Laser Hair Removal Exam Review With 100% Correct Answers 2024
What are the layers of the skin?
hypodermis, dermis, epidermis
What are the two classifications of hair?
vellus and terminal
What is the follicle and its structure?
Dermis
External Root Sheath
Inner Root Sheath:
Henle Layer
Huxle Layer
Cuticle
Structure of hair:
Cuticle
Cortex (melanin)
Medulla
Papilla
Blood vessels
What pulse duration and fluence should be used for skin type I, II, III (Lighter skin)?
Use higher fluences.
Use a shorter pulse duration.
Use a smaller spot size (optional)
What pulse duration and fluence should be used for skin type IV, V, VI (darker skin) ?
Use a lower fluence.
Use a longer pulse duration.
Use a larger spot size (especially for dense and coarse hair).
List normal systemic changes
puberty, pregnancy, menopause
List factors that activate hair growth:
Increased blood supply to the area (topical stimulation)-accelerates.
Hormone stimulation-initiates and accelerates.
What is the chromophore for laser hair removal?
melanin
Name examples of medical laser wavelengths
Ruby: 694 nm (RED light. We don't use anymore)
Alexandrite: 755nm (Green light. Skin type I, II, III)
Diode: 800-810 nm (INVISIBLE light. Skin type I, II, III, IV)
Nd: YAG: (neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet): 1064 nm (INVISIBLE light. All skin types. NOT the best but SAFEST for skin type V and VI)
What are the three phases of hair growth?
anagen, catagen, telogen
Describe the anagen phase:
Active hair growth is occurring.
Describe Early Anagen
The follicle is growing and starting to deepen. The hair is beginning to grow, but has not yet reached the surface of the skin.
Describe Mid-Late Anagen
The follicle is at its maximum depth. The hair is fully visible terminal hair on the surface of the skin.
The hair shaft bulb is dark or black pigmented and very moist.
Derma papilla is directing and supporting hair growth (nourishment), enclosing the hair.
Describe the catagen phase:
Brief transitional stage.
Lasts only a few days to a few weeks.
Approx. only 1-2% of the hairs involved.
Hair follicle separates from papilla.
The hair shaft bulb is lighter or brown pigmented and drier.
Hair follicle shortens to 1/3 of its former length.
Describe the late catagen stage
the thin cord of epidermal cells attaching the dermal papilla to the shrunken hair follicle retracts upwards, followed by the underlying dermal hair papilla, which also moves upwards.
Describe the telogen phase:
Resting or dormant period.
Pigment cells are also dormant.
The papilla has detached from the follicle.
A 'Club" hair is a terminal hair separated from the papilla that has risen to the middle of the follicle- it eventually falls out at the end of cycle.
The hair bulb is shrunken, white and consisting of keratinized hair matrix cells.
Length of telogen time varies widely according to type of hair, the area of the body and nature of the individual.
Only hair germ cells from the outer root sheath and dormant dermal papilla cells remain at the lower part of the follicle.
Slower growth.
(In some case a follicle doesn't go through telogen. Sometimes a new anagen hair can emerge before "club" hair has shed.)
Explain why grey hair does not absorb laser technology
Grey hair lack pigment, or they do not have enough pigment granules, so they cannot absorb enough energy from the laser, even with high fluence. The hair and their follicles are not destroyed.
An alternate method of permanent hair removal must be advised, such as electrolysis or ultrasound hair removal.
How is the skin nourished?
through blood and lymph
List 3 types of pigmentation in skin
Melanin (brown, red, yellow, and black pigment)
Haemoglobin (red or bluish undertones to the skin)
Carotene (gives yellow undertone)
What are hormones? What is its function in the body?
They are chemical substance that pass from their glands directly into the blood stream.
Act somewhat like catalysts, which can speed up or slow down the metabolic processes of the body. They travel throughout the body usually targeting certain organs like a "key" fitting into a certain "lock", so the role of specific hormones is to go to specific organs to carry out specialized functions.
Explain why shaving before treatment is recommended while having laser hair removal
Before treatment, completely shave all hairs away. Anything left will cause skin irritation or surface burns.
Hair grows in different stages, and the best way to eliminate it is to get it treated when its actively growing. Shave until the hair has finally stopped growing back.
Define hirsutism
Excessive and increased hair growth in women in locations where the occurrence of terminal hair normally is minimal or absent.
Male pattern of body hair (androgenic hair).
What is the difference between laser and IPL?
IPL:
• Polychromatic
• Incoherent
• Unfocused
Laser:
• Monochromatic
• Coherent
• Focused
Know 9 contraindications to treatment
Eyebrows
Mucous membrane Areas (nostril, nasal opening, eye lashes..)
Sensitive, reactive skin, heat sensitive skin, miliara Rubra.
Pregnancy.
Skin cancer.
Abnormal growths.
Herpes simplex I, II.
Tattoos
Permanent make-up.
Photosensitizing Medications.
How to analyze hair
Analysing Hair diameter (size), colour, density, and depth.
Is it fine and vellus, shallow terminal, medium-fine terminal, or coarse terminal?
What Is the hair follicle's depth? Shallow, shallow-medium, medium- deep, or very deep.
What color is the hair: white, grey, pale, medium, or dark red, light, medium, or dark blonde, light, medium, or dark brown; very dark brown or black?
The colour will determine what fluence level you select.
What is the density of the hair growth: sparse, sparse-patchy, medium, medium-dense, or very dense? Higher density means lower fluence level.
How to analyze the skin
Analysing skin: Colour, Fitzpatrick type, Sensitivity, and Condition.
People who are sensitive or reactive to the sun can be more reactive to the heat of laser.
Skin type IV to VI will have more side effects with higher fluences.
