Epilight Provides Noninvasive Treatment For Unwanted Hair
Light Touch Image Enhancement is a new business in Coeur d’Alene that offers removal of unwanted hair, birthmarks, spider veins or sun spots using an intense pulsing light.
Ellen Rock, a nurse practitioner, started the business after realizing how many women were distressed about heavy facial hair growth. Light Touch is located at 2221 Ironwood Center Drive and can be reached at 665-5858.
Rock provided answers to the following questions about her business.
Q. Please explain how this business started.
A. I am a nurse practitioner providing women’s health through an OB/GYN office. My interest in permanent hair removal started in this practice as I found that many women suffered from unusually heavy facial hair growth. Research revealed that the common solutions were painful or ineffective. Laser hair removal technology was an option, but it was limited in who it could safely and effectively treat. When the Multilight Epilight System was introduced to me, it was obvious that it provided what women were looking for with maximum results and a minimum of complications.
Q. What does your company do?
A. Light Touch Image Enhancement owns a Multilight System. This is an intense pulsed-light device with dual functions. First, it has an Epilight Hair Removal head to treat unwanted hair. Additionally, it has the capability of treating vascular lesions (spider veins, birthmarks) and pigmented lesions (age spots, sun spots, tattoos).
Q. How is this different from other hair-removal techniques?
A. Electrolysis is an invasive and painful process that involves inserting a needle into each hair follicle and delivering an electrical charge to destroy them one at a time. Electrolysis often requires years of treatment at regular intervals. Laser is a noninvasive approach to hair removal. It uses a single spectrum of light to treat hair. Because hair depth varies depending on location, color and coarseness, it is not effective with all types of hair. This means that patients will require more treatments. Epilight is permanent. It treats hundreds of hair follicles with a single pulse of light. The FDA has approved this system for permanent hair reduction. It customizes treatment according to your hair color, texture and location on the body.
Q. Please explain the technology behind your work.
A. The Multilight System works by emitting an intense light that is absorbed by the targeted vessel, pigment or hair until it is destroyed. Being able to set the duration of the pulse, the delay between pulses and the intensity of the pulse allows this to occur without damaging the surrounding tissue. Complete clearance for hair may require three to five treatments. Vascular and pigmented lesions require one to three treatments. Treatment sessions last 15 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the treatment area.
Q. Give an example of the price range for your services.
A. Cost is determined by the size of the area being treated. This may range from $100 to $1,500. An elderly man came to me wanting an age spot removed from his abdomen. I only charged him $25. A little girl with a birthmark on her face is scheduled to receive treatment, and I likely will charge her nothing. Price varies widely.
Q. What does a patient feel while undergoing treatment?
A. During treatment a cool gel and hand-held treatment unit are gently applied to the skin. Then a flash of pulsed light treats the desired area. When the pulse of light is delivered, you may feel a mild sting for a few seconds. Patients have described the feeling as being similar to the snap of a rubber band. Others say that it is hot, but they feel no real discomfort. After treatment, there may be mild burning, slight reddening of the skin and local swelling for as much as an hour. Vascular lesions may bruise slightly while the body absorbs the destroyed cells. Pigmented lesions will darken prior to sloughing off. Protecting your skin from sun exposure by using a good sunscreen before and after treatment is important.
Q. How many employees do you have?
A. Currently, I employ only a full-time receptionist. I work part time in the OB/GYN practice and part time at Light Touch.
Q. What kind of training do you need?
A. The Epilight Hair Removal System is a class 2 medical device. The state of Idaho requires that operators of this device have completed a certification class and have the minimum education to operate the machine.