As So-Smooth awaits the imminent arrival of the new Rio IPL8000™, and its advanced capabilities, So-Smooth have detailed features, benefits and suitability to skin type as well as the disadvantages of Rio hair removal systems.

Hair Removal Areas

The IPL8000™ with its latest technology has the ability to remove up to 180 hairs per second, from legs, arms, chest, back, underarms and bikini lines, quickly and more efficiently than its predecessors, although the IPL8000™ is not suitable for either heads or faces.

Rio X60™ can remove up to 60 hairs in several seconds. Whilst the hair removal area is smaller and is slow in comparison the IPL8000, this machine can be used (with caution) on all areas including heads and faces.

Rio X20™ has a very small treatment area of only 20 hairs per IPL, and with its 2 treatment settings, this system is a much slower than either the IPL8000™ or the X60™, but in its defence it can be used on the head and face and is excellent value for money.

None of these units are suitable for black or Afro-Caribbean skin.  Nor are they suited to white, grey or very light hair. www.so-smooth.co.uk stock a product to counteract the problem of lighter hair, Meladine.  Meladine directs melanin to the hair follicle enabling IPL to penetrate the hair root without damaging skin or hair shafts.

Price

The IPL8000™ retails at on the So-Smooth website at £300-£350.  A more expensive system than its counterparts, but the capabilities and latest features of Rio’s newest Hair Removal System far out weigh the price.

For example, the professional grade quartz bulbs used in this machine are environmentally friendly, producing up to 1000 flashes in their lifetime.  The risk of the bulbs failing before their time is minimal. As a much quicker and more efficient system, the time taken to remove unwanted hair is greatly reduced, and as its mains operated there is no threat of power failure. 

Adding to the benefits of the IPL8000™ are the heat regulator and the access code.  With 5 power settings, the heat setting initially defaults to the lowest power level, 1, ensuring that small steps are taken to build up to the correct temperature for different skin types and tones, minimising any risk of harm or irritation to skin or hair shaft.

The X60™ and X20™ by comparison are real value for money. Cheaper than the IPL8000™, the results are reflected in the price. The X20™ has 2 treatment modes, treating up to 20 hairs at a time, whereas the X60™ has 3 heat settings, number 1 enabling the treatment of individual hairs or setting 3 for multiple hair reduction. Both are slower machines than the later model, with less hair removal per light pulse, but able to penetrate areas that even the latest advances in technology cannot, typically, the face.  These systems are perfect for users with more time to spend removing hair and for those on a lower budget. Visit www.so-smooth.co.uk for up to date pricing details.

IPL8000™ advances over X20™/X60™

Skin sensors have been added to the wand ensuring greater user safety.  Light Pulse will only be emitted once the wand has connected correctly with skin.

A safety ‘Blink’ light is an added feature to the IPL8000™.  The bright orange light will ‘flash’ causing an automatic ‘blink’ action should the wand be pointed anywhere near the eyes.

The UV filter will avoid the risk of any UV light damage the skin.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The IPL8000™ has new and improved features both for the safety of the user and for the effects on the environment.  The IPL8000™ is much quicker and more efficient and safer to use than similar products in today’s market.  The only disadvantage to the IPL8000™ is the fact that neither faces nor heads can be treated, but teamed up with either the X20™ or X60™, systems that can treat this area, the problem is easily resolved.  

All in all, each Rio Home Hair Removal has its own individual use and benefits, depending on time scale, the amount of hair to be removed, price and user safety. www.so-smooth.co.uk are happy to answer questions or concerns you may have with any of the hair removal systems on the website.  Helpful and friendly advice ensures the correct system for individual needs

All Rio Hair Removal Systems have been designed for home use and are all made in the UK.

A tutorial on DVD is supplied with every purchase of the IPL8000™ and as with all IPL treatments, instructions should to be read and thoroughly understood before use.

www.so-smooth.co.uk

Rio IPL8000

Rio IPL8000

January 2010. Rio has launched the next generation of home hair removal systems,                        The IPL8000™.  As a nominated suppler of Rio products www.so-smooth.co.uk  will take delivery of the new product from February 2010.

