The wavelength used in a diode laser was developed specifically for the removal of unwanted hair. Diode lasers have a cooled tip, which makes the experience more comfortable than the original, old-style laser hair removal machines that could leave your skin feeling hot and sore.

Laser hair removal first became available commercially in the mid-1990s, but it has been used since the 1960s. It is a tried and tested method of hair removal and has been extensively researched. We would not use any equipment that we did not trust to provide a safe and positive experience for our clients.

IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light and it was the first hair removal system to work by heating up the hair follicle and damaging it. IPL works like a flash-lamp, sending out a variety of different light waves, meaning that its impact on unwanted hair is more random and less powerful than laser treatment. A correctly trained operator can set up a diode laser machine to the right wavelength to target the pigment in the hair making it less of a scattergun approach. Diode laser hair removal sessions are quicker than IPL too, and less sessions are needed to get the results you want. Laser treatment is ideal for busy women and men who have lots of other things they would rather do than worry about hair removal. IPL works best for those with fair skin and dark hair, but laser treatment is effective on larger areas, darker skin, suntanned skin (although you must avoid sunbathing before or soon after a treatment session) and hair with different shades of colour, or pigment. Laser hair removal with the Lumenis LightSheer® DUET™ machine is also less painful than IPL or electrolysis in the opinion of clients and experts.

We believe that our clients deserve the best. Clinic founder Carly Bartram researched all the available hair removal methods and chose to invest in the LightSheer® DUET™ that she believes offers the gold standard in laser hair removal. Our clients tell us they are delighted with the life-changing results it offers. Carly has built her reputation over many years by delivering great service and using only the best products and technologies. This means that our clients recommend us to others and return time and time again. Our reputation is important to us and we would only choose a laser hair removal system that we believe is safe, effective and gives results that our clients will want to share with their own friends and family.

There is no need for our laser hair removal technician to apply topical anaesthetics or numbing creams to your face or body before using the Lumenis LightSheer® DUET™ machine. You will be given goggles to wear and then the handpiece will be swept gently across the area to be treated. Within a few minutes your treatment will be over and you will be getting on with the rest of your day.

It only takes about five to seven minutes to treat your bikini line or underarms or upper lip and chin. It takes around 15 minutes to treat a larger area such as legs, arms or a back.

The appearance of the skin immediately after a treatment will vary from person to person, depending on their skin type. Side effects are very rare and typically minor and may include slight swelling around the hair follicle. There may be some temporary redness. These are both positive signs that the follicle has responded in the right way to the treatment. We always insist that new clients have a free patch test before embarking on a course of treatment so that our trained technician can see how their skin reacts and can ask them about any medication they are on, how their skin behaves in the sun and about any health issues that may impact the treatment. A patch test also allows the client to experience the use of the laser and how their skin feels afterwards.

Do not book a treatment when you have recently been exposed to the sun. Because the laser targets pigment (colour) there is a risk of burning. For the same reason, after a session you should apply sun block to any areas of the face and body that have been treated by a laser for at least four weeks. Do not wax or pluck hair with tweezers before treatment as this makes the treatment less effective because it disrupts the natural hair growth cycle.

Because everyone’s facial and body hair grows at a slightly different rate, we can’t guarantee exactly how many sessions you will need to get the results you want. Some people need fewer sessions than others. Generally, after each treatment, you’ll see a noticeable, permanent reduction in the number of hairs that regrow on the area of skin that has been treated.

Usually, we would expect most clients to need at least six treatments, four to six weeks apart for your face, or six to eight weeks apart for your body. As a general guide, eight treatments can permanently reduce the number of re-growing hairs by up to 80%.

Multiple sessions are needed because laser treatment works best when hairs are in the early stage of growth, known as anagen. This is when the hair is visible above the skin and the hair shaft is firmly attached to the root, or follicle. All the hairs are not in this phase at the same time. A hair on your face or body usually stays in the anagen phase for two or three weeks. All the hairs on your face and body are at different stages of growth all the time.

You may need occasional maintenance sessions, perhaps one or two a year, to keep the results you have achieved. This is because new hairs may start growing where they have not grown before, perhaps because of changes in your hormone levels as you approach or enter menopause or because of medication you may have been prescribed. Hair growth can be affected by heredity, stress and medication as well as hormonal changes, so everyone is slightly different.

There are many beauty clinics and practitioners now offering laser treatment, but it is important that you put your trust in an expert who is trained in using the machine they operate.