Laser hair removal is a popular cosmetic treatment, offering significant reductions in shaving, waxing and plucking needs. To be most effective, however, several sessions may be required before permanent results are achieved.
As with any procedure, laser hair removal may raise some questions for you. Here are the most frequently asked queries about it to help prepare you for an upcoming session.
What Happens During the Treatment?
Instead of employing temporary hair removal methods such as shaving and waxing, laser treatment permanently destroys hair follicles to stop future regrowth. Most patients need two to six sessions before experiencing lasting results.
At first, a medical aesthetician will apply lotion or anesthetic to the targeted area before using a handheld laser device to pass over it with minimal discomfort – some patients report feeling like pinpricks of heat or light rubber band snapping against their skin during this process.
Before beginning the actual laser procedure, all makeup or cosmetics must be removed from the targeted area. Shaving is also highly recommended in order to help the laser more precisely target hair follicles. Following treatment, redness or itching in the treated area may occur which is normal and can be alleviated with cold compresses or moisturizers.
Laser treatments are generally safe when administered by a board-certified physician with expertise in laser hair removal. Avoid spas and salons offering nonmedical personnel to perform this procedure as these could potentially irritate the skin and result in adverse side effects such as burns or changes to skin color. For peace of mind, consult with a dermatologist who specializes in this field for an in-depth discussion about potential risks.
What Happens After the Treatment?
After your treatment, your skin may experience redness and feel similar to mild sunburn. To minimize discomfort afterward, avoid direct sunlight and apply moisturizer. Depending on your skin type, itchy sensations may also occur; hydrocortisone creams can help relieve this symptom. It’s wise to refrain from waxing, tweezing or plucking hair for several days post-treatment, as these methods remove hair at its source and hinder its targeted targeting by laser.
Hair follicles targeted during your treatment typically shed within days to weeks, giving the impression of continued hair growth at first. With regular scheduled sessions and refraining from shaving between, however, results often last years longer than initially predicted.
Laser hair removal treatments are effective on nearly all skin types and tones; however, light hair colors do not absorb melanin as effectively. At your consultation we will assess both hair color and skin tone to ascertain if laser treatments will be successful for you; frequency may differ according to individual need and regular maintenance sessions may also be required for ongoing results.
How Long Will the Treatment Take?
Treatment will last anywhere from minutes to an hour depending on the area being addressed by the laser. Before laser use begins, skin should be cleansed and/or an anesthetic applied; once laser energy is applied in short pulses (which some describe as feeling like warm pinpricks or like rubber bands snapping against their skin), protective eyewear is vitally important during this process.
Most patients will require between two and six laser hair removal sessions before seeing full effectiveness; once hair regrowth occurs, it typically grows back finer and lighter in color than it did previously. Depending on their treatment area, patients may require touch-up sessions every four to six weeks for several years after their initial procedure.
Laser treatment works best on those with coarse, dark hair and light skin due to the contrast in color between these features. Newer technologies have enabled more skin types to be safely treated by this therapy.
Electrolysis, which has been around for more than 135 years, is another popular way to remove unwanted hair. Though more time consuming than laser hair removal, electrolysis is more accurate in targeting different colors of hair strands compared to laser. Pregnant women should avoid this treatment as electrolysis could penetrate their fetuses and cause lasting harm.
Can Anyone Perform Laser Hair Removal?
If you’re considering laser hair removal, chances are you have many questions about finding the best solution for you and your body’s specific needs and wants. Not asking the necessary questions could result in an underwhelming experience and compromise the entire experience.
However, you can avoid that situation by asking your laser hair removal technician the following questions before scheduling your first appointment.
Laser hair removal has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an FDA-compliant treatment option, working by sending pulses of light into individual follicles where they heat up and destroy them, stopping new hair growth altogether and greatly diminishing or eliminating unwanted body hair (Mayo Clinic).
Laser hair removal results aren’t permanent; thus you may still require regular shaving or waxing in some areas. This is due to unaffected follicles being able to regenerate in time and regrowth may still occur, though this usually only happens rarely.
Your laser hair removal technician will assess both your skin and hair to make sure they’re suitable candidates for this treatment. They might perform a patch test on small area of skin to see how you respond and ensure it is not painful; pregnant women will usually wait until after giving birth before beginning this course of treatment.
What Are the Side Effects of Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal uses powerful laser or intense pulsed light beams to destroy hair follicles and stop hair growth, effectively ridding users of unwanted facial and body hair as well as helping women suffering from excessive hair growth (hirsutism). It may be used both for unwanted facial and body hair as well as treating women suffering from excessive hair growth (hirsutism).
As part of your treatment, your skin may experience heat or tingle sensations; for comfort in sensitive areas you can apply an ice pack. After treatment, your skin might appear red or swollen – this is normal and will subside within hours or days. Additionally, laser heat damages hair follicles which means hair grows back thinner and lighter afterward due to damaged hair follicles being affected by laser heat damage; your hairs may begin growing back with less pigment.
Some individuals experience ingrown hairs or pimples after laser treatments. To reduce these side effects, use a gentle exfoliant on affected areas and refrain from plucking, waxing or electrolysis six weeks prior to having laser therapy done.
Concerns have been expressed that laser hair removal could lead to cancer due to the radiation-emitting lasers used during treatments, but no proof is present that this is accurate. You should only get laser treatments performed by medical doctors who specialize in performing them and possess extensive knowledge about skin conditions and skin treatments.
Select a practitioner from a register demonstrating they meet minimum training, skill and insurance standards in order to minimize side effects and lower risks. This will significantly lower risks.
Can I Get Laser Hair Removal While Pregnant?
Due to limited research on laser hair removal during pregnancy, most medical professionals advise women waiting until after giving birth before having this procedure done. Heat produced by lasers could potentially harm an unborn fetus; additionally, medications used during treatment could reach its way through mother’s bloodstream into its placenta and affect it directly.
Be mindful that pregnancy changes the hair growth cycle, making it more challenging to achieve long-term results with shaving or waxing alone. Many pregnant women resort to shaving, waxing or tweezing during this time to help minimize unwanted hair growth and keep unwanted body hair at bay.
Laser treatments typically have minimal side effects. When performed by professionals in high-quality clinics, most people only feel a slight pinch or nothing at all during treatments. At Body Details True Laser Centers we use the GentleMax Pro and Dynamic Cooling Device to keep our skin comfortable during treatments.
Laser hair removal may become less effective during pregnancy due to hyperpigmentation, or skin darkening caused by melanin pigments produced by the fetus, making skin and hair darker, thus decreasing contrast between two colors needed for laser treatment to work effectively. However, this issue should only be temporary since skin will return back to its usual color postpartum.
