Laser treatment will feel similar to a series of bee stings; many have described it as being similar to an ant bite or rubber band snapping against your skin. If you want to minimize pain during treatment, limit plucking and waxing for six weeks prior to receiving laser therapy.
An hour is required for full treatments; with each session, the sensation should diminish as hair follicles lose pigment.
Pain
Laser hair removal is an efficient and safe solution for eliminating unwanted hair, but can sometimes be uncomfortable when performed on sensitive areas like the face, groin, underarms and bikini area. Although pain levels vary from person to person, most can tolerate laser hair removal with minimal discomfort.
Laser hair removal pain can vary depending on where you get it done; most patients describe it as feeling like little pinches or snapping of rubber bands against their skin. Depending on your pain tolerance, numbing cream may help or your provider can ice the area before applying laser. Upper lips tend to hurt more due to dense concentration of nerves whereas abdomen, groin, and underarms usually do too because these have thinner skin while backs typically do not experience as much discomfort due to thicker skin thickness.
A licensed practitioner will use a handheld device to send pulses of light directly into the hair follicles in the treatment area. The laser’s heat damages and destroys pigmentation within each follicle, killing it and stopping any future hair growth. Some damaged hair will fall out within weeks; other hair may return lighter in color and thinner than before.
laser treatments tend to be much less painful and time-consuming than other methods for hair removal, yet their higher cost and potential pain could discourage some candidates from considering them as a solution.
Other traditional hair removal techniques, such as shaving, waxing and electrolysis have their own set of pros and cons; generally these involve painful procedures or side effects like razor burn, ingrown hairs or redness or blistering. Laser treatment provides less painful yet more permanent solutions compared to these other techniques; so if you want to ditch razoring, waxing and bleaching forever for good, book an appointment at Spring Street Dermatology’s offices in SOHO, Tribeca or Uptown NYC today and discover laser hair removal!
Discomfort
Laser hair removal involves directing a beam of light at unwanted hair, heating its follicles to stop their growth. Multiple sessions may be needed in order to permanently eradicate all instances of that area’s hair growth; while some individuals experience no pain at all during this process while others clench tight with each flash of laser energy; women typically tend to tolerate pain better than men; however, because their thinner skin means upper lips may hurt more than other areas.
Before getting any type of treatment it is a good idea to discuss with your practitioner your pain tolerance levels and any medication or cream they might use prior to beginning the process. An over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen will help reduce discomfort before appointments at more sensitive areas like bikini lines or underarms; caffeine-laden drinks and food may increase susceptibility.
After your session, you may experience some redness and swelling similar to sunburn in the area where treatment was given. Applying cold compresses may help alleviate these effects; additionally it’s recommended using broad spectrum sunscreen with at least an SPF 30 sun protection factor on this area for at least six weeks post treatment – this will protect your skin and minimize side effects in future episodes of treatment.
To maximize the efficacy of laser hair removal treatments, it’s wise to avoid shaving or waxing treated areas between treatments as this could cause hairs to regrow faster, making results less effective than expected.
Finding a clinic that utilizes top-of-the-line technology, not the lower priced machines available online, is also paramount to having a painless and swift procedure experience and seeing results quickly. Therefore, you should ask practitioners in your local area which equipment and laser they utilize for procedures.
Regrowth
If you have been having laser treatment and then experience hair regrowth after having completed treatments, it can be troubling. But it’s important to remember that hair regrowth doesn’t indicate that the treatment has failed; rather it is an inevitable part of the process and as such requires periodic touch-up treatments until desired results have been reached.
Reasons behind laser hair removal’s effect include targeting pigment and damaging the follicle, thus stopping it from producing further hair growth. While shaving or waxing only remove surface-level hair growth, laser treatment kills off an entire follicle at once and prevents future hair production; although hair may grow back in, it will likely be lighter and finer than before and less frequent than previously.
Hair growth depends on factors like its color and location on the body as well as hormonal influences. To optimize results, avoid plucking, threading or waxing the area prior to or during laser treatments as this could disrupt hair follicles and delay results.
Avoid activities that cause sweating in the treated area, such as hot showers, steam rooms and vigorous exercise. Furthermore, wait at least 24 hours after finishing a laser session before tanning or applying self-tanning creams to the treated skin area.
Laser treatment is generally safe and does not cause lasting side effects; however, scarring may result from practitioner negligence. Moisturizing and protecting from sunlight should help minimize this risk; if red or swollen skin appears post-treatment then speak with your provider immediately.
Your pain experience can also be reduced by getting enough rest the night before your appointment and taking an over-the-counter analgesic, such as acetaminophen or Tylenol. Furthermore, laser treatment should be avoided during menstruation or pregnancy as changes in hormone levels can impair pain tolerance.
Recovery
Laser hair removal recovery time tends to take longer than other common beauty treatments like waxing or plucking. After laser sessions, skin may feel irritated, tender or bumpy for hours or days post treatment; this should eventually subside as soon as treatment ends. In some instances, red or swollen areas of skin may also appear; this is also normal and should soon fade after therapy has concluded.
People looking to decrease the discomfort experienced from laser hair removal should shave before each appointment. Though it might seem counterintuitive, shaving allows the laser to more easily reach and destroy hair follicles without needing to penetrate skin surface as deeply. By shaving before treatment begins, pain could likely decrease since laser must penetrate less deeply and reach more efficiently into hair follicles.
Pain tolerance varies among individuals, yet most find certain areas to be more sensitive than others. Upper lips, bikini area and underarms tend to experience the greatest level of discomfort due to having thinner skin covering these regions.
As a rule, the more sessions one receives for laser hair removal, the less it will hurt in any given spot. This is because each time the laser hits their skin it hits fewer hair follicles which is why clients should book sessions within close intervals.
Some individuals can be more sensitive to laser hair removal than others, and taking medications may help alleviate their sensitivity. Furthermore, tanning or taking sunburn-inducing drugs in the weeks before your appointment increases your risk of skin damage and side effects from laser.
Finally, those susceptible to cold sores or who have genital herpes should refrain from laser hair removal, as the heat from the laser could trigger them. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also stay clear as it could present some complications during these times.
