Welcome to Laser Pointer Forums - discuss green laser pointers, blue laser pointers, and all types of lasers

LPF Donation via Stripe | LPF Donation - Other Methods

Links below open in new window

ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Green Lasers and Hair Removal Theory

Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Messages
6
Points
0
My interest in lasers is not huge but I have thought about different applications for them such as entertainment, medical, and graphic art so I am thinking that reading more on this forum may pique my interests. That's my intro.

Here is my question.

I am so sick of shaving. It is like pushing a boulder up a never-ending hill. My beard is average but when I grow facial hair I'm OK with it for a few days but after a few days it gets itchy so I want it gone. I looked into laser hair removal but from what I understand it only works on dark hair. I did read that in Israel they use a method that plucks the hair first which cause some blood around the follicle and then when the laser light hits the blood around the follicle it kills the follicle.

There are methods that claim to remove light hair but when you read reviews for these products there are a lot of disappointed customers.

Since red filters absorb green light and since blood is red I'm thinking that perhaps a green laser pointer might destroy the follicle.

Your thoughts?
 





94Z28

2
Joined
Jul 1, 2016
Messages
539
Points
43
Got my woman one of those "flash" Silkn **laser** hair removal tools (actually a bulb driven device) and she said that really haven't noticed any difference in hair growth rate and it's definitely still coming back. Don't waste your money on that, if you want laser hair removal don't DIY you will end up with a burnt face or something; go to a doctors office and have them do it... then you have a warranty it will work, plus you won't end up with a bunch of burns on your face!
 

Radim

0
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
1,458
Points
83
Welcome to the forum.

Under no circumstances try any not medical approved product for hair removal. You can burn yourself with high powered laser very easily. There exist specialized clinics where you can discuss it with specialists. As far as I know there are used 1064 nm lasers for that.

Regarding graphic art - you can see my laserpaintings for inspiration (if you go through whole thread you find more). But please do not try it without proper laser safety knowledge and eye protection. If you like, you can ask me for tips & tricks with that.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: GSS
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Messages
6
Points
0
Green lasers are not used or FDA approved for that purpose--nobody here is going to be able to help you on the subject of laser hair removal---better to use google.

Start here maybe see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_hair_removal

I don't trust the FDA on anything because the FDA's masters are the medical and food industries.

Thanks for the link.

I think I will give a green laser a try. I figure about the worst that can happen is a burn and I'll have a fun toy.
 

Radim

0
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
1,458
Points
83
I don't trust the FDA on anything because the FDA's masters are the medical and food industries.

Thanks for the link.

I think I will give a green laser a try. I figure about the worst that can happen is a burn and I'll have a fun toy.

Really, do not do it. Laser burns heal badly, it might leave scars. Get specialist's advice for that.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Messages
6
Points
0
Welcome to the forum.

Under no circumstances try any not medical approved product for hair removal. You can burn yourself with high powered laser very easily. There exist specialized clinics where you can discuss it with specialists. As far as I know there are used 1064 nm lasers for that.

Regarding graphic art - you can see my laserpaintings for inspiration (if you go through whole thread you find more). But please do not try it without proper laser safety knowledge and eye protection. If you like, you can ask me for tips & tricks with that.

physiogram-no1-archival-print-physiogram


il_570xN.994368319_5min.jpg


Those paintings are nice. Years ago I used to make engineering type physiograms with a light and a camera.

You set your camera on tripod and you point it up.

Make sure the room is dark. Put on a lens cap.

Attach a string to a pen light and attach the string to the ceiling.

Get the light moving in a circular pattern.

Open the shutter. I used a cable release with a film camera.

Remove the lens cap and let the light swing for a few minutes.

Close the lens.

The results will look a lot like the image I posted. If you use filters you can get colors.

The photographer Minor White did a lot of light painting. He did a very long exposure with star trails in the background.

If I do the hair removal experiment I will go with a low power laser. I'm thinking shaving would be more dangerous. LOL!
 
Last edited:

CurtisOliver

0
LPF Site Supporter
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
7,594
Points
113
I don't trust the FDA on anything because the FDA's masters are the medical and food industries.

Thanks for the link.

I think I will give a green laser a try. I figure about the worst that can happen is a burn and I'll have a fun toy.

You've just been given advice not to do it yourself. A risk of burn is enough of a reason for me not to try it. :thinking: Also a burning green laser is not a toy. FDA knows what is safe and what isn't and you should have someone professional to do it. There is no conspiracy when it comes to class 4 laser devices. A bit of hair or scarring on your your face? Your choice!

Edit: Just seen your new post. You won't achieve nothing with a low powered laser. This is usually done with high energy pulses. Just shave like the rest of us or get it done professionally.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Messages
6
Points
0
Really, do not do it. Laser burns heal badly, it might leave scars. Get specialist's advice for that.

