Laser Hair Unit Strength Comparison

Posted by admin on May 31, 2009

Silk'n fares better in all fields.

Tria uses a Diode Laser and Silk’n uses Intense pulse light (IPL) technology to permanently remove unwanted hair. Both methods have been used by the medical profession for over 20 years. The effectiveness of each method has also been researched and debated by practitioners, manufacturers and scientists who have accepted that results are roughly the same with both types of epilation (epilating is a term referring to the removal of the entire hair from the root).

Both laser and IPL methods of hair removal have also been known as phototricholysis or photoepilation. However they are now more commonly and collectively referred to as “laser hair removal”.

The Silk’n IPL unit has a flash lamp which discharges an extremely intense, full spectrum white light for a very short duration to an area 2cm x 3cm. The Tria uses a Diode laser to target a spot area 1cm x 1cm.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved hair removal lasers in 1997 for permanent hair reduction with a disclaimer that each unit’s effectiveness is directly dependant upon the skill of the operator and the laser technology used in treatment.

The strength of each unit is directly dependent on three variables, namely:-

Output Wavelength: It has been observed that longer pulse widths may be safer for darker skin. However, shorter wavelengths may be more effective at removing hair. The Tria and the Silk’n have roughly equivalent wavelength levels.  The Tria’s wavelength is 810 nanometres (nm) and the Silk’n ranges from 600 to 1100nm.

Treatment Size: The spot size, or the width of the laser beam, affects treatment. The Tria has a treatment area the size of a fingertip (8-12 mm). It is clear that larger spot sizes help make treatments faster and more effective. The Silk’n has a larger treatment area of 2cm x 3cm.

Fluence/Energy Level: The Fluence or energy level is another important factor in laser strength for hair removal products. Fluence is measured in joules per square centimeter (J/cm²). The Tria has a fluence level between 7 and 20 j/cm². The Silk’n has a fluence level of 5j/cm². Although the Silk’n has a lower energy level it can emit this level to an area six times bigger than the Tria.

Other considerations which assist effective treatment include repetition. There is a 3.5 second wait between pulses with the Silk’n and a very small millisecond gap for the Tria. Both repetition rates are perfectly acceptable.

Also overlapping the same target area can bring an improvement in the heating of an area. Tria advise overlapping when undertaking a treatment and Silk’n advise that no overlapping is required.

In conclusion it would seem that Silk’n fairs better in all fields.  Both units, (Tria and Silk’n) are available from our main website: www.so-smooth.co.uk