Laser Explained

To offer you optimum treatment and results, The Laser and Skin Clinic has invested in highly innovative laser system technology. With the best tools in the hands of the most experienced nurses and aesthetic therapists, clients at our clinic can expect the very best in treatment and care.

Laser Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal has come a long way since the first laser for hair removal received FDA clearance in the mid-1990’s. Older generation lasers were slow, very painful and worked only on individuals with very dark hair and very light skin. Today, lasers can work on all skin types and can be performed on any area of the body. The Laser and Skin Clinic uses the award-winning CynosureElite laser system, recognised for its outstanding treatment of hair removal for all skin types. The Elite combines the Alexandrite laser, commended for its effectiveness in treating lighter skin types, with the high-powered Nd: YAG laser – successful in treating darker skin types – into one versatile laser unit. No other system offers this combination.

With the Elite laser, we are able to treat a comprehensive range of skin and hair types with maximum safety and efficiency in hair removal. This unique laser system also has variable pulse width with both lasers, which allows for customised laser treatments for optimum results. For best results in hair removal nothing, at present, surpasses the Elite laser system.

Gold Standard Technology

The Cynosure Elite combines the capabilities of two of the best in class lasers:

• The 755-nm wavelength Alexandrite laser has proven long-term results for permanent hair reduction in skin types I-V and is thought to be the best technology on the market for treating all hair types including fine hairs. It also has a large (up to 18mm) spot size making it one of the fastest hair removal lasers on large body areas.
• The high-powered 1064-nm Nd: YAG uses the safest wavelength for permanent hair reduction on darker skin types and tanned skin. It is also the wavelength of choice for the treatment of facial and leg veins—the most common form of vascular lesions.

As part of our state-of-the-art technological offering, we also offer SmartCool, the number one cooling system available. SmartCool is used during laser treatment to cool the surface area of the skin, making the experience significantly more comfortable but also minimising the chance of skin damage. When searching for the best laser hair removal on the market you may find that it can be confusing as there are so many different lasers available. To help you decide, our highly experienced laser specialists would like you to note the following points when booking laser hair removal with The Laser and Skin Clinic.

• We provide Premier Laser Hair Removal with CYNOSURE Elite
• We only use Medical Grade Laser – NOT IPL
• Cynosure Elite has an excellent cooling system to aid client comfort and safety.
• Laser spot size with Cynosure = 18mm compared to standard 15mm resulting in faster and more effective treatments
• We offer a guaranteed price match on laser hair removal packages
• We offer free follow-up & check-up appointments after course completion
• Our treatments are provided by highly experienced Nurses & Laser Therapists
• We offer a free patch test prior to treatment
• We treat all skin types using appropriate lasers for each skin type
• The Laser and Skin Clinic is a reputable, established, medical clinic that specialises in laser hair removal
• At The Laser and Skin Clinic, we strive to deliver the best results using the latest FDA approved Medical Grade Laser Hair Removal Systems available on the market.

Laser Hair Removal VS IPL

Laser Hair Removal and IPL (Intense Pulse Light) are not the same. Here are a few facts to help set the record straight.

• IPL’s are generally cheaper for the clinician to purchase which is why you will find many salons have chosen IPL over laser. As a result in some cases, you may find that individual IPL treatments are cheaper.
• In the case of hair removal, IPL requires more treatments on average (around 10 vs 6 with a laser) to achieve the desired results and has been known to remove the pigment from the hair, making further treatment impossible.
• IPL’s use a concentrated beam of incoherent light to burn the hair shaft. They lack the lasers ability to produce a selective bandwidth that will only affect the hair. IPL’s produce a bandwidth of light that can heat up all the surrounding tissue, making it less effective in disabling hair, especially on darker skin.
• IPL’s do not penetrate as deeply as lasers so in the case of most body areas the key structures of the hair are not destroyed meaning results are limited and generally short-lived.
• The Cynosure Elite has a range of treatment heads (spot sizes) ensuring client comfort and efficient results at all times (the large IPL head can be difficult to use effectively at angles such as the underarm or bikini).
• IPL’s claim to achieve faster treatment times due to their large spot sizes but the Cynosure Elite works at a much greater speed than an IPL (top lip can be treated in 2 minutes with a laser).
• The ND: YAG laser is considered the ‘Gold Standard’ for skin types IV-VI and can even be used on tanned skin. IPLs are not considered to be safe for treating dark or tanned skin.
• Lasers have advanced skin cooling methods (IPLs tend to use gels that are not only messy but do not maintain a cooling sensation).

