BellaSugar

Definition: Laser

BellaSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:00:12 -0700

The term "laser" is an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Two different lasers are used on facial skin: ablative and non-ablative. The former uses a burst of light to heat up the water in the most superficial layers of the skin, which makes the water and tissue vaporize. By being able to control exactly what level the laser penetrates down to, the administrator can create the foundation for the skin to generate a new layer of collagen as it heals, helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, spots and scars. Ablative lasers were originally carbon dioxide, but the new types are erbium: YAG lasers.

Non-ablative lasers were recently introduced as a safer and less invasive alternative to ablative lasers. There is less risk or downtime with this variety, which tries to treat deeper layers of tissue while leaving the top layer intact. New types of non-ablative lasers are always being developed for cosmetic use, including IPL (Intense Pulsed Light, the type used for hair removal), LHE (Light Heat Energy), Thermage, and LED (Light Emitting Diode).

An August 2008 study by the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York published in Lasers In Surgery And Medicine studied the effectiveness of Ablative Fractional Resurfacing (AFR), which uses an erbium laser to create tiny wounds in the skin. They found that AFR is promising as a middle ground between the two types of lasers, offering more dramatic results with less side effects than traditional ablative lasers.

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Save $200 on the New TRIA System!

Sponsor — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:01 -0800

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The NEW TRIA System. Better Results. Lower Price.

5 Tips For Minimizing Adult Acne

BellaSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:00:38 -0800

Dr. Amy Wechsler is not only a dermatologist, she's a psychiatrist as well. What a combo! In fact, some even call her a "beauty shrink," and the Manhattan-based skincare expert and author of The Mind-Beauty Connection: 9 Days to Reverse Stress Aging and Reveal More Youthful, Beautiful Skin ($20), has a few things to share with us regarding adult acne. As we all know, breakouts that occur post-high-school can be rough on the psyche, and that's why I asked Dr. Wechsler her tips on helping us prevent and deal with pimples in our 20s, 30s, and beyond. To check out her advice, keep reading.

Beauty Blooper: I Feel Numb Inside

BellaSugar — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 09:00:24 -0700

In May, I decided to buy a package of laser hair removal treatments. It was time for me to get my body bikini-ready for Memorial Day and I figured that would give me ample time. I went in raring to go, but my goodness-the pain of laser removal is just unbearable! During every treatment I whimpered and vowed that I would never return, but because of all the money I spent on the package and because I wanted results, I continued to go back again every week and endure more torture.

At least my numbing remedies would vary. One week it was a couple shots of Jack Daniels, another week I actually tried rubbing the JD on my body to numb it, but nothing seemed to work. A friend recommended a product to me called Topicaine. What this does is numb your skin if you put it on an hour before your treatment.

I've never been more excited to run to the drugstore. I thought this was the product to save the day... until I got so Topicaine happy that after I applied it to my upper lip, by accident, I licked my lips!

The second I did it, I knew the error of my ways. Everything went tingly...and then it went numb. I couldn't feel my tongue, then my throat. I showed up to my appointment slurring my words (as if I just had Novocaine), but at least I was confident that this treatment would be pain free.

What a disappointment. The cream didn't numb the pain at all. Somehow, it actually felt worse. As I lay there with a numb mouth, all I could think about was Jack Daniels. I only went to one more appointment but I'd say I have about a 75% reduction of hair. No biggie, the remainder is nothing my Schick Quattro can't handle.

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Let's Tackle that Hairy Question: Are Brazilian Waxes Necessary?

BellaSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:27 -0800

Do you really need a Brazilian wax these days? That's the question a woman posed to the Times of London, after a new beau was "shocked" by her presence of pubic hair. In her letter, she says, "I don’t think that a permanent tan and Brazilian wax should be dealbreakers in a relationship. Or am I just hopelessly outdated?"

Long story short, advice columnist Suzi Godson tells the woman to let 'er rip. "Grooming down there is now considered to be normal, on a par with manicures, blow-drying, and eyebrow waxing," she says. "There is something hugely irritating about being forced to conform to an aesthetic ideal instigated and perpetuated by the porn industry, but, like keeping one’s armpits and legs smooth, it is now expected."

Oh brother. You already know that I hate, hate, hate the whole "wax, or else you are gross and undesirable!" standpoint, but I wanted to get a professional opinion on the matter. So I turned to sex educator Debby Herbenick, Ph.D., MPH, author of Because It Feels Good. Her advice is about 10 times better than Godson's, so read more.

Trying Tria: The First-Quarter Update

BellaSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:00:20 -0800

It's been three months since Tria sent me one of their at-home laser hair removal gadgets to try out. At $995, the device is hardly cheap - but it's a lot less expensive than having laser hair removal in a medical spa or doctor's office. Many of you have asked how things are going, so here's the update.

As it turns out, I have the pain threshold of a hamster. Where other people probably feel just a snap from the laser, I feel a quick jolt of needling pain. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm in a hair-removal gulag or anything, but I am a big baby and sometimes the zapping hurts. Tria has three levels of intensity, and as long as I put it on its lowest setting, it's not too bad.

So how hirsute am I these days? To find out, read more.

