Conditions
Conditions that Cause Excessive Hair Growth
Both men and women experience the frustration of managing excess or unwanted hair on their faces or bodies. For individuals seeking the convenience of not having to shave or wax regularly, Dermatology Associates of Plymouth Meeting offers multiple treatment options to help reduce hair growth. Whether your excessive hair growth is due to hormonal issues or simply because of genetics, living with unwanted hair is optional thanks to innovative hair reduction technology.
What is Hirsutism?
Many people experience the annoyance of unwanted hair growth on the face or body and manage this growth through shaving or other treatments. For some, however, the hair growth exceeds being just “excess hair” and becomes unmanageable. Hirsutism is a condition that affects five to ten percent of women and leads to the growth of darker, coarser hair on the face, chest and back. Hirsutism can also affect men, causing excessive body hair to grow in areas where hair is normally absent or minimal. Because this hair can be more noticeable by appearing in areas where people typically have no hair growth or have fine, light colored hair, it can lead to feelings of self-consciousness and frustration. Many people who experience hirsutism seek out treatment options to reduce hair growth or remove these coarse hairs.
Hirsutism is caused by excess hormones such as testosterone and can sometimes be treated with topical creams or by removing the excess hairs through regular plucking or waxing. Individuals seeking a more convenient and longer-lasting option, however, can turn to laser therapy to remove the hair at its source and reduce the likelihood and visibility of future growth.
Treatment Options
Treatment options for unwanted hair growth, such as the Motus AX or Forever Bare BBL™ (BroadBand Light) therapy, can provide an easier way for women to minimize hair on their legs, underarms or bikini area without shaving or for men to remove chest, shoulder or back hair. These treatments also provide an option— and, sometimes, peace of mind— to individuals with excessive hair growth or darker, coarser hair growth as a result of common conditions such as hirsutism.
If you are experiencing excessive hair growth, it is important to talk with a dermatologist, as there may be underlying, treatable conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), Cushing syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia and others.
Forever Bare BBL™
Treatment options for unwanted hair growth, such as the Motus AX or Forever Bare BBL™ (BroadBand Light) therapy, can provide an easier way for women to minimize hair on their legs, underarms or bikini area without shaving or for men to remove chest, shoulder or back hair. These treatments also provide an option— and, sometimes, peace of mind— to individuals with excessive hair growth or darker, coarser hair growth as a result of common conditions such as hirsutism.
If you are experiencing excessive hair growth, it is important to talk with a dermatologist, as there may be underlying, treatable conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), Cushing syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia and others.
Motus AX
Motus AX is an Alexandrite laser that is innovative in more ways than one. It allows for painless laser hair removal, which is a monumental breakthrough, but it also safely works for people with darker skin tones. Unlike traditional laser hair removal treatments that only worked for people with light skin and dark colored hair, Motus AX is effective for all skin types at any time of year. The Motus AX laser features a handpiece equipped with a Cooling Sapphire Cylinder Tip. This allows beams of energy to be delivered faster and more efficiently into the skin and ensures comfort throughout the treatment.
How Forever Bare BBL™ Treatments Work
The heat energy from Forever Bare BBL™ is absorbed by the color in hair follicles, allowing the heat energy to destroy the follicle cells and prevent future hair growth. Forever Bare BBL™ has multiple size adaptors, allowing your dermatologist to treat large areas quickly and to treat smaller areas with precision. Because of its concentration on hair follicles, Forever Bare BBL™ is a good treatment option for most skin types, including patients with darker skin tones. For optimal results, your cosmetic team will recommend multiple Forever Bare BBL™ treatments. After each session, hair growth will be lessened, and most patients can expect five treatments spaced out about one month apart for best results.
How Motus AX Treatments Work
The Motus AX laser will permanently remove 90 to 95 percent of hair in a treated area. These amazing results are achieved through the laser’s proprietary Moveo technology. This technology was developed to overcome the limitations of traditional Alexandrite 755nm for hair removal while retaining all of its advantages. Moveo technology (moveo is Italian for move) uses simple, even movements over a small area gradually heating the vital parts of the hair delivering enough heat to destroy the hair follicle without damaging the surrounding skin. Because of the relative thermal relaxation time of the skin and the cooled sapphire tip, treatments are safe and completely comfortable for patients.
For more information on your options for treating and managing excess hair growth, contact Dermatology Associates of Plymouth Meeting today at 610-947-4322.