Laser Vein Removal

Although the Cynosure Elite Laser is primarily used for laser hair removal, it has also been acclaimed as the gold standard for the treatment of vascular lesions and other concerns such as:

• Facial Veins (telangiectasia)
• Rosacea
• Venous Lake
• Campbell de Morgan Spot
• Poikiloderma

Laser Pigmentation Removal

Although the Cynosure Elite Laser is primarily used for laser hair removal, it has also been acclaimed as the gold standard for the removal of pigmented lesions such as:

• Sun Spots
• Age Spots
• Pigmented Areas

Laser Skin Rejuvenation & Resurfacing

At The Laser and Skin Clinic, we invest only in the latest, proven, FDA approved laser system technology to provide our clients with the best results. We are well known for our innovative and highly successful laser treatments which treat a variety of skin concerns. Our laser technology offers clients a number of no-knife solutions that give significant, long-lasting results to reduce the visible signs of ageing, from tightening loose skin, minimising lines and wrinkles to lifting and firming sagging jowls. The Laser and Skin Clinic was amongst the first cosmetic practice in Ireland to provide Deep Fx Laser Resurfacing, one of the latest and most effective treatments for lines, wrinkles, acne, burn and surgical scars. We offer the latest in skin laser rejuvenation and resurfacing with:

• Cynosure’s Affirm Laser Rejuvenation
• Lumenis Active-Deep Fx Laser Resurfacing

Cynosure Affirm Laser Rejuvenation

The Cynosure Affirm laser employs 1000 pinpoints (micro-pulses) of laser light in each large spot. By tricking the skin to believe it is wounded the Affirm laser system prompts a healing response which stimulates and remodels the skin’s own collagen production. This non-ablative fractional laser is the newest, fastest and most unique “Multiplex” (patented) laser technology which allows for no prep time, no pain and no downtime. The Affirm will tighten and renew your skin by reducing and improving the appearance of wrinkles, scars, stretch marks, acne scars and a variety of skin problems. Compared with other laser systems on the market, the great benefit of the Affirm system is that you get two laser treatments simultaneously. The Affirm emits two wavelengths – both a 1320nm and a 1440nm wavelength combined in a single “multiplexed treatment” (wavelengths in one pulse from the same delivery system). Since lower individual energy levels can now be used during treatments, discomfort is minimised and recovery is accelerated — for faster, more effective fractional rejuvenation and deep tissue tightening results compared to single-wavelength technologies. The “Gold Standard” wavelength for scars many of the world’s experts agree is the 1320nm wavelength. Affirms newest feature, the 1320nm Multiplex Technology, targets deep layers of collagen structures through coagulation resulting in skin tightening.

How does Affirm Laser Rejuvenation differ from Fraxel?

With the Affirm system, the great benefit is that you get two laser treatments simultaneously. The Fraxel and most similar systems are generally 1540nm wavelength lasers that emits fractional energy 800 microns to 1600 microns into the skin. The Affirm emits two wavelengths, one that most of the energy ends up at 300 microns (where the layer of sun damage is that we want to improve) and the other a very deep 2000-3000 microns for the ultimate in deeper tissue tightening and skin rejuvenation.