I hope this isn't an overshare, but I treated my bikini line and left shin with Tria. I chose my bikini line because I hate spending money on waxing every month, and I used my shin as a "control" to see whether the hair truly was disappearing. Three months into the laser-ing, most of the hair is gone. It seems too good to be true, but it is true: I haven't waxed since September, and I have only a few stray hairs. With a few more Tria sessions, they'll be gone.

As for my legs, I let my hair grow out for a few weeks. (I'd like to tell you that this is because I care deeply about measuring my hair-removal process, but really, I'm just lazy.) Here, too, I could tell a difference: The areas I'd zapped with Tria had much less hair. Success!

All in all, I'm pleased with my Tria experience. I absolutely love not having to schedule bikini waxes, and dealing with some discomfort is definitely worth it. Obviously, the price of Tria means that it's not going to be an impulse purchase, but if you already have your heart set on laser hair removal, it's a more affordable way to do it.

Trying Tria: Laser Hair Removal at Home

BellaSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:00:58 -0700

I hate shaving so much that, much to PartySugar's horror, I sometimes just give up. She loves shaving her legs; I would be thrilled to never do it again. The logical option: Get laser hair removal. Even though laser doesn't remove all of the body hair, it removes most, which means I'd get to keep up my shaving boycott without looking like Bigfoot. Win!

So when the people behind Tria, an at-home laser hair removal device, offered me one of their gadgets to test, it was a no-duh proposition. At $995, Tria is far from inexpensive, but it's cheaper than having a full bikini-line zapping session at a clinic. Plus, if you're thinking of having laser hair removal in more than one place, it's more economical. Like I said, not cheap - but cheaper.

To find out more about Tria, read more.

I'm beginning my hair-zapping adventures this week, so I'll soon have an update for you, but for now, here are a few basics on Tria:

Tria is FDA-approved to remove body hair, but it isn't approved for facial hair. So don't think your peach fuzz will disappear with this. (Well, it might, but not officially.)
Like other laser hair removal treatments, Tria does not work on dark skin. (Lasers work by seeking out dark pigment, so it damages darker complexions.) It's a big "no dice" on white, gray, red, and blonde hair as well. Sorry, Norwegians.
You'll have to commit to doing at least three sessions to see less hair.
I know some of you are thinking you'll be able to do an at-home Brazilian with this, but this is not a good idea. Tria is not meant to be used on your genitals, which means you can remove hair from your bikini line, but not from your more delicate region.

Got questions? Leave a comment, and in my follow-up post, I'll address them!

Trying Tria: The Two-Week Update

BellaSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:00:22 -0700

You might have heard about Tria, the at-home laser hair removal gizmo. (More on it here if you want some background.) Since Tria offered me the chance to try it out, I thought I'd give you an update now that I've been living with it for a few weeks.

Tria is much heavier than you'd imagine - not enough to be unwieldy, but solid enough to make you realize that it's a serious piece of beauty machinery. Using it is pretty simple; after unlocking it, you just turn it on and place the laser on your skin. Tria says that you may experience discomfort with each zap, much like the snapping of a rubber band. I beg to differ. Think of a quick, short pinprick and you get the idea. The process is simple, but time-consuming in the sense that you'll need to go over each square inch of skin about 50 times. (I Tria while watching The Shield.)

So far, things are going well. Little hairs are falling out here and there, so something's definitely happening. I still have at least six more treatments, so watch this space.

Coming Soon: At-Home Laser Hair Removal

BellaSugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:00:02 -0700

The Star Wars geek within thinks that handheld lasers are cool, albeit in an intimidating Darth Vader sort of way. In real life, though, you'll soon be able to zap your hair away at home. The Wall Street Journal reports on two forthcoming hair-removal gadgets that may change the way we think of hair removal.

Tria ($995, pictured) launches next month, and the painless device requires about half an hour to treat the lower legs. While it won't eradicate hair completely, it minimizes growth. Rival product Silk'n ($800) - whose weirdly punctuated name makes Silkk the Shocker come to mind - uses pulsed light to destroy hair follicles. Tria will be sold at high-end stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, but Silk'n will be available only at physicians' offices.

Of course, there's a catch - and I'm not just talking about the high price tag. To find out what it is, read more.

Although these products are approved by the FDA, they have their limitations. They're meant for small areas such as underarms, legs, and the bikini line; if you have a hairy backside, for instance, it won't work. What's more, these products won't work on many women of color. Because the lasers and light target pigment in the hair, they can mistake dark skin for hair. (Zap, burn, ouch.)

While I have had some good results with my no!no!, I'm not sure I'd shell out hundreds more for one of these gadgets. (I also fear that somehow I'd blind myself, but that's another phobia completely.) Are you curious about these devices, or are you taking a wait-and-see approach?

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The Big Tria Update: All of the Pros and Cons

BellaSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:00:18 -0700

A few things have happened since Tria, the at-home laser hair-removal gadget, came on the market. First, the economy tanked, which may explain why Tria's price went from $995 to $795. Second, I've had almost a year to give it a whirl (full disclosure: Tria's PR team sent a trial unit for me to use). Third, my opinion has shifted over the last few months. Is Tria worth the hefty price tag? Does it remove hair permanently? Would I recommend it? Find out the answers to these questions when you read more.