Laser hair removal uses energy to target dark pigments in hair follicles and disable them so that unwanted body hair won’t grow back, typically taking several sessions for full removal of unwanted body hair.
Even though at-home devices tend to be safe, they cannot match the power of clinic machines when it comes to performing laser hair removal. So is it safe to perform laser hair removal at home?
How Does It Work?
Laser hair removal utilizes a concentrated beam of light energy to eradicate the source of your hair growth. The light penetrates all layers of your skin, absorbing melanin pigment and targeting hair follicles where new strands begin to sprout from. Once these are damaged, they no longer produce hair leaving behind an immaculate complexion!
Hair removal from your body is typically quick and relatively pain-free, though some areas may experience discomfort due to treatment. A technician may apply topic anesthetic as needed to reduce discomfort; however, most patients don’t even require this step!
Before your appointment, it is advisable to refrain from shaving, waxing, and plucking in areas you wish to treat. Furthermore, it’s crucial that a broad spectrum SPF sunscreen be applied both prior to and following treatment to safeguard the skin against sun damage that could compromise the treatment or produce unwanted side effects.
Your skin complexion and hair color will have an impactful influence on the results you can anticipate from laser hair removal. Darker hair and skin produce optimal results as the contrast in pigment makes it easier for laser beams to target and destroy follicles without damaging nearby tissue, however it is possible to achieve excellent results even with lighter complexions and darker locks.
Are you tired of constantly shaving, waxing, or tweezing to get rid of unwanted hair? Laser hair removal offers a safe, effective alternative. Laser treatments can lead to permanent hair loss in the areas you treat as well as reduced hair regrowth over time; new growth will be thinner and less noticeable, creating an overall smoother appearance.
What Can I Expect?
If you want to experiment with laser hair removal at home, be mindful of how long the procedure might take and whether your skin may be sensitive. Depending on where you are treating, laser hair removal could take anywhere from minutes or up to an hour; after treatment your skin might feel as if stings have been applied; some people might even smell smoke and burning hair which is normal; it’s also wise to limit sun exposure and tanning before and afterward and moisturize afterward for best results.
Keep in mind that at-home laser hair removal devices tend to be less powerful than those found in clinics, making it more challenging to achieve similar results. To optimize results safely and effectively treat specific hair types. When shopping for home IPL devices it’s best to choose those that offer customizable power settings suited for each skin tone – the top IPL devices allow users to customize settings specifically tailored to them!
Before using an at-home device, it is recommended to shave the area you intend to treat. Shaving will allow your laser device to target and destroy the root of each hair so they won’t regrow in future. Waxing, plucking and bleaching the area prior to treatment could make it harder for the laser device to detect it as these methods remove their natural pigment and thus makes detection harder for laser devices.
Before using any device on larger parts of your body, such as your face or neck, such as laser treatments, it’s wise to perform a patch test first to ensure there are no adverse reactions. Also avoid laser treatment if you suffer from certain medical conditions like Genital Herpes (HSV-2), pregnancy/breastfeeding or take medications that might impede its ability to penetrate skin properly.
How Long Will It Take?
Laser hair removal sessions involve pressing a handheld device against your skin, and having it emit pulses of light energy that target specific hair follicles to destroy them. You may feel an elastic band snap against it at times but overall this process should be quick and painless.
Once damaged follicles can no longer produce new hair growth, however you won’t immediately see the effects. Follicles that were in active growth stage may start shedding which may give an appearance of continued hair growth; so to truly see results you need a series of treatments before noticing a difference.
Your treatment session length depends on the size and location of the area to be treated, hair color and thickness, as well as how sensitive your skin is to laser treatments. In particular, lightened colors like blonde, gray and red don’t always respond as expected due to skin tone differences making it harder for laser light energy to focus in on hair follicle roots efficiently – one reason why visiting a physician for laser hair removal may be preferable than at-home devices for this treatment option.
Before your laser hair removal treatment begins, it is recommended to shave or trim the area that will be lasered, using a body scrub to exfoliate dead skin cells that could interfere with the process and wear sunscreen over it. Furthermore, avoid direct sunlight by wearing sunscreen on it or staying out of it, and try not to use sunless skin creams which could darken the area and hinder its ability to target hair follicles effectively with laser light; your doctor can give additional tips as preparation steps.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Laser hair removal treatments are generally safe, though there are a few things to remember. For instance, they can lead to burns and blisters if not used with caution; this typically indicates too much heat coming from the device being used on your skin – though such instances typically don’t happen during in-office treatments as doctors have complete control over heat delivery; but can occur with at-home devices.
Avoid side effects by following a few pre- and post-treatment tips. For instance, you should avoid tanning beds and natural or artificial sun exposure for two to three weeks prior to receiving treatments. Also shave the area that will be treated and refrain from plucking or waxing in that area as much as possible before getting zapped; and moisturize both prior to and post treatments to help your skin recover more quickly from its treatments.
Laser hair removal isn’t permanent; as such, touch-up sessions will likely be necessary to ensure that all hairs in their active growth cycle have been targeted by the laser beam.
Although at-home devices are usually safe, professional office treatments offer more bespoke care tailored to your skin type and expert guidance from a dermatologist. Laser or IPL may be best suited to you; your provider can also take precautionary measures to ensure safe treatment sessions and adjust settings specifically to treat darker skin tones than is possible with at-home devices.
Do I Need to See a Doctor?
At-home laser hair removal devices are FDA-approved and simple to use, though you should exercise extreme caution in using them and wear protective eyewear to avoid injuries. Furthermore, direct sunlight or tanning sessions should be avoided prior and post treatment in order to minimize skin damage.
Laser hair removal offers numerous additional advantages that make it an attractive option for many. Not only is it safe and effective, but laser treatment also has other benefits which make it appealing. These include reduced shaving time, waxing costs and depilation sessions as well as reduced or eliminated folliculitis or any related skin conditions, improved tone/texture changes as well as decreased scarring appearances.
Hair growth will return following laser treatment, but usually at much lighter and thinner levels than before treatment. Most people report seeing about 10-25% less new hair sprouting after their first session; depending on your hair and skin color combination you might not see new growth for several months or years afterward.
Most patients find laser hair removal to be relatively painless; occasionally they may feel something similar to snapping of a rubber band or sunburn-like sensations. If any discomfort is felt during their procedure, talk with your physician about using topical anesthetic beforehand for additional peace of mind.
Though most laser hair-removal devices are generally safe for most skin tones, it is wise to perform a patch test in order to make sure yours can be treated by it. If your Fitzpatrick scale skin tone falls deeper than 4 it might not work as effectively since laser treatment cannot differentiate between skin cells and hair follicles and may burn the wrong tissues instead.
