LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Serving Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Grimsby and surrounding areas.

Laser Hair Removal for Hamilton, Grimsby and Stoney Creek

How does it work?

The LightSheer laser is a strong light that is absorbed by the colour of the hair follicles. This causes hair to fall out and prevents it from re-growing. It is necessary to treat a particular area several times to permanently remove most of the hair in that area.

How Effective is It?

With the Diode laser, three treatments reduce the number of hairs by sixty to eighty per cent. The remaining hairs that grow are finer and lighter in colour. The effectiveness increases with more treatments.

How is the LightSheer Diode Laser Different from IPL or other lasers for hair removal?

The LightSheer Diode laser is considered the gold standard (best choice) for permanent hair removal and reduction. It specifically targets the hair follicles and has been shown to produce the fastest and most complete hair removal of all lasers available. IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is NOT a laser, but can be used for hair removal. It is not as effective and usually takes many more treatments, often twice as many or more. It is important to determine what type of laser is being used when you have hair removal, or if an IPL machine is being marketed as a 'laser'.

What areas can be treated?

Almost any area can be treated. This includes the moustache, beard, neck, chest, back, arms, legs, back, buttocks, ears, nostrils, forehead and genital areas. Any colour of skin can be treated, although the laser works best for dark hair on light coloured skin. The laser does not work for blonde or white hair. There is NO laser or IPL machine at this time that is effective for white or blonde hair.

What are the Potential Risks?

There is a small risk of increased or decreased skin pigmentation (colour) in the areas that are treated. This is nearly always reversible.

Can the Laser cause cancer?

There is no known risk or association with laser hair removal to cause skin cancer or other types of cancer.

Is it Painful?

Most people find the laser much less painful than electrolysis. Doctor V does not recommend numbing gels or creams. Recently there have been reports of severe side effects and even death when large quantities of these creams, have been used. As such, it is best to avoid using them, if possible. The majority of people can tolerate the laser without freezing of any kind. It is not necessary to use needles for any part of the procedure.

To make the treatment more comfortable the laser is equipped with a chilling tip that cools the skin prior to treatment.

Where is the Procedure Done?

It is done here in our office building. It is not necessary to go to the hospital for treatment.

How should you select where you will go for laser hair removal?

Unfortunately, there are no government regulations as to who can own or operate a laser. There is no minimal training required by regulatory agencies and virtually anyone who has the capital can purchase a laser and start doing laser hair removal. For those reasons, you have to be very careful where you go for treatment.

There are several questions you should ask.

Is the clinic a doctor's office or a spa? A laser can be potentially dangerous if not used by well trained technicians.
How long have they been doing laser hair removal?
Is there a doctor? Is the doctor someone who is specialized in skin care and laser therapy such as a dermatologist? Or is the doctor a family doctor? Dentist? Chiropractor?
What are the qualifications of the technician who is treating you?
What type of laser are they using? Is it a LightSheer Diode - the most effective laser? Are they using IPL (intense pulsed light), which is much less effective - but marketing it as a "laser"?
Who will manage any complications is they should happen to arise?
Does the technician do a full and in depth consultation with you to ensure that you understand the pros and cons of treatment, the risks and benefits?
Do they take photographs to help monitor improvement?
Does a dermatologist check you first to make sure that you are a good candidate for laser therapy?
Do they check you for hormonal imbalances if you are being treated for excess facial hair?

Who does the treatment in Dr. Vignjevic’s office?

A qualified laser technician operates the laser. For added safety, you will be assessed prior to your first treatment by Dr. Vignjevic who will ensure that you are a good candidate. Dr. Vignjevic and his office have 10 years experience with laser therapy for a variety of skin concerns.

How are the laser technicians trained in Dr. V's office?

All of Dr. Vignjevic’s laser technicians have been trained by the manufacturer of the laser itself. They have been trained in both classroom courses and hands on training. All of them have passed a certification examination and their certificates are posted in the laser therapy room. All of the laser staff and technicians attend workshops and "Masters Courses", at least annually, to keep abreast of the latest information and techniques in laser therapy. Furthermore, Dr. Vignjevic has organized additional in-house seminars for his staff to keep them as up to date as possible. Dr. Vignjevic has complete confidence in his technicians and they have all treated the doctor, himself!

What should you do prior to your first treatment and consultation?

The area to be treated should be shaved one to two days before the procedure. The laser technician needs to see some of the hair in the treatment area to assess its colour and thickness. In this way she can determine whether the laser would work for you.
It is important not to wax, pluck, 'sugar', thread or have electrolysis within 6 weeks of the treatment. The root of the hair must be left in the follicle for the laser to work properly.

What happens during a Diode Laser Hair removal treatment?

