: May 2023

IPL
23May

Having been around since the 90s, IPL still reigns supreme one of the most versatile treatments – with many benefits.

So many people can benefit from IPL today, regardless of age or the condition of their skin. From older people wishing to improve skin tone to young people with sun damage – everyone can benefit. The only restriction is that IPL isn’t recommended for dark skin tones. Reason being that broadband light energy can cause damage to brown, melanin-rich skin.

Addressing many skin concerns

Strictly speaking, IPL isn’t a laser. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) uses multiple light wavelengths to treat multiple problems at the same time. These are: rosacea, fine lines, hyperpigmentation, acne, broken capillaries, enlarged pores and improved collagen production. Some wavelengths target pigmentation by heating up the pigment, then lifting it to the skin surface to fall away. Others take aim at broken capillaries to repair these.

Often, IPL is called a photofacial. But don’t let the term fool you. It’s a medical procedure, not a spa treatment.

Maintenance

Although one IPL session will produce a visible change, a series of two to five is recommended for optimal results. Thereafter, the occasional follow-up treatment will do the trick to ensure that your skin looks radiant.

Fast

The beauty of an IPL treatment is that it’s fast. Usually, a treatment can last anything from 15 minutes to 45 minutes, depending on the condition being treated.

After the treatment, expect some redness and mild swelling, in addition to darkening of pigmentation.

Safety

IPL treatments are safe. But do make sure you choose a clinic with experienced technicians.

Finally, to reiterate: IPL still reigns supreme one of the most versatile treatments – with many benefits. Book today.

Mother's Day
11May

At Lasermed, we love all mothers out there. Not only on Sunday 14 May, but throughout the year.

The ancient Greeks kickstarted festivals to celebrate mothers and motherhood in honour of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. Over the years it developed into a Mothering Sunday tradition on the fourth Sunday of Lent in the UK and parts of Europe.

But then the USA commercialised the tradition and called it Mother’s Day. Whatever its history, all mothers deserve to be celebrated. And quite rightly, more phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year.

So, to all our clients who are mothers, we at Lasermed wish you a journey of happy motherhood.

A trusted skincare clinic
8May

You may well ask, what makes for a trusted skincare clinic? In exploring this question, bear in mind that there’s been a big shift in consumer needs. From Baby Boomers to Gen Z, everyone is turning toward having a healthy, naturally glowing skin, instead of piling on the make-up. That’s why it’s important to start an ongoing relationship with a skincare clinic that ticks all the boxes.

Experience is important

Start off by asking your aesthetician/laser operator how many years’ experience she/he has had. However, although novice skincare specialists still need to prove themselves, many of them start excelling from the moment they enter the industry. But do make sure they have the necessary training credentials.

Feel comfortable

Personality-matching matters! You must feel comfortable with your aesthetician/laser operator. In short, you should be comfortable enough to open up about your skin concerns and challenges.

Referrals

Ask your friends, family and acquaintances who they see – especially if they have glowing skin that you admire.

Alas, some people might be cagey about the skincare clinic responsible for their great-looking skin (preferring to keep the secret under wraps). Luckily, most people will gladly share the information.

Reviews

Fortunately for us these days, reviews are a good source of knowing the sort of clinic you’re dealing with. But, lest you forget, there are some people who delight in posting negative reviews. Read overly negative reviews with a healthy sense of scepticism, especially if nearly all other reviews are positive. So, read between the lines and look through all reviews.

Some reviews might also single out a specific aesthetician/laser operator. That in itself gives you a good sense of that aesthetician’s work quality.

But beware, if all reviews are bad, it’s probably best to look elsewhere.

Social media

Exploring profiles on Facebook and Instagram can be a great help. Do they post before and after photos? (Very useful to see the results for the treatments you wish to have.) Do they provide helpful and useful information to their audience? Do they regularly offer promotions?

Seeing what resources a clinic puts out to the big, wide world can say a lot about the way they conduct business and how they regard their clients. It’s also a good idea to explore the photos the clinic is tagged in to see posts from real clients. This will give you a good idea about the type of experience the clinic provides.

Also, photos of the clinic itself are important. Is it a well-lit, clean and relaxing environment?

There you have it, the low-down on what makes for a trusted skincare clinic.

laser hair removal
2May

Laser hair removal is the way to go without a doubt. After all, who wants to battle with endless depilatory creams that might burn the skin, the frequent agony of waxing or the unsightly stubbles of shaving?

How it works

Laser hair removal uses a concentrated beam of light. And the melanin in the hair absorbs this light. The light energy is converted to heat, which damages the hair follicles. It’s precisely this damage that inhibits or delays future hair growth. And the best two lasers for this are the Alexandrite and ND:Yag lasers – which is what Lasermed uses.

The Alexandrite wavelength is ideal for treating skin tones 1, 2 and 3 (fair and light skin tones). And the Nd:YAG wavelength at 1064 nm is ideal for treating skin tones 4, 5 and 6 (4 is tanned skin and 5 and 6 are darker skin tones).

The results

Although laser hair removal delays hair growth for long periods, it’s not a once-off procedure. You’ll need a number of treatments for initial hair removal. Thereafter, you may have to go for maintenance treatments. The maintenance frequency varies from individual to individual.

On areas with fast hair growth – such as the upper lip – it might be necessary to repeat the treatment in four to eight weeks. On areas of slow hair growth, such as the back, the treatment might be every 12 to 16 weeks.

While laser hair removal is successful on all skin types, it’s at its most effective on people who have light skin and dark hair. Because the principle is that the pigment of the hair, but not the pigment of the skin, should absorb the light. That’s why a contrast between hair and skin colour results in the best outcome.

Barring the eyelid or surrounding area, as well as tattooed skin, you can have laser hair removal done on any area of the face or body. But the most common treatment locations are legs, armpits, upper lip, chin, back and the bikini line.

How to prepare

Number one is to avoid the sun for a month prior to treatment and apply a broad-spectrum, SPF50+ sunscreen whenever you go out. Also, don’t use tanning creams.

Don’t pluck, wax or have electrolysis for at least four weeks before treatment.

We recommend trimming and shaving the day before laser treatment to remove hair above the skin that can result in surface skin damage from burnt hairs.

The results

You’ll shed hairs over a period of days to weeks, which may look like continued hair growth. But rest assured, it isn’t. The reason for the repeated treatments is because hair growth occurs in a cycle, and laser treatment works best with hair follicles in the new-growth stage.

Some people might be smooth for months, while others might be hair-free for years. Luckily though, when hair regrows, it’s usually finer and lighter in colour. So laser hair removal is the way to go.

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