Laser hair removal works best on people with dark hair and light skin, as the contrast makes it easier for the heat-sensitive hairs to absorb it. However, this treatment is generally effective on most individuals.
Laser hair removal targets and destroys only active phase (known as Anagen) hairs; those in Catagen phase will shed naturally over the course of two to three months.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Laser hair removal uses a concentrated beam of light emitted by the device and focused at the area you wish to have less or no hair in. Only pigment in hair absorbs this energy, producing heat which damages hair follicles and stops their ability to produce new strands while also prompting existing ones to shed naturally, thus helping reduce unwanted growth in an unwanted place.
Experience some mild discomfort; however, this should not be painful. A topical numbing cream can help ease this. A handheld device will then be placed onto your skin which triggers the laser’s emission of light energy; you will feel like elastic bands snapping against your skin for several hours depending on your tolerance level.
Throughout your treatment, the specialist will closely observe how the laser’s effects are impacting on your skin. Based on your tolerance level and tolerance level of other people in the room, fluence levels may be increased or decreased according to individual needs – the higher their fluence is, the more efficient will be the laser treatment for you particular skin type and tone.
Once the laser’s light energy has been applied to your skin, its energy penetrates deep into tissue and disables hair follicles responsible for producing new strands of hair growth. After several treatments, your follicles will enter catagen phase – the last stage before shrinking back or even ceasing production completely – causing their size and number to shrink, eventually becoming finer and lighter in color as a result.
After receiving laser hair removal treatments, many patients report 10-25% less hair after 6 treatments; however, individual results may differ due to differences in how fast hair grows back. A full course of six sessions typically is necessary to permanently reduce both number and thickness of regrown hairs.
Once your practitioner is satisfied with your results, she will move you into maintenance sessions – whereby she will provide touch up sessions every 3-12 months, depending on your hair cycle.
How Much Hair Can Be Removed?
Answers vary based on an individual, but most will need multiple laser hair removal treatments to effectively rid themselves of excess body hair. Each session should reduce both the number and density of new regrowth; typically when hairs do return they tend to grow back thinner in texture and lighter in hue than before. Individual needs will dictate exactly how many treatments will be necessary; typically around six sessions should do it.
After laser treatment, your skin may remain slightly pink for several days afterward; however, this usually fades without leaving any residual redness or discomfort behind. In some cases (usually among fairer patients), there will not be any pinking at all after laser treatment. Hairs should begin falling out within 5-14 days and may continue doing so for weeks or even months – you can shave or rub to speed this part up; alternatively a loofa may help remove hairs after the first week as an aid; plucked stray hairs can also help but this step is not required either!
Laser hair removal sessions disable many hair follicles that won’t grow back, yet this does not guarantee permanent removal from your body. Some damaged follicles might regrow hair in future – hence why laser hair removal cannot be considered permanent.
Attaining optimal laser hair removal requires visiting a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in this procedure. They will review your medical history and conduct a physical exam prior to suggesting laser hair removal for you. While assessing health and skin tone issues, your surgeon will discuss expectations for its outcome and help plan how many sessions will be necessary in order to meet these goals.
How Many Sessions Are Needed?
Unwanted hair on the face and body is a common cosmetic concern that can make us self-conscious. Although many attempt to eliminate unwanted hair with methods such as waxing, plucking or tweezing – which often produce short-lived results – laser hair removal offers safe and long-term solutions to address this problem in most patients.
The number of treatments needed to reach your desired goal will depend on various factors, including hair growth rates and type. Lasers can only target hair follicles that are actively growing; approximately 20% of your hairs will always be in this phase at any given time.
Another important factor is the type and settings of laser you are using. Spot size and fluence settings affect how deeply a beam penetrates skin. A laser with smaller spot size and higher fluence settings may be more successful at targeting deeper follicles.
Prior to beginning laser hair removal treatments, it’s advisable to shave the area you intend on treating. Without shaving first, the laser might not reach its full potential of killing hair follicles and killing off their roots. Furthermore, protective goggles should be worn during treatment in order to avoid having the laser hit your eyes directly.
Topical anesthetic is optional but can significantly lessen any discomfort during laser hair removal treatments. Once in session, a technician will cover your treatment area with protective gel and begin. You may experience slight discomfort along with redness or swelling during laser hair removal sessions.
Once your treatments are complete, you can look forward to silky-smooth skin without worrying about unwanted hair growing back. While occasional maintenance sessions may be needed for continued effectiveness of treatments, you should see a significant reduction in hair regrowth after having completed all series.
Future shaving will only need to occur occasionally or even never again; when necessary, hair that does regrowth should be significantly finer and lighter in color, so that it shouldn’t cause noticeable issues.
What Happens After a Laser Hair Removal Treatment?
Once treated with laser hair removal, remaining hairs should begin to fall out over the course of six to eight treatments, producing long-term or permanent results. Before and after each session, some precautions must be taken such as avoiding direct sunlight on the area being treated, not using tanning beds or sun lamps and following your dermatologist’s aftercare instructions. You may experience mild redness or swelling resembling mild sunburn; keeping cool by applying cold compresses or wrapping ice in a washcloth can help minimize these side effects while pain relievers such as Tylenol can ease discomfort further.
Laser treatments only target hair follicles in their active stage, also known as the anagen phase. About 15-20% of your hairs will typically be in this stage at any one time and this portion of their root sheaths is bound tightly around their roots to stop further hair growth; laser treatment won’t destroy these telogen hairs but rather gradually release them back into anagen phase as time progresses.
Even though this treatment will never fully eradicate unwanted hair on most areas of your body, it will significantly reduce unwanted stubble to make maintenance simpler. You will still need to exfoliate regularly to facilitate hair shedding; gentle exfoliators over harsh peels or scrubs may help avoid irritating sensitive areas that further aggravate their condition.
Before your appointment, it is wise to grow out a small patch of hair on the surface of your skin in order to provide your technician with an accurate depiction of its color and density. Your technician may suggest growing out some additional locks near where you will receive laser therapy to give him/her an idea of the contrast between hair color and skin tone; as this affects how effectively laser therapy can target follicles; thus they may advise against using any products containing self-tanner, tanning beds or sun tanning products prior to receiving laser treatment.
