GENTLELASE™ or COOLGLIDE™ LASER FOR HAIR REDUCTION

NATURE OF THE PROCEDURE

The GentleLASE Alexandrite Long Pulse or CoolGlide YAG hair removal laser emits a beam of light that is selectively absorbed by the pigment in the base or bulb of the hair. When the specific wavelength finds the pigment it is looking for, it is selectively absorbed into the target tissue, and then the light turns to heat. The heat then destroys just that tissue and no others nearby. Laser hair removal is so much better than traditional electrolysis because with the electrolysis the procedure is "blind." One passes the needle through the skin in the direction parallel to the hairs hoping that you will hit the root or the bulb, but you don’t know that and you can’t see it. If the hair curls away under the skin, then you have missed. The burn is directed into just plain skin. With the laser, the beam of light "floods" all of the surrounding skin depending on the spot size. Any hair bulbs, whether they are twisted or curved will be targeted and destroyed no matter where they are. No guessing is necessary. This selective destruction spares the skin above, around, and below the intended target.

FEES (per session)

Thighs $500

Back $400

Chest $400

Legs (below the knee) $350

Arms $300

Full Face $250

Bikini $150

Underarms $150

Hands $100

Side of Face $100

Upper Lip $75

Chin $75

All fees are subject to change. The fee is always what is current at the time of your actual treatment. Old fee schedules, handouts, or web site fees do not apply. Any quoted fees must be in writing and are only good for six months. No "verbal" quotes are accepted.

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SCHEDULING

You may schedule immediately either with Tammy or Christi, our licensed aestheticians. They have attended all the laser courses that Dr. Coverman has for hair removal, and they have been specifically trained by Dr. Coverman.

There is a $150 non-refundable fee for missed appointments without a 24 hour notice. If you need to cancel, please record the date, time, and name of the person you spoke with.

PRETREATMENT

Dr. Coverman strongly recommends that a numbing cream be applied prior to the treatment. Although this won’t block all discomfort, often it can improve this by about 50%. You may purchase some of these over the counter (LMX) but we recommend other more potent creams.

Please apply this one hour prior to your intended procedure. It will work even better if you place saran wrap over the cream and then tape all of the edges airtight. Some patients don’t want to come to the office with cream or plastic on their face, so if you bring the cream with you, we can apply it for you just prior to your treatment. Although it won’t be on as long, a little bit is always better than nothing.

The numbing cream, although high effective, and generally safe topically can be absorbed by the body. If applied for too long in too broad of an area or on inflamed skin, too much of this could be absorbed with short term toxic results. It is not dangerous if used intermittently long term just prior to these treatments. Never occlude an area any larger than the total of two palm prints. Anything larger than just this put it on without any plastic or saran wrap occlusion. If we are treating broad areas such as the back or both legs, don’t use it at all. If it is from the hips to the knees, or the knees to the ankles, you may use it on these areas but not full legs at any one time. If there are any questions, ALWAYS ASK US FIRST!

SAVE the numbing cream! It can be used again for this treatment, other treatments like it, or for waxing, hair removal, even insect stings and sunburns. You will always find a use for this cream. Never put it on a fresh burn, infected skin, inflamed skin, or ANY weeping, open, or oozing skin. Never apply to any undiagnosed rash. For any questions, always ask Dr. Coverman or Jennifer Jordan.

If you have ever had herpes or think you may have (cold sores or fever blisters), inform Dr. Coverman or our staff prior to scheduling your appointment. We will give you a series of anti-herpes pills to take the day before the treatment, the day of, and the day after. This should help or suppress or prevent herpes from flaring, but there are no guarantees. A herpes flare could cause pain, pigment, infection, and scarring.

You should not have any laser or any light based therapy if you have any photosensitive diseases such as lupus, erythematosus, porphyria, or albinism. You must stop any photosensitive medicines at least two days before your treatment unless your prescribing doctor told you not to. Always check! These include anti-arthritis drugs such as gold or methotrexate: any antibiotic from the tetracycline group including Tetracycline, Minocycline, Doxycycline, Vibramycin, Doryx, Solodyn, and Dynacin; acne medicines including Accutane, Cipro, or any of the "quinolone medications"; oral antifungals including Griseofulvin; anti-arrhythmia drugs including Chlorpromazine; NSAIDs including Naprosyn, Advil; St. John’s Wort; diuretics.

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TREATMENT DAY

Please wear comfortable clothing you can remove if necessary for the treatment sessions. All sessions will be done in privacy and confidentiality will be maintained.

It is best to come in not tanned at all - we do want to have the laser target the pigmented hairs deeper under your skin and not have the laser energy wasted on tanned skin up above. This is critical. Please avoid tanning for at least one month prior to your treatments, and we can give you some bleaching creams to help with this if necessary.

You will feel a series of "pinpricks" as the laser energy is delivered. Some people describe this as a snapped rubber band. It is tolerable and disappears quickly upon completion of your treatment session.

Do not plan any sun exposure for the next week after your treatment and certainly don’t schedule this type of treatment before any trips to the beach or periods of excess sun exposure. For the bikini area certainly don’t plan any heavy exercise or jogging immediately after your treatment.

You may go right back to work or normal activities however.

POST TREATMENT

Aloe gel will be applied after your treatment and this should soothe the skin and make you comfortable. If there is further discomfort, you may use an ice pack to reduce inflammation. Topicals can also be given after your treatment if needed.

COMPLICATIONS

In certain tanned or darker individuals there is still some risk of excess inflammation on the surface of the skin. This could cause inflammation, increased pigmentation, infection and remotely scarring. This would be rare and your eligibility would be discussed with you prior to the treatment sessions. If we are treating around the mouth where you may have herpes, there could be a flare and this could cause further pigment or scarring.

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