The Affirm “Multiplex” laser is actually two “Fractioned” lasers in one treatment. The “Gold Standard” wavelength for scars many of the world’s experts agree is the 1320nm wavelength. The Affirm has BOTH a 1320nm and a 1440nm wavelength combined in a single “multiplexed treatment”. This is similar to having an optimally effective Fractional rejuvenation and deep tissue tightening in one fast, comfortable treatment. This Affirm non-ablative fractional laser is the only one of its kind with the world’s only patented “Multiplex” technology which simultaneously emits two lasers sequentially for optimal micro-rejuvenation and deep laser skin tightening and revision of acne scarring.

The Affirm works by tricking the skin into believing it is wounded prompting a “healing response”. The new super-fast, 1000 pinpoints of laser light in each large spot is the newest, lightning-fast, unique “Multiplex” (patented) technology laser to allow for no prep time, no pain and no downtime laser resurfacing that will tighten, and rejuvenate your skin by reducing and improving the appearance of wrinkles, scars, stretch marks, acne scars and a variety of skin problems. A number of our clients at The Laser and Skin Clinic have switched over from Fraxel to the Affirm. The majority of clients have noted that the Affirm is far more comfortable than the Fraxel and even when using both lasers at once they have said that the results from the Affirm are far superior. The treatment usually takes 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the area being treated and there is minimal downtime (approx. 24-48) hours of redness that can be easily concealed with mineral make-up. When treating deep wrinkles, acne/surgical and burn scars Deep Fx Fractional CO2 laser resurfacing often provides the best solution.

Is there a difference between Affirm and IPL?

Yes, there is a significant difference between Affirm Laser Rejuvenation and Intense Pulse Light. These are two different types of laser/light devices. The Affirm is a laser, a non-ablative laser that penetrates through the skin. IPL – Intense Pulse Light as the name suggests is a light device that mainly works on the surface of the skin. The Affirm is a non-ablative fractional laser that penetrates through the skin making microscopic holes through the epidermis and into the dermis to promote overall skin rejuvenation, helping improve skin tone and texture thereby making the skin firmer and smoother, reducing lines, wrinkles, acne scars and stretch marks. The overall effect after a series of 4-6 treatments is more even skin tone and smoother skin. IPL is a superficial light-based heat treatment that cannot penetrate the deeper layers of the skin. It has the capacity to reduce redness and lighten pigment but has its limitations as it is not as selective as laser – therefore the outcomes are not as successful or achievable.

Lumenis Deep-Active FX Laser Resurfacing

The gold standard of laser resurfacing systems, the UltraPulse® CO2 laser delivers thousands of tiny laser pulses in a pattern over the skin. Each pulse heats a column of tissue creating a zone of heat deep in the tissue. The CO2 laser also offers the benefits of heating deeper layers of skin tissue, thereby stimulating collagen remodelling the skin further and can have excellent results when treating acne scarring, lines and wrinkles.

Active DeepFX is a revolutionary fractional laser technology for aged, sun-damaged or scarred skin. The procedure involves fractional CO2 laser microbeams to precisely target the deep dermal layers of the skin. This stimulates a cascade of healing responses that leads to tissue regeneration and new collagen formation throughout the entire treatment area. As only a fraction of the skin is actually touched by the laser, healing time can be limited to just a few days.

What is the difference between Active and Deep Fx?

Same laser, different spot sizes. The bigger the spot size, the less deeply the beam penetrates the skin. Active Fx treats the skin with lots of tiny laser spots. Deep Fx is actually a version of the same treatment but the laser spots are much smaller and go much deeper than the Active Fx. So the “Deep Fx” spot size targets deeper lines, wrinkles, and scars, whereas the “Active Fx” spot size targets pigments, superficial lines. By combining the two (Total FX) you can get a dramatic treatment result.

What is the difference between Affirm Laser Rejuvenation and Active-Deep Fx Laser Resurfacing?

Cynosure Affirm is a non-ablative fractional laser that treats deeper layers of the skin without injury on the surface, therefore there is minimal downtime yet multiple treatments are required to achieve desired results. Active-Deep Fx is an ablative fractional laser that creates an injury on both the surface and deeper layers of the skin, therefore downtime is significantly longer than the Affirm but a single – multiple treatments may be necessary to achieve desired results.