About This Condition
Unwanted hair is a problem shared both by men and women. Some people experience unwanted or excess hair from the time they reach puberty; others find it to be a condition that gets worse with age. Some women experience additional hair growth during either pregnancy or menopause. A few diseases also have excessive hair growth as a symptom, but these are rare.

Depending on its location on the body and an individual's hair type , hair can grow in thick, bushy patches or long thin strands. Hair production sites known as hair follicles can be found at different depths and densities -- as close to the skin's surface as a millimeter in certain body areas such as the upper lip, or as deep as 5 millimeters or more on the scalp or around the bikini area. Until recently, this great variety in hair types and body locations made long-lasting hair removal a significant challenge.

Occasionally hair follicles can become irritated or inflamed, causing mild to moderate pain. While unwanted or excess hair is primarily a cosmetic concern, it can be very distressing to those who suffer its effects. Unwanted hair can also be the source of considerable embarrassment, limiting people's activities and lifestyles.



 

EpiLight broad spectrum for treating all hair colors from the entire body EpiLight™'s broad spectrum means wavelength can be adjusted according to hair color and location. This graph represents just a few of the possible combinations of hair colors, follicle depths, and body locations that EpiLight can treat.

Scope of the Problem Millions of men and women spend thousands of dollars each year attempting to get rid of unwanted and excess hair. Women frequently experience this condition on the face, especially the lip or eyebrow areas, at the bikini line, under their arms, or on their legs. Men often wish to rid themselves of hair on the back or chest. They too may have unwanted hair between their eyebrows or on other parts of the face. For both men and women alike, shaving, waxing, chemical depilatories and other temporary hair removal methods have been known to cause irritations, folliculitis and in some cases, scarring. The thickness and color of the hair can have a direct impact on the problem, as does the color of an individual's skin. Additionally, people in warmer climates where less clothing is generally worn have to deal with this issue throughout the year. Your physician can advise you on the best treatment for your particular condition.

Traditional Treatments and Limitations
Many approaches have been used to try to solve the pesky problem of unwanted and excess hair. From the simplicity of tweezers and hair-removal creams to electrolysis and the latest high-tech lasers, people spend large sums of money and many hours trying to shed unwanted hair. Unfortunately, none of these methods are perfect .

The most basic approach to removing unwanted hair is the trusty tweezers. The use of tweezers for hair removal goes back to ancient Rome. However, in addition to being painful and time-consuming, plucking unwanted hairs is only a short-term solution as the hair invariably grows back .

Shaving unwanted hair is similarly a short-term answer. Rubbing messy chemical depilatory creams on the skin can cause redness and irritation, and have no permanent effect on unwanted hair. While newer, "organic" hair removal creams may be less offensive to the skin, they have not proved any more effective at getting rid of hair.

Waxing is quite popular, even though it only provides hair-free results for two to four weeks. Many people find this method painful, and it can cause skin irritation and pimples. Once again, waxing does nothing to prevent unwanted hair from returning, necessitating frequent, repeat treatments.

Electrolysis is another attempt at hair removal, but this technique can be painful, time-consuming and expensive, as each hair follicle must be treated individually. The process can take months or even years, and permanent results are not always achieved.

Another weapon in the battle against unwanted hair is the use of lasers. However, because lasers emit light at a single wavelength, no one laser device appears to be effective on all hair colors or skin types.

Frequently Asked Questions | A New Solution