White-Grey-Silver Blonde Hairs

Laser and IPL cannot treat all colours of hair. Laser works best on light skin dark hair.
In Laser we are targeting the brown pigment in the hair shaft and then there’s the secondary minor mechanism which is the blood mechanism.
The chromophore (target) for Laser or IPL hair removal is Melanin. Lighter coloured hair has too little melanin to provide an effective target for laser.
There is currently no Laser or IPL technology available that treats light coloured hairs.

This was the original solution that was used.
There have been attempts to treat light coloured hairs by first applying a carbon paste and then treating the hair with a laser called Therma Lase.
In Laser physics dark absorbs, white reflects. Idea being if you put carbon paste you would colour light hairs so laser can absorb these hairs.
The major problem was that the paste never got down to the follicles and patients only got a temporary reduction.
The company went into liquidation.

Other attempts have been to apply a solution such as Meladine to the area before laser treatment to increase pigment to non-pigmented follicles. These topical melanin solutions need to be used regularly for 2-3 weeks before laser treatment.
However, it is not possible to get any solution passed the epidermis down into the hair follicle.
Some clinics still claim that they can treat light coloured hairs with Laser, however you now know the truth!

Elos (Electro-Optical Synergy) is a hybrid system which combines Diode light energy and Radio frequency conducted electric current. It uses both light and electric pulses simulataneously causing the electric pulses from the pulses to go directly into the hair follicles which have been pre-heated by the light pulses.
This system again is not 100% successful and electrolysis still remains the gold standard treatment for light blond, grey, silver and red hairs.

This remains the gold standard method for treating white, blonde, grey, red hairs.
The only option for white, silver, blonde or grey hairs is in fact Electrolysis.
In Electrolysis you are destroying the dermal papilla and blood supply. Therefore the hair follicle does not need melanin for electrolysis to work.

A tiny probe (about the same diameter as the hair) is inserted down into a follicle opening already present in the skin.
The probe is charged with a tiny amount of electrical current and you will feel either a build up of warmth concentrated in the locality or a sensation similar to a slight sting. Sensation depends on the area and the method of epilation used.
The hair is gently released from the follicle with tweezers leaving the client hair free. The hair slides out easily without traction.
The procedure is repeated on each individual unwanted hair to clear the area as much as possible within a given time frame whilst taking skin reaction into consideration.

Electrolysis is good for small areas of treatment. It is treating each individual follicle unlike Laser which treats up to 24 mm in each shot. Large areas such as full face or body treatments are not suitable for electrolysis.
Electrolysis can be painful and a tedious procedure.
If you have a mixture of dark and white hairs our advice would be to treat the dark hairs first with laser and treat the rest of the areas with Electrolysis.
If you are considering Electrolysis for light hairs we recommend that you find an experience Electrologist. The needle needs to be inserted carefully into the opening of the hair follicle, if it’s not irreversible damage can occur on the skin such as deep pitted scarring.