Many of us have unwanted hair. As we near summer and bathing suit season, many people are searching for ways to remove unwanted hair. Excessive hair growth is a genetic condition, but it is one that can be quite embarrassing and frustrating. Daily shaving can hurt your skin over the years. Shaving off the hair also doesn’t keep the hair away from long periods since it usually is back by the next morning. Waxing is painful and has to be done every few weeks. Laser hair removal is a long term hair removal option that appeals to many.
Why Laser Hair Removal?
The results of laser hair removal are so long-lasting that it is almost permanent. After the recommended number of sessions, the success of hair removal in treated areas is around the 90 percent mark.
Along with several factors that can cause the manifestation of ingrown hairs like dry skin or inappropriate shaving techniques, waxing and plucking can also result in this much-unwanted skin condition. Laser removal, on the other hand, does not cause this to happen; quite the contrary, it is often used for eliminating ingrown hairs. What it does is that it burns the follicle of the hair, stopping it from growing back and causing more trouble. Lasers are much more convenient since their treatment can be precisely applied to small areas of the body or the face, wherever an intervention is needed.
How does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Depending upon the size of the area being treated and the amount of hair you need to be removed, it may require multiple treatments. Laser hair removal is the most common treatment for excessive hair problems. The cosmetic treatment will use a laser shoots small beams directly into the hair follicle, stunting the growth of hair. Many patients see fantastic results from laser hair removal, but they do need to go in for multiple treatments because hair grows in different stages. This means during your first treatment; other hair follicles may be in the dormant stage. These follicles will need to be treated in the growth stage, which can be in 3-4 weeks
Who does it work for?
While it is the answer to many women suffering from hair problems, the laser is not perfect for everyone. The laser works best on hair that is dark and course. Those who have light hair, including blonde or red, don’t have good luck with hair removal from a laser. To prepare the skin for laser treatment, the skin must be shaved. The reason the skin needs to be smooth is that the further the light has to travel, the less effective it is. Shorter hair tends to absorb the light at the follicle quicker and is more effective.
What areas can I have Laser Hair Removal Performed?
The most common areas that are targeted are the face, leg, arm, underarm, and pubic hair.
How Do I Prepare for Laser Hair Removal?
You must avoid removing any of the hair before treatment. Do not shave, wax, or tweeze the hairs for at least six weeks. This will allow the technician to see the hairs as they work on using a laser to kill the hair follicle. The technician will need to treat your skin with a coolant spray before the treatment to protect the skin.
Some lasers will be able to penetrate deeply into the roots of your hair, where others will not. You must be working with a company that has the right type of laser to treat your hair problems. When you go in for a consultation, the doctor will evaluate your condition and will discuss the different treatment options with you. They may even do a small test pulse on your skin to see how your skin reacts to the laser.
The use of laser light enables more precision and targets unwanted hair without damaging the surrounding skin. It is a fast, easy way to get the job done. It takes a fraction of a second, and many hairs can be targeted per pulse of light. Small areas can be finished in less than a minute while larger areas are treated in an hour. Finally, ninety percent of users have long term hair loss within three to five sessions or usages.
Does it Hurt?
There is some slight discomfort with the laser hair removal process. Some describe it as the sensation of hot curling iron for a split second, or the snap of a rubber band. The laser has a cooling device that helps to cool the skin. Applying creams or an ice pack to the area may be necessary, but there is usually little to no pain involved in this procedure. Many women have had great results with this type of hair removal, but it doesn’t work for everyone. A professional at a hair removal center can give you an analysis and see if your skin type and hair color is a good match for the laser treatment.
For 24 hours before your treatment, avoid caffeine. This will help to relax your body, and it is healthier for your skin. Water is your best option for your skin as it will help to flush the toxins from the skin and will help it to heal better. You will experience mild pain during the treatment. It will feel like small needles and pinpricks. However, it can hurt more in certain areas like the pubic region.
How Long Does it Take?
The treatment itself can take a few minutes or a few hours, depending on how much hair the patient and the doctor agree to remove. Afterward, the area should remain free of hair for a long time. However, there’s usually some regrowth of hair. The dermatologist may need to treat the area a few times before the hair is permanently removed. Even then, some patients find that they need to go to the dermatologist for touch-ups. It’s important that the procedure is done by a board-certified dermatologist who has some experience in this type of hair removal.
Then What?
After the session, it may be necessary to apply an ice pack or use an anti-inflammatory cream or lotion to the area to ease any discomfort. Additional sessions may also be scheduled until the hair stops growing.
Following treatment, the patient can return to his or her regular activities, though it might be best to rest for a day or two. There might be a bit of redness or swelling in the area that was treated. The area can be soothed with an ointment or cream the dermatologist prescribes, and the patient can also apply ice to the area. As with most procedures that involve the skin, the patient should avoid going out in the sun while he or she heals, then be careful to use sunscreen after that.