I've pointed laser pointers at my skin and it got slightly warm. I'm thinking 5mW would be safe. I will proceed carefully but that said, I just watched this YouTube video and it turns out that the lasers the guy reviewed were rated at 5mW but the tested much stronger.



My wife had laser hair removal and she got some minor burns that healed. Her hair is very dark.
 

Radim

0
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
1,458
Points
83
Thanks. ;) Yes, I know these, they are awesome.

My favourite (but I did NOT make this pic):

(Click the image for source.)

BTW I've got Light painting brushes recently, but I still prepare to use them in my artworks - it was bad weather here, therefore I got just yesterday to get some pics, but without LP brushes yet.

Regarding your experiment - I'm affraid you get no effect with low power - the issue is the hair folicule has to be damaged with laser enough to stop hair growing. Also if this happens your skin might be reacting to this and some medication (like gel or skin cream) is used to reduce it. I've some experience with laser chirurgy (as patient) with CO2 and some diode laser and it depends on type of skin you have. Some skin types react very badly - like mine - and the scars are severe. However the hair removal is not that invasive IMO, you cannot say how your skin will react. So, really a good specialist with lot of experience is needed for that. You might try to find some local one with great references via google.

BTW: Do not believe all what you see on YT. :) I saw how they made pop corn with mobile phones, but in reality they have had magnetron (the thing from microwave owen) below the table desk.
 
Last edited:

Encap

0
Joined
May 14, 2011
Messages
6,113
Points
113
Edit: Just seen your new post. You won't achieve nothing with a low powered laser. This is usually done with high energy pulses. Just shave like the rest of us.

Exactly.

Maybe he will win a Darwin Award :crackup:... The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who accidentally remove themselves from it...
see: Darwin Awards: Darwin Awards
 

CurtisOliver

0
LPF Site Supporter
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
7,594
Points
113
5mW won't cut it, please don't aim lasers at your skin. Just go to a specialist and get it done by those who know what they are doing.

Encap, well at least he will be clean shaven for the award ceremony. :crackup:
 
Last edited:
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Messages
6
Points
0
You've just been given advice not to do it yourself. A risk of burn is enough of a reason for me not to try it. :thinking: Also a burning green laser is not a toy. FDA knows what is safe and what isn't and you should have someone professional to do it. There is no conspiracy when it comes to class 4 laser devices. A bit of hair or scarring on your your face? Your choice!

Edit: Just seen your new post. You won't achieve nothing with a low powered laser. This is usually done with high energy pulses. Just shave like the rest of us or get it done professionally.

As you know different colored surfaces either absorb or reflect light. Red pigment absorbs green light so I think it is a matter of duration and power. If I were to point a strong green laser at a red balloon the balloon would explode but it probably would not rupture a green or a white balloon as quickly if at all. It certainly would pop a black balloon.

As to the FDA, they are the most untrustworthy agency to ever come down the pike. What they say is safe often isn't and what they say is unsafe often isn't either. They are not there to protect anyone but medical corporations.

There are hair removal lasers and light systems for sale to the general public that used pulsed light the same as what medical offices used but customers don't get the results promised and often these units arrive not working at all. Also, quality control is not good and some may be too powerful and others may be weak and ineffective and the FDA has no jurisdiction as to their safety or efficacy. That would fall on the FTC which does a lousy job protecting consumers same as the FDA does a lousy job protecting medical consumers. The FDA is an industry lapdog and not the citizen's watchdog people think it is.

It seems to me that a class 3R laser would not present much of a hazard especially if I used eye protection and stop the exposure when I feel a sting.

I borrowed a friend's laser for pain and it worked pretty well. If you didn't keep it moving you would feel a burn but it worked on pain. Chiropractors and physical therapists are starting to use them.

There is no way I would use a class 4 because they can burn things very quickly.

905 nm and 980 nm is best absorbed by hemoglobin.

I see it like this. Sparks for a sparkler are very high in temperature but are low in BTUs that the sparks can land on your skin and not cause damage. Also, I'm thinking that ablation of the hair follicle will occur much like a laser popping a balloon within a balloon or lighting a match within a balloon without damaging the balloon.
 
Last edited:

Radim

0
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
1,458
Points
83
My Evo 532 nm over 100 mW stings after about 4 seconds of exposure under right temperature (without focus lens, just colimated beam). I tried it on hair on my hand once - no effect. I was not trying it with higher powers from reasons I mentioned above. I still do not recommend doing that. Really as mentioned above special lasers are needed. There might be some low powered lasers used for other kinds of therapy, but for hair removal you need some power (or more accurately high energy density for some time).
 
Last edited:




Top