The Tria Laser Hair Removal SystemIn July 2008 I purchased a Tria to compare it with my professional laser hair removal experiences in areas that have not yet been treated.Overview"Tria" is said to be the first laser hair removal system approved by the FDA for in-home use. It's the same kind of laser (810 nm) used in professional hair removal systems, although its maximum power is less than a commercial system (20 Joules versus 40+). This is the same laser sold in Japan under the name "i-Epi" since 2005. However, at least one improvement has been made since the original i-Epi; the skin contact sensors are now flush behind the head, instead of protruding. In Spring 2008 the Tria became available in North America, but only for sale through a limited number of dermatologists and laser clinics. Mass production is scheduled for the fall according to their website. I purchased mine for $1100 after taxes and shipping. There's a 90-day money back guarantee, and a 12 month warranty. After this period you can apparently send in a broken Tria for fee-based service. The battery in the Tria and skin tester is not replaceable unfortunately.
Technical DetailsThe Tria is being distributed by "TRIA Beauty" located in Pleasanton, California, which is the new name for SpectraGenics: Here are the technical details. Some of these I've updated based on my own experience using the device solely on its highest setting (level 3):
Although many websites list the Tria as capable of 24 fluence (J/cm2) on its highest setting, the actual documentation with the product lists 7 to 20. The documentation also lists a pulse duration of 650 ms, however measuring it reveals it to be about 390 ms at the highest setting. The battery (Panasonic HHR300SCP) recharge cycles are listed as "Over 250". NiMH batteries can be capable of over 500 cycles, depending on how deeply they're discharged. Also, NiMH batteries self-discharge around 1% per day, so it's recommended to keep the Tria plugged in when not in use. Source. Commercial systems like the LightSheer diode laser require a base console with a transformer and capacitors to store the pulse charge. Tria uses a "direct drive" circuit to the batteries that allows it to be self contained. The power limitation of this design, and eye safety concerns, are likely why Tria must rely on longer pulse durations. On pulse duration, their patent reads "It was initially believed that pulse durations in the 5-30 ms range are optimum; however, subsequent studies showed that longer pulses (up to at least several hundred milliseconds) can quite effectively achieve hair-regrowth inhibition, and can also reduce epidermal heating". It goes on to say that "The thermal relaxation time of the hair follicle is generally at least 10 ms and may be as high as 100 ms to 600 ms for the stem cells surrounding the hair follicle, and so for the reasons provided, it is particularly desired to have pulse durations at least as long as this thermal relaxation time, such that a particularly preferred minimum pulse duration may be 100 ms or more." Another advancement in the Tria is that it's the first home system that uses lasing bars (the same used in commercial systems) rather than "discrete diode lasers" (e.g. laser pointers, DVD players and other home laser hair systems). The Tria patents provide more details:
Patent 7,250,045 (similar to the previous patent, but with added eye-safety measures) Patent D535,746 (physical diagram of original i-Epi/Tria) UnboxingThe Tria, its skin tester, and battery charger, come in a vinyl storage kit with a 15 minute informational DVD, warranty card, and instruction booklet. Click a picture to enlarge it:
The DVD reiterates the important points of the booklet, and can be seen on Youtube. Once you've read the booklet and watched the DVD, you're asked to call a number to "activate" the Tria. This involves a few safety questions, where it was purchased, and warranty details. You're then told how to permanently activate the Tria. The skin tester contains a 9 volt non-replaceable battery and emits red, green and blue LED's to measure skin pigment. If it judges the pigment light enough, it emits an infrared LED sequence that can unlock the handpiece.
