QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

The first stage involves a free information session during which we explain the procedure and go through your past medical history. We ask about your health, any medications you are taking and any possible contraindications to treatment.

We ask you to sign a consent form authorizing us to carry out the treatment sessions. After the information session, you may proceed with the treatments or make an appointment for a later date. Ideally, the area should have been shaved the day before. You are then invited into the treatment room where you will be asked to get changed and lie on the treatment table. We will provide you with a robe and towels.

We will also give you a pair of safety glasses which must be worn throughout the session. The session can begin… The Skin & Laser Practitioner marks out the areas to treat using a white pencil. She will communicate with you to see how well you are tolerating the treatment and adjust the cooling intensity to ensure your comfort. At the end of the session, she will apply Aloe Vera gel to the treated area.

We will give you post-treatment guidance, including advice on what cream to apply and we are available to answer any questions you may have.

• Laser hair removal: Laser hair removal is permanent in 85% of cases. You have to weigh the cost up against that of other non-permanent treatments. Laser hair removal should be seen as a long-term investment and ultimate comfort. The skin is smooth, with no rashes or ingrown hairs.

• Electrolysis: electrolysis takes 20 to 50 times longer than laser treatment. It is also more painful. It costs 6 to 9 times more than laser treatment. However, electrolysis is indicated for white hairs as well as for small areas such as eyebrows.

• Waxing: waxing involves a lifelong commitment to sessions every 3 to 4 weeks. This equates to a huge amount of time and money.

No. For hair removal, the laser emits a red or infrared light (depending on the type of laser) similar to that emitted by the grill of a kitchen stove. It does not emit any radiation that could damage the skin. The wavelength used for hair removal is completely different from rays such as ultraviolet light or X-rays.

The laser does not carry any risk of cancer. The treated area may look pink or red after treatment. This redness disappears within minutes in some cases and in a few hours in others. In rare cases, post-treatment crusting or changes in skin pigmentation may appear which tend to disappear within a few days.

The use of an ice pack or application of CLINIK Aloe Vera gel will speed up the healing process. 

Pain is subjective and depends on the sensitivity of each client and on the area of the body being treated. You might feel slight warmth and a tingling sensation. The lasers at CLINIK are equipped with a skin cooling system for unrivalled efficacy, safety and comfort. Thanks to this system, the hair removal procedure is perfectly tolerable in 90% of cases. Any pain or discomfort only lasts for a few seconds as the laser emits its pulse.

If you are particularly sensitive and you think that laser hair removal will be too painful for you, there are ways to considerably reduce the pain. At CLINIK, we suggest using an anaesthetic cream which is applied locally to numb the area undergoing treatment.

The choice of device is essential in order to get a satisfactory result. Penetration into the skin and hair depends on the wavelength of the laser. CLINIK uses the best technology on the market and has the latest generation equipment in order to be able to treat all skin tones.

The medical laser for fair skin emits a wavelength of 755 nanometers that is easily absorbed by the melanin and released as heat that destroys the hair bulb. It also has an integrated skin cooling system to maximise efficacy, safety and comfort unmatched by other lasers on the market. For olive, dark or black skin types, CLINIK uses a medical diode which emits a wavelength up to 914 nanometers, providing deeper skin penetration.

Thanks to our medical lasers, we are able to treat all skin phototypes, from light to dark.

In practice, laser treatment can be carried out at any time of the year. The important point is to ensure the skin is not tanned before treatment and to stay out of the sun as much as possible in the weeks following treatment.

Each session lasts between 15 and 45 minutes. For example:

• Underarms: 5 minutes

• Entire bikini area: 15 minutes

• Full legs: 45 minutes

The number of sessions depends on the type of hair and skin: the thicker and darker the hair, the better the results. Depending on the area you choose to treat, you will need on average:

• Lighter skin tones – 5 to 8 sessions
• Darker skin tones  – 9 to 12 sessions

The interval between each laser session depends on the area of the body being treated:

• Face: 4 to 6 weeks

• Trunk, underarms, bikini: 6 to 8 weeks

• Legs: 10 to 12 weeks

If the hair has not regrown, the next session should be postponed.

