Laser Hair Removal - The EpiLaser System

Susan Mowry R.N. is our BioMedic® aesthetician, and our EpiLaser technician. She is a graduate of South Hills Beauty Academy and has an Associate's degree in Science. She continues her Aesthetic education by attending yearly advanced skin care seminars. Susan maintains a membership with The Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists, which keeps her active in the medical aspects of skin care. All of the skin care treatments Susan performs are under the supervision of Board Certified Plastic Surgeons.

Dr. Cherup uses the EpiLaser System, a ruby laser hair removal system that makes older methods such as shaving, waxing, bleaching, tweezing, electrolysis, and chemical depilatories obsolete.

Developed at Massachusetts General Hospital, EpiLaser safely targets only the hairs, not the surrounding skin, so it's much less irritating than other methods and it is relatively pain free. EpiLaser treats in minutes an area that can take hours of electrolysis, with less pain and fewer risks, at lower cost.

It can be used anywhere (except around the eyes): upper lip, chin, back, bikini line and legs-anywhere you have unwanted hair. After 3-6 treatments, the hair is gone forever, but since hair growth cycles vary, return visits may be necessary to remove a few strays.

Dr. Cherup is the only physician in Western Pennsylvania offering this breakthrough hair removal technology.

(For individuals with dark or tanned skin, who may have difficulty with conventional laser treatment, the SLP1000 offers the perfect solution for hair and vein removal. Click here for information on the SLP1000.)

Not all hairs are actively growing at the same time-they actually go through distinct phases: growth, regression and resting. The duration of each phase is dependent on several factors, including body location. At any one time, 90% of the hairs on our heads are in the growth (Anagen) phase, compared to only 70% of the hair on our arms.

The phase of active hair growth, it's the time during which the EpiLaser® System will be most effective at eliminating unwanted hair by disabling the hair follicle. Depending on the body area, the Anagen phase lasts up to several years. At any given time, the majority of our body hair is in this phase.

This is a brief phase, during which the hair bulb regresses and begins to shrink.

Hair in this resting phase, which typically lasts for several months, does not absorb laser energy well. Therefore, follow-up visits may be needed to properly treat hairs that are in this phase. At the end of the Telogen phase, the hair falls out and the Anagen phase begins again.

The red light emitted by the EpiLaser is absorbed only by the pigment located in the hair follicle. The laser is pulsed, or turned on, for only a fraction of a second. The duration of each pulse is just long enough to disable the follicle, while the system's hand piece helps protect the skin by conductive cooling during the laser energy delivery.

The EpiLaser system was developed after years of research at Massachusetts General Hospital in their Photomedicine Laboratory, one of the world's leading medical research institutions. The laser parameters were carefully defined to inhibit the regrowth of hair by studying the anatomy of the hair follicle and matching the laser output to the size, depth and location of hair follicles.

The EpiLaser System emits only red light. You may feel a slight tingling sensation, but most people tolerate the procedure well. Some areas of the body are more sensitive than others, so you can elect to have a topical anesthetic applied to increase comfort during the procedure.

The EpiLaser works by disabling hairs principally in their active growth phase at the time of the treatment. Since hairs enter the active growth phase at different times, additional treatments may be needed to remove all hair follicles in a given area. Our doctors will determine a program of treatment that best suits your individual needs.

Within a few minutes, the treated area may become slightly red and puffy. This reaction subsides quickly, and within a day or so the area returns to normal. Most people return to normal activity immediately.

Pricing for 3 treatments ranges from $600 for small areas (e.g. upper lip), to $3,600 for large areas (back and very large arms).