Hi everybody…
It seems that the more I talk and research about lasers the more I get confused…
I have a question…
I heard there are two different lasers, the one with the red light and another one with a green light… is this true? What is the difference?
-Man this is confussing!!!
Thanks! 
</font><blockquote><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>quote:</font><hr /><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>Originally posted by Valerie:
<strong>Hi everybody…
It seems that the more I talk and research about lasers the more I get confused…
I have a question…
I heard there are two different lasers, the one with the red light and another one with a green light… is this true? What is the difference?
-Man this is confussing!!!
Thanks! </blockquote><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>Valerie,
Before you buy a laser (or get treatments yourself), you should spend some serious time researching LHR (including the history of laser hair removal . . . it’s actually not as “tested” a technology as laser manufacturers might want you to believe, although new clinical studies on LHR are going on as we speak!).
There are many different kinds of lasers . . . ruby, diode, IPL (not techincally a laser), and many others. And different implementations of each kind of laser (these are the different manfacturers and models).
I don’t know what the red and green you’re talking about . . . but I’m sure that different lasers might have different visible colors (i.e. maybe the lasers at the lower end of the frequency spectrum are closer to red because they have longer wavelengths, while lasers at the higher end of the frequency spectrum appear closer to green or blue because they have shorter wavelengths, but that’s just a guess on my part). So that’s probably what you have heard about. If someone knows more about this they should correct me. I am not a physicist.
But it all comes down to clinical performance of different machines (there are clinical studies done on this, and manufacturer/model DOES matter), practitioner skill (it’s not a simple point and shoot thing, a laser in the wrong hands can quite easily cause someone to go blind or worse), and consumer experiences (which are usually are a result of the combination of the machine and the practitioner).
Before you go buy a machine I would advise doing some SERIOUS RESEARCH.
I’m just a consumer, but I’ve spent more than 100 hours so far researching laser hair removal. I’ve had 3 treatments using the LightSheer XC on my face (I’m a type IV on the Fitzpatrick scale, and my practitioner has been fairly agressive with the fluences considering how dark my skin is). You can read my experiences by doing a search for my user name or member number.
There are a LOT of scams and shams out there . . . Lots of unscrupulous people that prey on those that don’t do their research.
Keep reading!!
This forum (and Andrea’s other site, hairfacts.com) are a great place to start.
Be careful out there. Cut once, measure twice.
Good luck.
Hello,
first of all, I would like to thank you for taking the time to reply to my post.
Actually what I heard about the red and green lasers is that the red one is hot, the green one is cold (it kind of actually freezes the hair and skin) or something like that… I have spent hours of researching and still can’t come up with a green laser that is cold… Does anyone know of anything like this?
Thanks in advance!
Valerie: There is no color to coherent light, which is what laser really is. The visible color that is seen when using a laser designed for hair removal is nothing more than the target beam, which enables the practitioner to see where the laser is aimed. There is also no such thing as a “cold” laser - coherent light produces a powerful pulse of thermal (heat) energy, which enables it to do what it is designed to do - which could be anything from disabling hair follicles to performing surgery, or vaporizing the epidermis. You should check in to attending a course on laser and light-based hair removal technology - there are two facilities here in S. Florida that offer this type of training, so I am sure there must be similar options in your area. This will give you a basic understanding of laser physics, which is a must if you are really set on purchasing a machine, the cheapest of which sell for about $35-40,000 and up. Don’t get IPL confused with laser - they are not the same thing, and IPL is not appropriate for hair removal. Also, check with your State medical board to see who is legally allowed to perform laser hair removal - it is quite restrictive in Florida, and that may be the case in your state. Keep us posted, and hang on to your money until you finish that course!
I agree. While I appreciate your efforts to become more informed, Valerie, an Internet forum is no substitute for proper training. It’s obvious from reading your posts that you are clueless about the science behind the procedure and the various treatment modalities. If you’re considering adding LHR to your practice, you need to enroll in a certified class. Otherwise, you’re doing yourself and any potential clients a disservice. You also risk injuring someone and exposing yourself to a major lawsuit.