If carried out under the right conditions, the risks of laser hair removal are very low. First risk of laser hair removal: post-treatment crusting. Try not to worry, this crusting is not serious and does not pose any risk. It can, however, be unpleasant and unsightly until it has disappeared. We recommend applying Aloe Vera gel to the affected area(s) until the crusting has completely healed.

This gel helps the crust to fall off without drying up and without causing pigmentation. It is important to state that crusting is rare. Second risk of laser hair removal: pigmentation irregularities. During a session, melanocytes, cells that produce melanin which gives the skin its colour, are destroyed. When these cells are destroyed, the skin’s colour can no longer be produced. This is called hypopigmentation. Generally, hypopigmentation is characterised by white patches that are lighter than the natural colour of the skin. These changes will resolve with time.

Conversely, on a darker skin hyperpigmentation can occur. This is a condition in which darker patches of skin can appear. These changes in skin pigmentation generally resolve over a period of a few months.

We talk about permanent laser hair removal as this effective method can remove 85% of unwanted hair. However, it is important to understand that results can vary considerably from one person to the next depending on the type of hair.

Moreover, hair regrowth can be observed on certain areas following significant hormonal changes, such as pregnancy for women. As a result, it is not uncommon for clients to require some maintenance sessions after a few years (4 to 5 years on average).

The specialised practitioners at CLINIK cannot determine in advance the exact number of sessions as the treatment is different for each person. A few clients do not respond to the laser and, in some cases, hair removal is not permanent even though the clients may be very happy with the outcome.

The hair life cycle is divided into 3 phases. Only the hair in phase 1 are completely destroyed by laser.

Phase 1: young and adult hair in the growing phase (= anagen phase)

Phase 2: old hair (= catagen phase)

Phase 3: dead hair (= telogen phase) As the hair growth phase varies from one area to another, the permanent removal of all hair will require 2 to 4 sessions, followed by 2 to 3 top-up sessions. Approximately 20% to 25% of hair is removed per treatment session. In most cases, 5 to 8 sessions are required to obtain a satisfactory result.

Depending on the treatment area, sessions should be spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart. If case of unforeseen difficulties or sun exposure, the sessions can be spaced out by a few more weeks.

• Tanning

• Pregnancy

• Taking photosensitising medications

• Clients suffering from vitiligo as they are at increased risk of developing a Koebner phenomenon (appearance of permanent white marks on the areas treated by the laser)

• Puberty

• White, red, blond or bleached hair as these hair types do not contain as much melanin and therefore do not respond well to laser hair removal

• Severe acne treatment in the preceding 2 months

• Application of self-tanning cream or oil

• Active herpes or hemorrhoids on the treatment areas

Pregnancy is one of the main contraindications for permanent laser hair removal. It will take an average of two months after breastfeeding to be able to do it.

Before a laser session: in the month prior to the session you must avoid any kind of tanning. This includes the application of self-tanning products, oil-based solutions and especially sunbeds (do not use a sunbed for at least 3 months prior to treatment). After a laser session: there is no strict obligation concerning exposure to the sun after a laser session. If the treated areas are exposed to bright sunlight, we recommend wearing sunscreen with an SPF 50 or higher in the days after the session.

However, if your skin develops an inflammatory response (redness, particular sensitivity or other), it is recommended to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, especially if you have olive skin.

The laser works by focusing the light beam on the hairs. The amount of melanin in the hairs is very high. Tanned skin is also high in melanin. This means that the laser no longer only seeks out the hair but may also target the melanin in the skin. This significantly increases the risk of side effects such as burning or pigmentation irregularities that can take a long time to heal.

• Do not tan the skin.

• Do not wax or pluck the hair using tweezers for at least four weeks before the laser session. This is so the treatment can be carried out on undamaged skin and on hair with healthy bulbs.

• Approximately 24 hours before, or even on the morning of the session, we recommend shaving the area to be treated except for the face (for the face: cut with scissors or leave it as it is).

• In the case of herpes (cold sores), the outbreak should be treated at least 2 weeks before the laser session. Otherwise, treatment on the affected area should be postponed.

• An anaesthetic cream can be applied to sensitive areas approximately one hour before the session.

Yes, only shaving and cutting the hair are permitted. If the hair does not regrow, the following hair removal session should be delayed.

• The laser needs to focus its energy on the hair bulb and bulge in order to destroy the structure responsible for hair growth.