So-Smooth are very excited about the launch of the Rio IPL8000™ and have already had enquires about the new system. The new home system has been clinically proven to remove hair more effectively with longer lasting results.  180 unwanted hairs per second can be removed from larger areas of the body, compared to the removal of 60 hairs, in several seconds, with its predecessor the X60. With the latest technology it’s able to deliver a quicker and more permanent way of removing excess hair safely, destroying hair at its root, and at a fraction of salon costs.

www.so-smooth.co.uk are awaiting the arrival of the IPL 8000™ which uses the latest Intense Pulsed Light hair removal technology.  IPL delivers quicker and more efficient permanent hair reduction and is suitable for larger areas of the body including legs, arms, underarms, bikini lines, backs and chests. Typically the IP8000™ can remove hair on a whole leg in approximately 30 minutes, and underarm hair in 10 minutes. 

So-Smooth recognise the damage that some systems can have on our eco system and Rio delivers high quality products that have minimal impact on the environment.  The IPL8000™ is mains operated and uses professional, energy saving, grade quartz bulbs ensuring prolonged bulb life.  The bulb life is greater than would normally be required to remove every hair on the body and has been tested to over 10,000 flashes.

New safety features have been introduced to the IPL8000™ from the security key to skin detectors.  A new feature reducing the risk of using too high a power level for your skin and hair type is the ‘power level regulator’.  Initially the power level starts at number 1 for the first treatment and is increased step by step per session, and decreased in the same way.

A security code has been added to the system to eliminate misuse.  Skins sensors mounted on the wand will ensure that the IPL treatment only works when good contact is made with the skin, and should the light be pointed at the eye, a safety ‘blink’ light has been added for eye protection.

However, the IPL8000™ does have its limitations and users should refer to the manufactures instructions to determine if the machine is suitable for their skin type, and it cannot be used on the face or head.

A privately owned company based in Wales, UK, www.so-smooth.co.uk  are nominated suppliers of Rio Hair Removal Systems.  So-Smooth’s aim is to explore the latest developments in hair removal technology enabling them to give their customers a good understanding of the different hair removal systems available.

Yes, waxing can be painful, but the results do last longer than shaving.

There are disadvantages to waxing your bikini line yourself at home, one of them being the mess. 

Make sure the surface you will be using for the process is protected from the wax, especially if the kit you have chosen has to be heated. The wax needs to be hot enough to cling to hair, but not hot enough to burn the delicate area of skin and keeping the wax at the right temperature during the whole procedure can be difficult.

Taking off equal amounts of hair from either side of your bikini line can be tricky to judge correctly.

I would advise anyone thinking about waxing at home to follow these steps:

Trim excess hair to about ¼” long or shave a couple weeks before waxing.

• Don’t be stingy with the wax. Using it sparingly will make it difficult to pull out the hair and you will end up unsightly with spots you have missed.
• Pull the skin taught as you remove the wax. This will help the wax to get a good grip on the hairs and cleanly lift them as you remove the strip.
•  If you notice any stray hairs once the process has finished, use a pair of tweezers to pull them out.
•  Exfoliate your skin regularly to help prevent in growing hairs.

Waxing such sensitive areas may cause reddening of the skin and could be sensitive for a few hours. If this happens to you, you should avoid taking a hot bath, going swimming or exposing the area to the sun.

Whilst everyone knows that waxing can be painful it is best to wax mid cycle as this is them time when the area is a lot less sensitive.

Waxing is a short-term solution to hair removal, and this kind of Waxing would last for about 4 to 6 weeks depending on your hair growth cycle.

If your eyes water at the mere mention of ‘Bikini Wax,’ then home laser hair removal treatments are a far better option for those of us with a ‘sensitive disposition’.

Laser treatments are a more permanent solution to unwanted hair, but the results are extraordinary.  Although pain is felt by some users, as described in our last article, it is certainly more comfortable than waxing.

Tria, Silk’n and Rio X60 are among the most popular hair removal systems on the market.  So why put yourself through it when easier solutions are to hand?  Our website: www.so-smooth.co.uk offers a variety of home hair removal systems to suit your needs.