UsageAfter the Tria is charged, turned on and unlocked, the single button toggles between 3 levels (presumably from 7 fluence, to somewhere around 13, then to 20).There is no trigger; a pulse is delivered when the 3 hidden sensors on the tip sense skin. Then the Tria emits a start beep, a pulse, and an end beep. You then lift and re-apply to repeat. At its highest setting it can feel very painful on dark hairs, just like a commercial laser (e.g. rubber band snap). The darker and more dense the hair, the greater the pain. Only single hairs/touchups have been bearable for me without topical anesthetic. See Pain Management. Caution: The Tria contact sensors seem to work on any moist surface. My Tria has misfired on a few occasions, for instance, after lifting it from the skin it mistakenly thought skin was still present and fired a pulse. Also, if you wipe the tip with a cloth during treatment, it might pulse accidentally. There also seems to be a bug or feature that, if you charge the Tria without turning it off, you won't have to unlock it next time. Eye SafetyAlthough the Tria has at least two eye safety features, an output window diffuser and three skin contact sensors, it's misfired on several occasions for me when not in contact with skin. This concerned me enough that I purchased my own 800 nm diode laser safety glasses. The least expensive pair I could find were: Despite being shipped from Changchun, China, they only took 7 business days to arrive and cost $30. You can find this exact pair sold for over $150 at other places, so check eBay if you're uncomfortable ordering from overseas.Although the Tria output window appears red when reflected from skin, most of the energy is infrared. This invisible light can be dangerous because the iris doesn't constrict or cause an aversion reflex, as with other bright light. This digital camera captures that infrared as white:
Treatment ExperienceInitial reaction (September 4, 2008): I've been using level 3 on the Tria for almost 2 months on dark brown hairs over various areas. I'm happy to say the response (so far) seems similar to my commercial laser experiences. Just like a commercial LightSheer diode laser, the Tria is very painful when zapping areas with dense, dark growth. There is absolutely no pain when zapping a hairless area. This demonstrates how the laser targets hair pigment, and just like commerical treatments, topical anesthetic cream is highly recommended. Using level 3, you can expect to treat at the very most 35 square inches without overlapping. For best results and better use of pain cream, I recommend overlapping and going over an area twice, which cuts the treatment area down to about 12 square inches. Unfortunately a full leg can be over 400 square inches, which could take over 10 Tria recharges on level 3 (and if you're overlapping pulses, more like 30 sessions!). You can expect more coverage using less overlapping, or a lower level, but you might achieve less desirable results. This is why I would still recommend commercial laser for large areas like legs and backs. After treating an area, it will take about 2 weeks for the hairs to shed. During this time it might seem that all the hair is regrowing, but in fact some of them are being ejected. After 2 weeks, giving a gentle tug on each hair will reveal if it's ready to shed (by coming away easily), or is still growing (most hairs should have fallen out on their own).
My first treatment round was the most painful, and after 2 weeks, resulted in a lot of regrowth mixed with bare patches. After the second round, at 4 weeks, I was left more sparse regrowth. After the third and fourth rounds, it was obvious a lot less hair was growing back each time, and it was leaving my skin mostly hair free. Because the Tria (i-Epi) has only been long-term tested in Japan (2005 - 2008), I haven't yet been able to find any English feedback on the Tria in regards to permanency. This is one of the things I hope to help others determine one way or another.
After my 5th round of sessions using the Tria on its highest setting, the last of the immediate regrowth had finally stopped, and I had practically hairless skin for over 2 weeks in the treated areas (except for a few hairs that shed out). This time I left my skin un-touched for 6 weeks to see what the longer term results are. After the initial 2 weeks of smooth skin, it became obvious some hairs were growing back in. By 4 weeks there was a noticeable amount of hair, but it was much finer than it was before treatment (soft rather than coarse, and straight rather than curly). Click here to see a growth / texture comparison I'm going to continue with rounds 6 - 9, and then leave it again to see if there's improvement. So, my next update will probably not be until February. If you're considering the Tria, take advantage of the 90-day money-back guarantee. I would suggest concentrating on a very specific area for the initial 6 weeks (performing 4 very good overlapping treatments) and then leave it for the remaining 6 weeks to see how your hair reacts. This should get you to a decision by 90 days on whether you want to continue. My current impressions, having owned a Tria for 6 months, is that the unit is well suited for slowing hair growth and making hairs finer and less noticeable. It does not seem very effective at destroying hairs, especially lighter ones, and it's still not known if any effect is permanent. The amount of pain it causes, the cost of topical anesthetic, and extremely slow coverage rate, makes Tria unsuitable as a maintenance kind of solution. So I'm very hopeful that Tria has lasting effects. You may also find these reviews helpful:
http://hairremoval.about.com/od/lase1/a/tria-reviews.htm And this forum: Tria Home Laser Experiences
|
