Laser hair removal works by targeting specific hair follicles and disabling their pigment, thus stopping any future hair growth from that specific follicle.
Hair color and skin complexion have an enormous impact on the success of laser hair removal. Melanin in dark hair absorbs light while skin pigments reflect it back.
Multiple sessions may be necessary to achieve noticeable results, though after one treatment your body should naturally shed the hair over seven to 30 days.
What You Can Expect
As soon as your skin is exposed to laser light treatment, you will experience itchy and uncomfortable sensations. After 24 hours have passed, this should lessen significantly with cool compresses and moisturizers being applied over the area. Sun exposure should also be limited since this could make skin more susceptible to laser.
As is normal when experiencing laser heat treatment, you may also experience red and swollen areas similar to sunburn due to laser heat killing or damaging hair follicles. Once destroyed follicles shed from the skin it may lead to what looks like continued hair growth in certain spots.
Laser technicians apply topical anesthetic to minimize any discomfort during laser treatments. Most patients report feeling as if a series of rubber bands were snapping against their skin as laser is applied; typically this process lasts from minutes to an hour depending on how large an area requires treatment.
Before beginning laser hair removal treatments, it is vitally important that the area be kept free of lotions, creams, makeup, deodorant or any other products such as sunless tanning products. Shaving is recommended before each session in order to expose more surface area for laser targeting of hair follicles – and ensure a safe and successful experience for each client.
After your laser hair removal treatments, it is essential that you keep up your results by scheduling follow-up treatments at regular intervals. For best results, a series of six to eight sessions should suffice, though different people may require more or fewer.
Keep in mind that laser treatments only target hair follicles in their anagen stage of growth, meaning any missed appointments could result in them returning to telogen and growing back even though you didn’t see it before! As necessary, additional touch-up treatments may be required.
Post-Procedure Reactions
At Laser Hair Removal, a technician will use a handheld device against your skin and press a button to activate a laser, heating up to destroy hair follicles to stop future production of more hair follicles and prevent further hair production. Depending on the area being treated and type of laser used, this process may be quick – smaller areas like upper lips can often be treated in as little as 30 seconds while larger areas like backs or legs may take up to an hour to treat completely.
A trained technician will ensure the safety of your treatment by conducting an in-depth consultation regarding your skin complexion and hair color to assess whether laser hair removal would be an appropriate course of action for you. They will also explain how many sessions it would take to achieve desired results; in general multiple laser sessions at four-six week intervals should produce at least 90% reduction of unwanted hair while touch ups may be needed periodically thereafter to maintain smooth skin.
After laser hair removal sessions, it is normal for your skin to become red and irritated; moisturizers and cold compresses may help soothe this area. Depending on the sensitivity of your skin, you may experience similar discomfort to razor burn lasting up to 24 hours after.
Laser treatment requires you to refrain from scrubbing, exfoliating or using hair removal creams in areas treated by it. Furthermore, plucking or waxing these areas could cause the destroyed hairs to regrow faster.
Laser treatment may cause some regrowth shortly after treatment has completed, since some hairs continue to grow between sessions and are therefore unaffected by lasers due to being in a resting or growth phase. Regrowth should however be slower and less noticeable.
As long as you follow your practitioner’s aftercare instructions, laser hair removal should result in few side effects. Should any complications arise that require medical assistance, consult a physician or dermatologist immediately.
Post-Procedure Irritation
Laser hair removal has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a safe procedure, but certain medical conditions could impede its safe practice; for example keloid scars, vitiligo, light sensitivity and urticaria may impede this treatment option. A licensed professional will discuss your history prior to suggesting laser hair removal for you.
Laser treatments use powerful wavelengths of safe light to destroy melanocyte cells that aid hair growth, leading to its destruction. After going through laser hair removal sessions, some individuals may notice slight bumps or redness afterward as the damaged melanocytes shed after being damaged by laser energy; you may also feel an almost-tingling sensation during treatment.
After their initial laser hair removal session, most people notice results within one to three weeks. This is because your treated area will begin shedding hairs that were in their anagen phase at the time of treatment; these hairs may eventually grow back thinner and lighter than before.
Before your next laser treatment, it is wise to refrain from shaving or waxing the area that has been treated for at least three days prior. Doing so would cause too much hair removal above the surface of the skin, potentially leading to laser burns. In these three days you should also refrain from using tweezers or plucking your hair as this may also increase risk.
People with darker skin tones and hair colors may require additional laser sessions in order to experience desired results from laser hair removal, as laser light only targets active growth cycles within hair follicles. Therefore, regular sessions must be scheduled so as to not miss anything important during treatment.
Many people mistakenly believe that unwanted hair will fall out automatically after going through laser hair removal sessions, when this may not necessarily be the case; unwanted hair only starts falling out once its targeted follicles have been destroyed by laser energy.
Post-Procedure Skin Changes
Laser hair removal can be an ideal solution for people who are tired of shaving, tweezing and using cream to remove unwanted body hair. Although one session of laser treatment may bring significant relief, most men and women require multiple sessions in order to reach optimal results.
Laser treatments use heat and light pulses to shock hair follicles into submission and cause them to be destroyed, prompting hairs to shed before gradually returning back thinner than before.
clients may experience red and swollen skin immediately following their laser hair removal treatment, due to destroyed hair follicles triggering a temporary reaction in their skin. These effects should typically dissipate within hours. It is essential for clients undergoing laser hair removal treatments not to pluck, wax, or tweeze the area where they received laser treatment because this interferes with its targeting of hair follicles by the laser beams. It’s best if clients avoid sunlight as much as possible or apply powerful sunscreen between sessions to maintain optimal outcomes for optimal outcomes.
When choosing to use sunscreen, it’s essential to read and follow all label directions carefully. Certain kinds of sunscreens can increase photosensitivity, leading to pigmented or sunburned patches after laser treatment. In addition, being aware of any medications taken could exacerbate photosensitivity further.
Before scheduling any treatments, clients are recommended to shave any areas to be treated, with the exception of facial hair (for men only). Shaving provides licensed professionals an opportunity to observe how hair grows and identify any possible obstacles or potential problems that could prevent optimal treatment results.
Men and women looking to shave should use an electric razor in order to reduce cuts or bumps on the skin, exfoliate three times per week to prevent dry, flaky patches from developing, and avoid using any sunless skin creams that darken the complexion.
Laser hair removal is an extremely safe and effective solution for most men and women, however there are certain areas that may prove more challenging due to hormonal fluctuations – these areas include face, chest and bikini lines. At LH Spa & Rejuvenation we offer touch up treatments so you can keep looking your best!