Each system comes with easy to understand instructions and further advice can be given on the right system for you by emailing customerservice@so-smooth.co.uk

If you are a man and want to remove facial hair the most common method would be to use a razor.  However, after years of using a razor the skin becomes leathery and aged.  Many men turn to electric razors as their skin has become uneven over the years.

Women Facial Hair Removal: Do not Shave!

If you are a woman that needs to remove facial hair do not under any circumstances use a razor.  Although this may seem the quickest method of hair removal the hair grows back quicker and stubble can soon be felt a day or so later.  Whether you are removing hair in between your eyebrows, lip, chin or sideburn area you should consider a more gentle method for removing hair from your face.

Women should use Tweezers

A very common method is using tweezers to pull out the hair from the root.  This is a very easy process when you are removing only a small amount such as eye brow hair.  For larger areas using a depilation cream or waxing can be very effective at removing hair.  However the hair ALWAYS grows back.  Using a depilation cream or having the area waxed is not a permanent solution for removing hair.

Threading

What is Threading?

Threading is a method of using cotton or similar that is twisted and rolled over hair. This twisted cotton and rolling action pulls hairs out from the root. The method is quite difficult to master but is becoming an increasingly popular method for removing facial hair. It is not very effective at removing hair which is a bit thicker such as bikini hair.

What about Permanent Hair Removal?

For a more permanent solution you may want to consider electrolysis or laser hair removal.  Electrolysis targets an individual hair.  This can be compared to using tweezers but with a more permanent result.  In some cases electrolysis can be used for eliminating those occasional hairs that erupt out of a facial mole.  If you are considering electrolysis for removing the hair from facial moles I would recommend speaking to your local salon prior to treatment.  If your mole has changed shape or color recently you need to seek advice from your GP.

Facial Moles and Hair

Do not under any circumstances use laser hair removal units on facial moles!  Even if you use sunblock on the mole prior to treatment you must never use laser hair removal units on facial moles.  This is because the laser will have an adverse affect on the pigmentation of the mole.  All home laser hair removal units come with this warning.

What Permanent Hair Removal Units can I use at home on my face?

For permanent hair removal results in the comfort of your own home, therefore avoiding salon fees and embarrassing salon visits you could use the Rio x20, Rio X60 or the Tria. All of these laser hair removal units can be used on the face, however the Tria has been recommended for the lower half of the face only.  I am not sure whether this is because the laser in the Tria is too strong to be that close to the eye area, however the warning is in place for the Tria only to be used on the lower half of the face.

The Silk’n is not suitable for the face because of its larger treatment area.  The larger treatment area in the Silk’n prevents the unit being flat against the skin on the face.  As a safety precaution the Silk’n will only emit a laser pulse if it is pressed securely against the area.  This is not possible when treating the face.

Therefore the BEST laser hair removal units that to be used on the face would be one of the Rio units, either the Rio x20 or the Rio x60 or the Tria.  Both the Rio units can change the treatment mode which enables you to treat one individual hair if necessary or 60 hairs at once!

All units are available from our main website:  www.so-smooth.co.uk

Hair Removal

Waxing, Shaving, epilating and laser hair removal are methods for removing unwanted hair.  However what are the MOST common reasons for removing unwanted hair:-

Hair Removal for Surgery: Hair is removed so that access to the relevant body part can be undergone with minimal infection risk.

Hair Removal to remove lice: For those unfortunate enough to have experience either head lice or crabs one way of eliminating the little critters is to shave off all hair .

Hair Removal n preparation for Chemotherapy:  Some cancer patients shave off all of their hair to prepare themselves for treatment.  It seems that some would rather control the removal of hair rather than wait for it to fall out.

Hair Removal for Gender Reassignment:  This is another large category.  For men wishing to change their gender from male to female they also remove all body hair to reflect how society perceives a woman should look like. Male to female gender reassignment individuals remove unwanted hair permanently by either electrolysis or laser hair removal, or a combination of the two procedures.

Hair Removal for Religion: Head-shaving is a part of some religions.

Hair Removal for Tradition:    In some countries (i.e India) it has been a tradition to ostracize some women by shaving their heads.  This outdated tradition has now been outlawed but still occurs in the more rural areas.

