Permanent Hair Removal vs Reduction!

Dr Seema Bali, MD, Homoeopath Dermatologist. Since past 32 years a large number of Permanent Hair Removal,.....no not Reduction Cases were successfully accomplished under me in the city of Delhi NCR. Thousands of successfully treated permanent hair removal cases had been sharing the benefits of our knowledge, experience and facilities on this much-confused topic. I had been on record in my position on permanence and my experiences since 1989 through write-ups/ articles/ seminars/ TV shows. On Youtube, you may like to watch my 72 TV interviews and hear my views on ‘Permanent Hair Removal ...not Reduction’.

Excessive hair growth in men and women is termed as ‘Hypertrichosis’, which can be categorized into local and general types. The term ‘Hirsutism’ is used for medically significant excessive hair growth, usually as an outcome of the endocrine disorder. Most of the excessive hair growths fall under ‘Superfluous hair’ category where the sufferer is not medically ill and hair growth is simply undesirable socially. Few known reasons for this excessive hair growth condition range from malnutrition in children, anorexia nervosa, underlying malignancy, PCOS, endocrine disorders to genetics and drug interaction. But the most prominent reason that Valeda Wellness doctors have observed over past 32 years is the wrong hair removal methods, wherein hair is pulled in an attempt to rid it permanently.

This causes an increase in local capillary circulation providing better nourishment for keratin biosynthesis and increased undesirable hair growth.

How it all started?

Women and men alike had attempted permanent hair removal for hundreds of years until in 1923 it became a welcome reality when Dr. Bordier in Paris successfully eliminated the hair permanently with a charged probe. Did it change after its invention? The basics of “Permanent Hair Removal” industry remain same since then, with modifications in equipment only on levels of presentation and monitoring.

How is Permanent Hair Removal achieved?

The concept is based on fact that human body is born with sac-like structures, the follicles that grow and support hair under the skin and there is no new addition of follicles in a lifetime. Once eliminated along with its surrounding potential germ cells the hair shall never grow from that follicle. It is thus Permanent Hair Removal.

Beware of misleading claims

It is important that when you want to go for permanent hair removal, you must choose your doctor carefully. As, at present, there are no stringent standards in place, therefore it is all the more necessary that one should only consult a well qualified and experienced doctor.

Can we find this information on some Government body?

In the USA, the US FDA does regulate the standards and one can find details on the official US FDA website.

What are the Types of Hair Removal Methods?

The Hair Removal can be Temporary, Permanent or Holistically Permanent methods.

Temporary Methods Include: Cutting of hair at skin surface by scissors, shaving or depilatories the hair removing chemicals. The side effects include skin abrasions cuts and reactions Pulling of hair by Threading, Waxing, Tweezers or by Electronic tweezers. Simple pulling causes the hair regrow sturdier as microcirculation around the follicle increases to repair the tissues damaged by pulling injury. The effect is more pronounced in androgen-stimulated areas of the body like Face & Chest and where the follicles are programmed to grow up to 30 cm as in chin, under chin and side face area. The distal proximities like arms and legs have follicles that are genetically programmed to grow up to few cm only, so do not make a mistake of managing face area by waxing as you do for arms and legs.

Photo depilation: The heat generated by radiation targeting the hair pigment melanin by LASER (Light Amplification of Stimulated Emission of Radiation) or IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) loosens the bonding between outer layer of hair root and inner layer of follicle thereby removing the hair by ‘root’ and sparing the follicles potential germ cells to regrow hair subsequently although at larger time interval as that when waxed. Remember that both the hair shaft and the hair root are dead appendages formed by protein keratin.

Unless the living hair follicle and its potential germ cells are removed the permanence cannot be achieved. Laser so cannot affect permanent hair removal. The radiation cannot distinguish between the pigment of skin or hair so the side effects of laser hair removal more particularly in dark-skinned individuals can include blistering, discoloration after treatment, swelling, redness, and scarring. Sunlight should be avoided during healing after the procedure.

Those who decide to use a skin-numbing product should be careful as FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research has received reports of serious and life-threatening side effects after use of large amounts of skin-numbing products for laser hair removal. The use of Laser hair removal has increasingly grown, prompting many laser manufacturers to seek US FDA clearance for their lasers for the “Permanent Hair Removal” indication.

