Slight erythema is observed and will disappear after a few days without additional treatment. The pigmented areas will become darker around three days after the treatment. It gives a “dirty look” which will persist for 7 – 10 days after treatment. It can be covered with make-up.

Pigment in the skin (and in Asian skin, the possibility of hidden melasma) should always be investigated using a Woods Lamp (ultra-violet light source) to distinguish between epidermal and dermal problems.

Unlike laser treatment, hairs are not evaporated during Ellipse treatments. The hair follicles are destroyed but the hairs remain in the follicles and are often attached to the epidermis. They will fall out after 1-3 weeks as the epidermis is renewed. During this period it will seem that the hairs are growing as the epidermis pulls them out. It is possible to show that the hair will fall out, by easily lifting it out with tweezers. This is important information to your patients, and they should be advised not to expect an instantaneous result.

I can treat patient from Skin Type 1 through to 3 with hair removal.

Black hairs are most easily treated due to the large concentration of melanin in these hairs, which gives an optimal absorption and conversion of light energy to heat. Fair hairs have less melanin and consequently less heat is produced with less certainty of permanent destruction of the hair follicles. Grey (white) and red hairs have no or very low content of melanin, and cannot be efficiently treated. The upper skin layer, the epidermis, also contains melanin and the concentration increases when the skin is exposed to UV-light. It is therefore necessary to treat dark-skinned and tanned individuals with less energy to avoid generation of heat (pain and/or burns). The ideal patient is fair skinned with dark hairs, but the Ellipse computer has pre-programmed treatment suggestions for different hair and pigment types.

Ellipse has conducted a 10 year follow-up study which indeed documents the long term efficacy of our patented Selective Waveband Technology for hair removal. See our white paper on this. Hair management and hair reduction are increasingly the terms used. After the first treatment most patients get significant reduction in hair density. Hairs which re-grow tend to become finer and lighter in colour. It is important to know and to inform patients that the first treatment is believed to synchronise the growth phase of the non-growing hairs. This causes what seems to be re-growth – but what happens is that the remaining “resting” hairs start growing at the same time.

It is possible to remove the hair, but not the reason that future hair will grow. High testosterone levels mean that many men will continue to form new hair until their late thirties. This may result in new hair appearing after treatment. Consider hair management to remove the existing hair on a regular basis.

If a client is pregnant, it is suggested that she waits until 2-3 months after she has given birth to begin treatment. At this time hair growth is synchronised, which means that she has an increased number of visible hairs, making the treatment much more effective.

Generally the answer is “no”. Many physicians suggest that patients with sensitive skin may benefit from a single application of glucocorticoid cream immediately after treatment and antiseptic cream for a few days.

No-one can guarantee permanent removal of all hairs. It is possible to remove the hairs, but not the reason that hairs grow. It is better to think of hair reduction (hair management) than hair removal. Only hairs in the growing phase can be treated, successfully with Ellipse. The length and timing of the growth cycles are affected by numerous factors such as body site, hair density, thickness, ethnic origin, hormonal level and age. Usually 3 – 6 treatments are needed and the intervals between treatments are typically 1 – 3 months.