Hair Removal to be Pure: Ancient Egyptian priests wanted to be pure for the gods.  In order to present themselves as pure to the gods they would routinely shave or depilate their entire bodies.

Hair Removal to join the army: When joining the army it is a well accepted custom to shave the hair of the army cadet.  A very short hair cut or a completely shaven hair cut is a regular occurrence.

Hair Removal as punishment:  The Nazis used to cut off the beards of Jews.  After the 2nd World war head shaving became a punishment in France, The Netherlands, and Norway for women.  These women were punished for having relationships with the Nazis.  Years ago when witch hunts were a regular event, individuals that were perceived to be witches were completely stripped naked and shaved in order to find so called witch marks.

Hair Removal

Hair Removal especially permanent hair removal for VANITY:  This is the main category.  Since the 70’s it has been very fashionable to be hair free.  Adverts for beautiful hair free women appear regularly in the media and affect everyone’s perception.  Do you remember the media uproar when Pretty Woman Star Julia Roberts was caught with a full underarm of hair?  The press loved it!  Some men shave their heads as a fashion statement.  Or some even shave their hair to hide the fact that they are going bald.

Nowadays and in the UK it is perfectly acceptable to discuss waxing, laser hair removal treatment, bikini areas and all other forms of hair problems and hair removal methods.  Fortunately the home laser hair removal market is growing rapidly to provide a permanent hair removal solution to people in their own home.

Up to date products and price information on all laser hair removal products can be browsed on a no obligation basis from our main website:  www.so-smooth.co.uk

Silk'n Silk'n Laser

I have been using my Silk’n laser for about five months now.  All in all I think I’ve completed four full treatments on my leg and bikini line area.  I tend to do one full leg one week and then my other leg or bikini line the following week.  I don’t have a rigid routine because I don’t have time.

I’m on my second replacement bulb which I bought on offer about a month ago.  So I’ve used four bulbs in total since using the Silk’n.   I’ve been storing my silk’n in my wardrobe and using it about once a month properly.  I’m very lazy in my beauty routine so will admit to being slightly less enthusiastic at spending 15 minutes Zapping my legs and bikini line.  However for the sake of being hair free I have persisted.

On the whole the results are quite promising.  My left leg, (for some reason) is far less hairy than my right leg.  Maybe I did that leg twice by mistake.  On average I would say that at least 50% of the hairs on my leg had two hairs that came out from one follicle.  I know that’s not actually the case but the pattern of hair on my legs appeared to be in pairs.  This has stopped altogether.  The density of hair on my legs is far less than about six months ago.  The only way I can give some sort of evidence for this is with the amount of razors I buy.  I normally go through one packet of intuition a month.  That is a replacement pack of three razor cartridges.  Intuition razors are the ones with the soap surrounding the razor.

Anyway, for the last two months I have only gone through two cartridges in two months.  So that’s four cartridges less than I normally use over two months.

I’ve tried to avoid using my Philips epilator because I wanted to give the silk’n a good chance at working.  However now that the hair is much lighter and finer and some of it has even gone I think I will use my very new and shiny Philips epilator just to have a break from shaving.  My epilator is very new and shiny because it was far too painful to use before, even with the picnic icepack that I used to press against the skin before using.

All in all I would say that the silk’n requires commitment and is the perfect opportunity to remove unwanted hair in the comfort of my own home at minimal expense.  I know new products are coming out all of the time so I’m glad I’ve bought mine when I did so that I can have the benefits of being hair free before others did.

Hair Growth Cycle

To understand why laser or IPL hair removal units such as the Rio x60, Silk’n or Tria take a series of treatments to permanently remove unwanted hair you need to have an understanding of the hair growth cycle.  The hair growth cycle affects us all differently.

Each hair follicle is an anatomical structure that pushes out hair from the hair shaft.  Hair is made up from a collection of proteins called keratins.  All human hair grows in a cycle.  This cycle consists of three phases.

These three hair growth phases are Anagen, Catagen and Telogen, or what I like to call the growers, the latent ones and the resting (hibernating) ones.  We all loose about 50 to 100 Telogen (resting) hairs a day through showering or combing our hair.  Although hair loss from the legs or bikini area is less noticeable it still follows the same cycle as the hair that grows on our heads.