On being refused any such permission they settled for the ambiguous term, "Permanent Hair Reduction" that was coined for the sole purpose of getting the word "Permanent" into advertising. Many promoters are emphasizing the word "Permanent" and, in most cases, eliminating the word "Reduction" The term is too similar to "Permanent Hair Removal" which probe practitioners and the public understand to mean, that at the end of a course of treatment none of the treated follicles will ever grow another hair.

No laser has been demonstrated to be able to achieve such a result. The American Electrology Association that is the largest professional membership organization for practitioners of permanent hair removal and is regulating the profession since 1958 has its name saying American, but its membership is actually international. AEA points that it regrets that the FDA has allowed the use of new terminology which sounds deceptively similar to the established term. They were refused such permission initially.

Epilation or The Permanent Hair Removal Methods

After specialized three years training course the State Laws in USA require a license for practitioners as electrologists and even a medical doctor needs specialized training and license if he wishes to practice electrology. India still does not have such regulatory laws.

The Galvanic or Electrolysis: The micro DC impulse delivered at the base of the follicle by a probe thinner than that of hair shaft creates a chemical that targets the follicle and eliminates it. The US FDA recognizes this method as Permanent Hair Removal. 

The Radio Frequency, Short Wave, Diathermy, High frequency or Thermolysis: The tip of the tiny probe generates a conical field of action at the base of the follicle to make water molecules vibrate resulting in coagulation of follicular proteins and thereby permanently eliminating it. There is no burning, no desiccation, no charring, no electrocution but simply the proteins lose their structure and thereby coagulate to affect permanence. The FCC or Federal Communication Commission allows equipment to operate at 13.56 MHz, 27.12 MHz or 40.68 MHz frequencies.

The Blend or Combination Mode: The probe acts as an electrode and allows the operator to selectively superimpose or choose single or combined modalities depending on the type of hair follicle, its shape, body area, skin sensitivity, moisture or oil gradients, growth cycles amongst few parameters. This mode may have 100 type of combinations and is highly effective but needs a high level of expertise and .experience.

Holistically Permanent Hair Removal Methods At Valeda

In 1985, I, as an upcoming Homoeopath Dermatologist, sensed the plight of females seeking permanent hair removal and this made me focus my work scientifically in this direction. In 1990 I joined AEA and International Guild as only medical doctor member out of their strength of 3500 international members.

Today, my efforts of 32 years have yielded much sought after relief to thousands of females through Holistically Permanent Hair Removal Method, a term coined by me to summarize my years of work in this direction. In short, the holistic approach here refers to the powerful contribution of my basic qualification as a Homoeopath that empowered me to eradicate basic causative factors by striking correct balance of a Healthy mind, Healthy spirit and Healthy body for every individual.

The causative factors here should not be confused with endocrine or hormonal factors that laymen usually refer to. Remember that a female case of endocrine disorder shall have the prime contributory hormone testosterone increased by more than double of higher normal limits of 1.1 nanograms per 100 ml. So, the hormone is not a direct culprit in more than 90% of sufferers of unwanted hair females, as is wrongly generalized. Also, therefore the intake of generic spironolactone as hormone blocker has limited or no effect on reversal of unwanted hair growth in androgen-sensitive body areas. 

Permanent hair removal in females, as well as males at a time, bound certainty has always been a welcome reality at Valeda Wellness Centers. By using the basics of Specialised Homoeopathy supported by Combination modalities while following American FDA’s directive findings and by associations with International Guild, American Electrology Association(AEA) and other World bodies Valeda technical team has specialized in whole body permanent hair removal systems in shortest duration i.e. reduction of treatment time by more than five times in such cases.

Since 1989 the Valeda doctors are contributing for positive awareness on this subject, including Lasers, through articles and write-ups in various magazines and newspapers. Ever since Doordarshan times I had been invited to discuss this topic on various TV channels. The copies of these write-ups can be taken from Valeda Wellness Centers and some 72 TV programs can be seen on Youtube.

It is advised to permanent hair removal seekers that they should not pull hairs out by waxing, threading, besan ubtan or by misleading claim gadgets as this only increases the problem. Secondly one should not worry, as this problem is treatable permanently at Valeda Wellness Centers.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!