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Monday, January 18, 2010
Hair Growth CyclesCycles of hair growth play a major role in
your hair removal treatment regimen. Excessive hair growth can be caused by a variety of things, heredity, stress, medication,
and hormonal changes. For women puberty, pregnancy and menopause play important parts in determining hair growth. Many researchers
say that there can be as many as 2500 hair follicles per square inch but less than 100 hairs will be showing at any given
time. For these reasons, during treatment, it is extremely difficult for anyone to predict, not even your doctor, the exact
length of time before there is no more growth in the treatment area.
Anagen (Figure 1): This is the "perfect" stage for treatment. The hair is grown and
it is visible above the skin and can be treated. There is plenty of water and salt available in the root area for either thermolysis,
or galvanic electrolysis. The hair shaft is attached to the papilla, thus enabling the laser to attack the melanin in the
shaft and disable the papilla. This period for facial and body hair can be as long as two to three weeks.
Catagen (Figure 2): the "perfect" stage for treatment has passed. The growth process
has reversed itself and the hair is getting ready to shed (this is not the same shedding process as post-laser treatment).
The moisture, water and salt have begun to dry up. Follicle destruction by thermolysis, or galvanic electrolysis is almost
impossible (hairs can be destroyed in early catagen if the needle is inserted into the follicle to the depth of the root).
It is still possible to treat with laser since a follicle treated in the Catagen stage will still produce another hair. This
stage is remarkably variable and can be as little as two days.
Telogen (Figure 3): This is the final stage, the "resting"
stage. The hair is neither developing nor growing. It can not be treated during this stage, as it usually is not visible above
the skin. For laser treatment the hair shaft is fully detached from the papilla, thus not allowing the laser to attack the
melanin in the shaft and disable the papilla. This unpredictable phase can be as short as a few days or as long as a few years.
To review, there are three stages of hair growth – Anagen, Catagen and Telogen.
The "perfect" time for hair to be permanently destroyed is when it is in the Anagen or growing stage. It can take
6 to 12 weeks for a hair to grow from the matrix, or papilla, to the surface of the skin. Therefore, if you tweeze a hair
today, it is generally impossible for you to see the exact same hair in a week. These cycles can vary somewhat from individual
to individual, and render individual patterns that are vastly different.
"Your commitment"
to either electrolysis or laser hair removal is very important! Hair can grow approximately ½ inch per month, but the
hair on a woman's lip may reach only ¼ inch above the skin. This means the hair would be visible above the skin, in
the Anagen stage, approximately 2 weeks. If electrolysis appointments are missed, permanent hair removal can not be achieved
as quickly since some of the hair will have begun to reach the shedding stage before treatment and therefore complete destruction
of the papilla can not be achieved. Laser treatments are scheduled for 6 – 8 weeks apart to coincide with the Anagen
cycle.Please keep in mind that your electrologist/laser technician is a dedicated professional
who is eager to help you achieve your goal of permanent hair removal.
11:10 am
Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry“I’m surprised
in this day and age so many people suffer with old fashioned dental fears and old fashioned teeth!
Things have really changed in dentistry. Do you want
to know more? lynda@drsohl.com “
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
3D Consultation!Dr.
Robert Cooper was one of the first plastic surgeons to offer patients Canfield Imaging’s new Vectra Sculptor 3D Simulation
Software. This highly sophisticated three-dimensional photo simulation allows prospective patients to view
a 3-dimensional image of their face and breasts, and view Dr. Cooper’s surgical proposal. Patients
can view simulations of facial procedures such as facelift, necklift, chin augmentation, nose reshaping and laser resurfacing.
Breast augmentation patients are able to obtain precise measurements and compare implants by brand and size.
So far the results
have been tremendous. “The consultation simulations and post-op photos are remarkably accurate,”
notes Dr. Cooper. 3D simulation is offered as part of Dr. Cooper’s complimentary consultation, and
patients leave feeling more educated, better informed, and have more realistic expectations. Future releases from Canfield include eye surgery and body sculptor
software.
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