Check the skin for any abnormalities: moles, tattoos, spider veins, varicose veins,.... RECORD the presence of any of these pre-existing conditions.
6 causes of side effects:
The hair is too long.
Pulses are overlapping.
Rows are overlapping.
Poor cooling technique.
Incorrect assessment of sun skin type.
Incorrect assessment of hair density.
Incorrect assessment of hair colour.
Structure of terminal hair:
These are deeply situated, coarse hairs, which grow from the areas of the body such as the scalp, underarms, pubic area, legs, and beard sections.
Have a well-developed root and bulb and definite pigmentation.
They grow from a follicle, which can extend down as far as the hypodermis.
They are compromised of 3 concentric layers: Cuticle, Cortex, and Medulla.
The enlarged base at the root is called the bulb and surrounds a mass of loose connective tissue called the dermal papilla.
The papilla contains a blood supply and other element essential for the growth of the hair.
The pilosebaceous system:
Hair shaft, Hair follicle, Sebaceous glands.
What is depilation?
Removal of hair at the surface of the skin.
Shaving, trimming, chemical depilatory, laser.
What is fluence?
The amount of energy.
What is joules?
Fluence is measured in joules per square centimetre (J/ cm2 )
What is pulse duration?
It is how long the laser is actually on the skin, and it determines the clinical effect of the light energy. Is measured in nanoseconds (ns) or milliseconds (ms)
What is spot size?
Spot size is the diameter of the beam that you will see when applying the laser and it's measured in millimeters.
What is melanin?
pigment granules, which gives colour to the hair and skin.
What is overlapping?
can only go over 20% to 30% overlapping on areas treated into grid.
What is the acronym for laser?
Light Amplification by Simulated Emission of Radiation
What is frequency?
is related to the photon energy and is the number of waves that pass-through a given point in one second. It is measured in cycles per second and can be compared to Speed.
What is hypertrichosis?
Refers to hair density or length beyond the accepted limits of normal for a particular age, race, or sex.
Can be categorized into several types: generalized, acquired, patterned, localized, congenital, localized acquired.
What is TRT (thermal relaxation time)?
The time between the pulses or exposure time.
It is a measure of the time it takes for the energy to be absorbed by the target (melanin) and diffuse to the surrounding tissue.
What is Perifollicular Erythema?
Redness surrounding the hair follicles in the treatment site.
What is perifollicular edema?
These should be swelling around each hair follicle.
Some patients may experience a high-like response.
Lighter hairs may not respond as significantly.
Content preview
Laser Hair Removal Exam Review With 100% Correct
Answers 2024
What are the layers of the skin?
hypodermis, dermis, epidermis
What are the two classifications of hair?
vellus and terminal
What is the follicle and its structure?
Dermis
External Root Sheath
Inner Root Sheath:
Henle Layer
Huxle Layer
Cuticle
Structure of hair:
Cuticle
Cortex (melanin)
Medulla
Papilla
Blood vessels
What pulse duration and fluence should be used for skin type I, II, III (Lighter
skin)?
Use higher fluences.
Use a shorter pulse duration.
Use a smaller spot size (optional)
What pulse duration and fluence should be used for skin type IV, V, VI (darker
skin) ?
Use a lower fluence.
Use a longer pulse duration.
Use a larger spot size (especially for dense and coarse hair).
List normal systemic changes
puberty, pregnancy, menopause
List factors that activate hair growth:
Increased blood supply to the area (topical stimulation)-accelerates.
Hormone stimulation-initiates and accelerates.
What is the chromophore for laser hair removal?
melanin
Name examples of medical laser wavelengths
Ruby: 694 nm (RED light. We don't use anymore)
Alexandrite: 755nm (Green light. Skin type I, II, III)
Diode: 800-810 nm (INVISIBLE light. Skin type I, II, III, IV)
, Nd: YAG: (neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet): 1064 nm (INVISIBLE light. All skin
types. NOT the best but SAFEST for skin type V and VI)
What are the three phases of hair growth?
anagen, catagen, telogen
Describe the anagen phase:
Active hair growth is occurring.
Describe Early Anagen
The follicle is growing and starting to deepen. The hair is beginning to grow, but has
not yet reached the surface of the skin.
Describe Mid-Late Anagen
The follicle is at its maximum depth. The hair is fully visible terminal hair on the
surface of the skin.
The hair shaft bulb is dark or black pigmented and very moist.
Derma papilla is directing and supporting hair growth (nourishment), enclosing the
hair.
Describe the catagen phase:
Brief transitional stage.
Lasts only a few days to a few weeks.
Approx. only 1-2% of the hairs involved.
Hair follicle separates from papilla.
The hair shaft bulb is lighter or brown pigmented and drier.
Hair follicle shortens to 1/3 of its former length.
Describe the late catagen stage
the thin cord of epidermal cells attaching the dermal papilla to the shrunken hair
follicle retracts upwards, followed by the underlying dermal hair papilla, which also
moves upwards.
Describe the telogen phase:
Resting or dormant period.
Pigment cells are also dormant.
The papilla has detached from the follicle.
A 'Club" hair is a terminal hair separated from the papilla that has risen to the middle
of the follicle- it eventually falls out at the end of cycle.
The hair bulb is shrunken, white and consisting of keratinized hair matrix cells.
Length of telogen time varies widely according to type of hair, the area of the body
and nature of the individual.
Only hair germ cells from the outer root sheath and dormant dermal papilla cells
remain at the lower part of the follicle.
Slower growth.
(In some case a follicle doesn't go through telogen. Sometimes a new anagen hair
can emerge before "club" hair has shed.)
Explain why grey hair does not absorb laser technology
Grey hair lack pigment, or they do not have enough pigment granules, so they
cannot absorb enough energy from the laser, even with high fluence. The hair and
their follicles are not destroyed.