Had a treatment where technician applied gel before using the laser, wouldn't this reduce effectiveness?

[silv2e]

I recently had laser treatment on my back and the technician applied gel first and then used the laser.

I didn’t think anything of it at the time, thinking the laser is perhaps advanced enough now to compensate, but the more I think about it the less it makes sense. I always thought the skin had to be as clean as possible so the laser has an obstructed path to the hair. Also, any gel in contact with the hair will presumabley absorb some of the laser heat.

Years ago I had a couple treatments, and the technician then put the gel on after the laser was applied.

So was this a mistake by the technician? Or is this commonly done these days? I have another treament coming up so I am very keen to find out. thanks!

[Hairadicator]

Light passes right through the gel without getting absorbed because the gel is transparent.

[thinou]

Ensure the gel is colorless crystal clear but not cloudy/opaque. Sufficient layer? should be applied, too thick or too thin, all can cause light refraction I have heard.

Some clinics use coloured gel but I believe this will affect laser light properties

Direct skin contact IPL & diode machines require gel to counteract their spreading lights.
Solid crystal laser machines producing non-spreading light don’t require direct skin contact, thus gel doesn’t need.

For more info, please read Beauty, Laser & Electrolysis Permanent Hair Removal: Laser Hair Removal

[silv2e]

Thanks for the info.

The machine was a Cartessa Quanta laser, so no direct contact with the laser.

[thinou]

With reference to Minute 4:08 to around 4:43 of the following vdo Redirecting... , isn’t it implied that some light from laser/diode/ipl machines with certain infrared wavelengths will be absorbed by gel required for direct-skin-contact diode & IPL since gel is made mainly of water with little amount of carbomer added, thus less energy reach the target?