At your first visit, a Laser Hair Removal technician will provide a free consultation.
During the consultation, she will explain the procedure and benefits to you and answer any questions that you may have. Furthermore she will explain how the laser works, the number of treatments that you will require and will provide you with a price quote. The technician will also ask you a series of questions to determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure and to determine your skin type.
After your FREE consultation, the technician will call in Dr. Vignjevic. He will assess your skin type and whether Diode Laser hair removal would be suitable for you. In addition, he will answer any further questions that you may have. You cannot be treated by the technician unless you are assessed by Dr. Vignjevic first.
If you decide to be treated, photographs of the treatment area will be taken. For the bikini area, special close up photos are taken of part of the area. These photographs are strictly for your chart and will not be released or used without your permission. Your privacy if of the utmost importance to us.
If you are having your face treated, you will be asked to wash your face and to remove any makeup. It is not necessary to remove mascara, or eye makeup.
You will lie down on a treatment bed.
Your skin is cleansed. Make-up and oils are removed with a cotton ball dipped in an alcohol solution.
The skin is marked with a water soluble high lighter to mark out the areas that will be treated.
The technician will shave the area. It is best if you shave the area yourself 1 to 2 days prior to treatment.
After shaving, the technician will remove any tiny remaining fragments of loose hair on your skin with a piece of scotch tape.
A cold, clear, water-soluble ultrasonic gel is applied. The gel cools the skin, reduces discomfort and helps the laser to be more effective.
Prior to starting, the laser machine is calibrated to make sure that it is working properly and accurately. This step is usually performed before you get into the treatment room.
If your face is being treated, your eyes will be covered with opaque metal goggles to protect them. During treatment, the technician will wear red transparent goggles. If an area like your back or legs is treated, you may wear the transparent goggles as well.
The laser is set to the parameters that have been determined by Doctor Vignjevic. The technician can adjust these depending on how your skin reacts.
The tip of the laser, which is about the size of a dime, is held against the skin. The tip of the laser is automatically chilled for further comfort and to protect the skin.
Laser pulses are delivered every 0.5 to 2 seconds. Each treatment area in treated in rows and the technician is careful to overlap each laser pulse and each row.
Small areas like an upper lip, chin and underarms can be treated in a few minutes. For larger areas such as the legs and back, the treatments are much longer. You can read during the treatment. We also provide a CD player if you would like to bring in your own CD's. If you bring a DVD, we have a portable DVD player that you may use during your treatment.
After the treatment is completed, the gel is removed and the high lighter is washed off.
A soothing cream is applied to the skin after the treatment. This helps to cool the skin more quickly and helps the redness to disappear.
A cold pack may be used to soothe the treatment area.
You will be provided with a booklet of after-care instructions and the technician will recommend specific products to take care of your skin after the treatment.
You will also be provided with Dr. Vignjevic’s personal cell phone number should any questions or concerns arise after hours.

What Happens after the Procedure?

You will notice redness around the hair follicles.
You may bathe, shower, swim and exercise normally after the treatment.
You will notice tiny hairs coming out of the hair follicles over a period of 1 to 3 weeks. This is the dead hairs being removed from your skin and is not a sign of the hairs re-growing.

Would you like to see a video demonstration?

CLICK HERE to watch a CH news segment in which Dr. V and his office staff demonstrate laser hair removal and other cosmetic procedures available in the office.

What Skin Care Regimen does Dr. V recommend for the FIRST 72 HOURS after your Diode Laser Hair Removal treatment?

You will be given specific instructions on the day of your treatment.

Other Important Points:

You may apply makeup 3 to 4 hours after the Treatment.
Avoid abrasive sponges for 1 week.
Avoid sun exposure.
DO NOT pick, scrape, scratch or wax your skin.
If your skin is dry, use moisturizer as many times a day as you like.
If you develop a cold sore, let Dr. Vignjevic know this immediately as it could spread into the area of the laser treatment.

Is this treatment covered by OHIP or private health insurance?

This is not an OHIP insured service. Rarely, private health insurance will cover the cost of laser hair removal, be sure to ask your insurance company.

What if I would like more information?

You may set up a FREE CONSULTATION with one of our staff members to answer your questions in detail. Any questions that they are unable to answer, Dr. Vignjevic will gladly answer for you.

Do I need to get a doctor's referral to set up an appointment?

No, a referral is not necessary. You can phone the aesthetic centre directly at 905-549-7873 to set up a free consultation with one of our staff members.

When can I start having treatments?

Today!

What if you are interested to learn more?

If you would like to learn more:

Please click on the underlined links above
E-Mail Us
Or call our aesthetic centre directly at 905-549-7873 to book a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable technicians