Laser hair removal can be an excellent way to reduce or eradicate unwanted body hair, but it is essential that those seeking treatments know what they can expect before beginning treatments.
Men and women typically require four to six sessions spaced four to six weeks apart for optimal results. Before beginning treatment, the area must be shaved with protective eyewear worn.
How Many Treatments Are Needed?
Laser hair removal works by emitting light into the skin, which penetrates hair follicles with pigment, which absorbs that light, damaging them and stopping further production of hair follicles. Once treatment has taken effect, your skin could remain hair free for months or even years and when new growth does return it is typically finer texture and lighter hued than before.
Most patients require several sessions of laser hair removal treatment to reach permanent hair reduction. Depending on your hair type and body location, two to six treatments may be sufficient to reduce unwanted hair. After your initial series of laser sessions are complete, scheduled follow-up appointments every 4 – 6 weeks may be necessary to keep hair at bay.
Waxing, tweezing or plucking remove entire hair shafts; laser treatments only target their root. Therefore, it is wise to refrain from these hair reduction techniques before going through with laser treatments and use a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30+ protection to shield yourself from UV light before any laser procedure begins.
For optimal results, it is advised to not shave or wax treated areas two weeks prior to receiving laser hair removal treatment. If necessary, electric razors with guards are preferable over manual ones; manual ones can cause ingrown hairs. Furthermore, tanning should also be avoided as the laser interprets it as pigmentation and increases your chances of burns.
Men and women of all ages and ethnicities can reap the benefits of laser hair-reduction treatments for hair removal. Laser therapy is often utilized to eliminate unwanted hair in areas such as armpits, legs, abdomen, arms, chest back, bikini line and bikini area. Some men also opt to remove hair on their neck which can be difficult to manage with shaving alone or other hair-reduction methods, often leading to acne breakouts and skin irritation.
Many people opt for laser hair removal treatments on the face. Lasers can help treat eyebrows, upper lip hair and chin hair using laser technology; however, results are usually not as dramatic as when used to treat other parts of the body.
During the Treatment
Laser hair removal utilizes light-based technologies that use heat transference to heat the pigment in your hair, which absorbs this heat and damages or destroys its follicle and prevents future growth of new strands. The procedure is relatively safe for most people, and can be applied nearly any part of your body; women may seek to reduce body hair on legs, arms and bikini areas while men typically target chest, back and shoulders as areas for treatment.
As part of your treatment, you will wear protective goggles to shield your eyes from laser light and you may apply topical anesthetic creams to ease any discomfort. Sessions usually last from several minutes to an hour depending on the size and location of the treatment area; you may hear small stings or feel what seems similar to rubber band snapping on your skin during this time – this pain level varies according to skin type and location of hair follicle – typically underarms experience more significant discomfort due to thin skin conditions in this regard.
Before your treatment session, it’s essential to refrain from plucking, waxing and shaving in the treatment area in the weeks prior. In addition, sun exposure could result in burns or other adverse effects; if necessary use an SPF 30 sunscreen.
After your laser hair removal treatment, the area around the treatment site might experience red, swollen and itchy skin that should fade within 24 hours. To facilitate healing quicker, try applying cold compresses or applying moisturizers directly to this area – although sunlight exposure could darken this spot irreparably!
Though damage to hair follicles may be permanent, some hair may regrown from destroyed follicles over time. Therefore, treating multiple hair follicles over multiple sessions in order to achieve lasting results.
After the Treatment
Laser hair removal is an effective, long-term way to rid yourself of unwanted hair. After the follicle and root are destroyed, new growth will no longer emerge – usually within six to eight treatments you will experience silky smooth skin! However, occasional patches may arise between treatments due to hormonal fluctuations; we offer touch-up treatments in case this occurs and to address those areas showing signs of new growth.
Before having laser treatments, it is crucial that your skin is free from lotions, oils, deodorant products or anything that might make you more sensitive to laser beams. Furthermore, any activities which heat up your body could increase this sensitivity further – avoid physical activities which increase heat uptake as this heat could also make you more susceptible to laser treatment.
Your hair removal technician will use a handheld device to move along your skin, targeting each individual hair follicle. While most patients experience no pain during their session, some have reported experiencing slight discomfort similar to having rubber bands flicked against their skin. For added peace of mind, we offer topical anesthetic which can be applied before starting treatment.
Your hair follicles absorb light from a laser and convert it to heat, which destroys its follicle and prevents further hair production in the future. As a result, hair grows back finer in texture, lighter in color, and with much reduced quantity by the time your course of laser treatments has ended. This should lead to reduced amounts of hair on your legs, bikini area, face, armpits or any other part of the body that was treated.
Understanding that results may differ depending on your hormone levels and hair growth cycle is paramount to achieving the best possible outcomes. We will work closely with you to establish an individualized treatment schedule tailored specifically to you based on both schedule and budget considerations.
Schedule Your Consultation
Laser hair removal can provide permanent reduction of unwanted body hair. After laser light has destroyed all hair follicles and roots in an area, no new growth can return; however, multiple sessions may be needed before all hair follicles and roots have been destroyed – therefore it’s essential that you follow all doctor-issued guidelines regarding wait time between laser treatments.
Laser hair removal involves pressing a handheld device against your skin, activating it, and pressing against your target area to treat. Goggles must be worn to shield the eyes from laser beam. Treatment typically feels similar to snapping rubber bands or sunburn-like sensations; although redness and swelling can occur immediately post treatment. Holding an ice pack on affected area regularly after treatment will reduce side effects significantly.
Pigment present in your hair follicles absorbs laser energy to produce heat that destroys it and prevents further growth of hair follicles. The number of hair follicles damaged in each session depends on how much melanin exists within each follicle – dark-haired patients may achieve desired results more quickly while light haired individuals may need multiple sessions before their unwanted hair has been fully eliminated.
Once your laser hair removal treatments are finished, maintenance treatments are recommended every 3-12 months to maintain the effects of the procedure and ensure healthy-looking skin. You may experience slight hair shedding over this period; however, no thick or darkened growth should return.
If you’re tired of shaving and waxing to rid yourself of unwanted hair, reach out to Spring Street Dermatology to arrange a consultation with one of their board-certified dermatologists in NYC. We can tailor a comprehensive treatment plan specifically to your individual needs and goals – let us help you look your best! We look forward to assisting in achieving that!