• When the hair has been shaved, the laser energy can only be attracted to the melanin in the hair bulb and bulge. This means that all the energy is concentrated on the area to destroy leading to a more effective treatment outcome.

• Furthermore, if the hair is long, the laser will waste its energy by targeting the visible part of the hair which does not need to be treated.

Yes, that is possible. In general, this is done for medical reasons, particularly in the case of folliculitis. Hair removal of the beard for clients wanting to reduce the density of their beard is also possible. Laser hair removal of the beard also improves the outcome for men undergoing gender reassignment operations. Hair removal of the beard requires the application of an anaesthetic cream such as ANESDERM®.

Yes. However, it is recommended to avoid treating vellus (downy) hair with a laser. This is because stimulating the downy hair can cause it to grow back as thicker hair. Of course, this thicker hair can then be effectively treated with a laser. Paradoxical regrowth: this is the development of new hair growth on the areas surrounding, or close to, the treated area, or even on the treated area itself. Most often, this involves transformation of the downy (vellus) hair, which is sometimes invisible, into thicker hair.

This tends to happen after a certain period of time, typically around the third laser treatment session and/or up to 6 months after the end of treatment. This hair mainly appears on areas such as the face in women, and the shoulders and top of the back in men. Of unknown mechanism, it may be a reaction of the body caused by inflammation and the production of prostaglandin.

In such cases, the sessions should continue to treat the areas that reacted. The area should be cooled with ice. A large number of sessions may be needed to improve the appearance of paradoxical regrowth.

Laser hair removal is only effective on hairs that contain melanin and is therefore not effective on white hairs. White, red, greying or depigmented (bleached) hair does not contain enough melanin for hair removal to be effective.

The melanin of red hair is not exactly the same as the melanin found in black hair that the laser was designed for. The results are variable on red hair. A laser test needs to be carried out on a small area before undergoing treatment on a larger area.

It is strongly recommended not to undergo laser hair removal until puberty has finished. The body undergoes significant hormonal changes during this period and it is important to wait until such transformations have at least stabilised before undertaking laser treatment. This is to ensure its usefulness and effectiveness.

Facial hair removal gives spectacular results when performed on thick or medium hair. On light hair, results are less satisfactory. It should be pointed out that the amount of facial hair is much higher in proportion to the other areas of the body. In addition, women’s face is subjected to hormonal influences. These different factors can then lead to a need for further sessions.

There are some important aspects to conducting laser treatment on eyebrows. Indeed, they do not grow in a straight line. Eyebrows grow from the centre of the face outwards and upwards. Generally, we try to limit laser hair removal to the space between the eyebrows.

The treatment is simple, fast and well tolerated. During treatment in this area, the eyes are protected with metal eye shields to prevent retinal injury.

It is important to understand that the excessive body hair associated with hirsutism may be caused by a hormonal imbalance or an abnormally elevated production of substances that are able to stimulate hair growth. Hirsutism can be an isolated condition or it can be a sign of an increase in male hormones. It is important to conduct blood tests to check hormone levels and an ultrasound of the pelvis to identify the cause.

Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common cause of hirsutism in women. In case of confirmed hirsutism, medical treatment of the underlying hormonal imbalance is necessary. It is used in combination with laser hair removal. In all cases, medical treatment should be combined with an aesthetic approach.

The optimal result is defined as the percentage of permanent hair loss. Depending on the type of hair/skin, the hair reduction rate varies between 80% and 90%. In areas of more resistant, stimulable hair and in areas dependent on hormones, this rate may be between 50% and 70% and may require additional periodic sessions with optimal results requiring maintenance 1 to 4 times a year at most.

At CLINIK, you can benefit from installment payments for your laser hair removal or laser rejuvenation session packs, making the treatment more accessible. Here are the key points:

• Installment payment: You can choose to pay over 3, 6, or 12 months when purchasing a pack of sessions.
• 0% interest: No interest is added to your monthly payments.
• No down payment required: There is no need to make a down payment before starting.
• Early repayment: You can pay off your balance earlier without any penalties.
• Maximum amount: Financing can go up to 10,000 CHF.

Conditions: You must be a resident of Switzerland, at least 18 years old, and pass a credit check.

Book your free information session now for more details.