The amount of hair growth can change at different times of our lives.  Some people will have a greater percentage of Telogen hairs (resting hairs) or will have a greater number of Anagen hairs (growers) at certain parts of their life; for example during adolescence or when going through the menopause.

Many things can cause temporary or permanent hair loss such as alopecia, medication, radiation, chemotherapy, and exposure to chemicals, hormonal and nutritional factors, thyroid disease, generalised or local skin disease and stress.

There are also many things that can cause excessive hair growth.  The term for excessive hair growth is hirsutism for males and Hypertrichosis for females.  A future article will cover what causes excessive hair growth.

For laser hair removal units including IPL units to work effectively at permanently removing unwanted hair the hair follicle needs to be in the growing phase, i.e the Anagen stage.  This is why all home laser hair removal units recommend that you shave 24 hours prior to treatment to ensure that the maximum number of hairs are in the growing phase.

The wide range of home laser hair removal units including IPL units can be purchased from our main website, www.so-smooth.co.uk.

New Tria

On our so-smooth main website we have included for your information a table with comparison criteria for four of the major home hair removal units.

We have compared the No No, Tria, Silk’n and Rio Units.

Click here to read more …..

Silk'n actual cost per shot

In buying a home laser hair removal product you are choosing to save money on expensive salon fees. However be careful which home laser hair removal product you buy because not all of them will actually save you money!!

A brand new Tria can be purchased for £675, a Silk’n for around £415 and a Rio x60 for £295.95. I have used these valuations for the following calculations.

The new Tria (February 2009) emits 90,000 shots in total. After 90,000 shots it can no longer be used. This is a cost of 0.75 pence per shot. If it takes 50 shots to treat an area 3cm x 3cm it would therefore cost 37 ½ pence to treat an area of this size (3cm x 3cm) with a Tria laser.

The Silk’n IPL laser emits 750 shots per bulb and is sold with two bulbs.  Therefore you get 1500 shots with your Silk’n IPL laser purchase. Each shot therefore costs around 28 pence. If one shot treats an area 2.4cm x 2.4cm it would take just over one shot (1.23 shots) to treat an area the same as discussed above with the Tria (3cm x 3cm). The cost when using a Silk’n laser is therefore around 34 pence for each 3cm x 3cm block.

In summary to treat an area 3cm x 3cm with the new Tria (February 2009) it would cost approximately 37 ½ pence and with a Silk’n laser a little less at 35 pence.  However, what also needs to be considered is the different time taken to treat each area.  It takes a Tria 50 shots and a Silk’n 1.23 shots to treat an area 3cm x 3cm. So it would take a Tria far longer to treat a 3cm block whereas it would be very quick with a Silk’n.  To read more on the comparison of time taken for each treatment click here.

However once the Tria has emitted all its laser shots it can no longer be used. The Silk’n replacement bulb costs a mere £45.00. This is another 750 shots for only £45.00. This works out at ONLY 6 pence per shot, or around 7 ½ pence per area 3cm x 3cm.

When you consider that the Tria costs around £250 more than a Silk’n it seems more sensible to choose Silk’n as the preferred choice for a home hair removal unit.

My back is just the same

Can home laser hair removal units be used on Chest Hair?

Yes, products such as the Silk’n or Rio x60 can be used on chest hair.  Although chest hair can be significantly thicker than leg, underarm or bikini hair it can still be treated using home laser hair removal units.  However due to the larger area it might be prudent to use the Silk’n because it treats a much larger area in one treatment session than the Tria or Rio x60 could.  To read more about laser hair removal treatment area comparisons click here.

If you are treating the back area you will need some assistance in doing so. The process is relatively easy.

Treating your chest or back hair using home laser hair removal units will be a permanent solution.  Using epilator creams can by very messy, shaving doesn’t last long enough and waxing is just too painful in this area.

However because chest hair is thicker hair there may be slightly more pain than treating an area with thinner hair.  This is due to the laser heating up the hair follicle. The larger the hair being heated the more discomfort you may feel.  However this is only for a couple of seconds and should ease off almost immediately.  The pain will be far less than waxing!

Chest and back hair are usually quite dark in color and as such react very well to home laser hair products.