Laser Hair Removal Should Be Carried out By Professional Registered UK Businesses

Before October 2010 anyone looking for laser hair removal treatments could walk into a clinic assured that it had been carefully checked by the Care Quality Commission. Now  the UK aesthetic industry or, more commonly termed, beauty business is mostly unregulated.

Over the past twenty years we have watched laser equipment becoming safer but in untrained hands it is still extremely dangerous. Marketing often trivialises non surgical treatments. Very low prices may be sign that corners have been cut in safety and equipment.

Before signing up for a series of hair removal treatments carry out as much research as possible. This can be online, via support groups or recommendations from friends. WhichLaserClinic.com is the first registry since deregulation to provide assurance that a clinic has been independently checked by a certified safety professional. Operators list training, qualifications, experience and the laser equipment used. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, PCOS, advice and discounts are offered by some of the listings.

How do you choose which laser hair removal clinic to use?

>>>> Look for valid certificates! <<<<

1) If the clinic is registered with us they will display a certificate showing the following logo.

2) Some laser clinics may still display CQC certificates which are now out of date.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) no longer regulate clinics, by law, offering non surgical treatments such as laser hair removal and some skin rejuvenation treatments, however, they still monitor clinics and hospitals offering surgical treatments.

3) Local Authorities are now acting as a 'regulator of last resort' but effectiveness and enforcement varies significantly from area to area. Clinics offering laser hair removal in London should have obtained a Special Treatment Licence issued under the London Local Authorities Act 1991. The Special Treatment Premises Code of Practice still requires that a certificated Laser Protection Advisor (LPA) is used to produce local rules and provide ongoing support and advice. A WhichLaserClinic.coml showed that even though legislation is available in London to enforce Special Treatment Licences very few Borough Councils are following up and checking clinics. We are in touch with the London Special Treatment Group and are lobbying the Government to place a higher priority on checking non surgical laser clinics.

 

A concern for most people is whether or not you will be hurt by laser treatment and an operator should be able to provide assurance to the question 'is laser hair removal painful?' An explanation of any side effects of laser hair removal is also useful at this stage, along with a list of  people who should avoid treatment to laser treatment.

The Consultation with your laser clinic practitioner

Before you receive any form of laser hair removal treatment it is very important to have a proper consultation with the laser clinic practitioner. The consultation may be more or less formal but it should cover the following points and usually involves the completion of some paperwork.

These are in no definite order:-

• The practitioner should discuss your full medical history which will include any medications you take, these could possibly affect the outcome of the treatment or impose some risk.
• The area to be treated should be examined.
• A candid discussion of why you want the treatment.
• A full discussion of the likely outcome of the treatment and your personal expectations.
• An explanation of the laser hair removal treatment and the various options open to you which may not include laser hair removal treatment.
• An explanation of the laser hair removal treatment course and sessions.
• A frank discussion of the test patch session and its relevance to your treatment.
• A discussion of skin types and their effect on the treatment.
• Any form of pre-treatment care for you to follow.
• Any post-treatment procedures for you to follow.
• A discussion on your approval and consent to the treatment, an informed consent is required to continue with the treatment.

Your Chosen Laser Clinic Should Do A Treatment Patch Test

You have chosen a UK laser hair removal clinic and given your consent for the chosen and agreed procedure. The laser clinic practitioner should then carry out what is called a patch test. A patch test is an essential part of the safe treatment, a small area of skin is chosen to be exposed to the laser. This test is probably done around 5 days before the full treatment, the timing depends on the clinic, some prefer a longer gap to catch any slowly developing problems. The aim of the patch test is to ascertain the optimum setting of laser energy to produce the best results. You will have the added benefits of seeing what the procedure will entail and feeling its effects on a small area. The practitioner will be looking for any adverse effects of the process. Far better for a problem to be discovered early and on such a small scale. Adverse effects and problems can be negated and planned for when starting the full treatment. A small patch test increases the effectiveness of your treatment whilst minimising any risk. The clinic can also use the patch results to estimate the effectiveness and duration of your laser hair removal treatment.

Before the patch test you should ensure that you know how much hair is needed on the patch site and if there is anything that you should or shouldn’t do before the patch test. You may want to find out if the practitioner carrying out your patch test is the same person who will be carrying out your treatment course. Some clinics offer free patch testing, some charge and refund the cost against the price of the full laser hair removal treatment.

Additional Questions

Pick out the questions which are important to you. The operator should have the experience to answer the majority of them but ;-

• What is a laser • What is IPL • How is laser output measured  may best answered by checking here first.

 

• What is my skin type? To determine which laser is right for you, the operator will need to check your skin type on the Fitzpatrick scale. One laser does not treat all hair and skin types.
• What laser systems do you use?
• Click here for types of laser machine used for hair removal.
• What is the best laser for me?
• How many treatments will it take? Everyone is different and it is just not possible to be accurate. Somewhere between 5 and 8 treatments are usually required. The exact number will vary depending on where the hair is, what has been done to the hair in the past and, of course, your individual response. Hormonal conditions, such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), will also have a significant bearing on how the treatment progresses.
• How much does laser hair removal cost?
• How long have you been using the system?
• What training has the operator taken and how experienced are they?
• How many people has your clinic treated?
• Have you experience with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?
Will the results be permanent?
• Do you use a LPA? We advise that all laser clinics follow best practice and use the services of a Laser Protection Advisor (LPA), there is no legal obligation to use a LPA, however, it is a good indictation that safety standards have been checked by an independent laser professioinal. Click here to see the role of a Laser Protection Advisor.
• Do you have aesthetic or cosmentic indemnity insurance? Ensure they have adequate indemnity insurance in case of accidents such as a burn or change in pigmentation.
• Is your laser hair removal equipment CE marked and regularly serviced? This is more polite than saying do you use a cheap imported laser?

Observations you should make prior to treatments

Is the eyewear CE marked and conform to the EN207 standard. Time to get your magnifying glass out! Look out for the L numbers ie L5-10. Goggles are not designed for looking directly into the laser beam and only give protection during a quick accidental laser eye strike.  IPL goggles are different and have a green hue. Standards for IPL derive from Welding Standards (US ANSI). We would recommend that an accredited LPA check all eyewear.
Look to see if mirrors or reflective surfaces, such as stainless steel trays, are present these should be covered during treatment to avoid relective laser strikes.
The laser room door should be locked and have a sign on the door when the laser is in operation. Only authorised staff  are to be present.
Exterior windows should be covered with blinds.
Use of yellow laser radiation warning signs used at both laser and IPL clinics.

The treatment room should be scrupulously clean!