Laser hair removal is one of the most sought-after minimally invasive cosmetic treatments, providing an efficient way to reduce or eradicate unwanted body hair without waxing, shaving or plucking.
Laser technology works by targeting dark pigments within the hair follicle, producing heat and destroying it – thus preventing future hair regrowth.
Darker Hair
Laser hair removal works by targeting melanin (pigment) present in hair follicles and using this pigment to heat and destroy them without harming surrounding skin. Darker hair colors tend to respond best to laser treatment as their dense locks absorb light energy more readily, producing heat for destruction of their follicles. Darker skin tones also offer contrast against which to target and destroy them more efficiently.
People with dark skin and light-coloured hair had difficulty in the past finding an effective laser for removing unwanted hair removal, however there are now lasers designed to treat people with darker skin and lighter hair successfully. It is essential that the contrast between your darkened locks and skin colour allows the laser to target it accurately.
Attaining optimal results during laser hair removal appointments also requires forgoing artificial or natural tanning treatments; tanning makes treating your skin more challenging and may reduce their efficacy. Shaving two or three days prior to an appointment can make the process run more smoothly; plucked, waxed and bleached hair are less effective treatments and should be avoided altogether.
Laser treatments only target hair in its active growth phase, making finer locks more susceptible to needing additional laser sessions than thicker or coarser locks. If your hair contains both fine and coarse strands, shaving before your appointment will ensure that enough contrast exists for the laser to target and target effectively the hair follicles. At this point, it may also be wise to try using a hair removal cream containing vitamin C that helps lighten the color of hair follicles so it will be easier for shaving off when necessary and prevent ingrown hairs. As individual results may differ significantly between treatments, patience should always be practiced during this process.
Lighter Hair
Laser hair removal can be an excellent solution for anyone seeking permanent removal of unwanted hair. In the treatment, laser energy targets melanin pigments within hair follicles to destroy them – thus stopping further hair growth. It takes only minutes for small areas and up to an hour on larger bodies.
However, laser hair removal technology doesn’t always work on all hair colors or types. If you have light hair, the laser may struggle to find its target causing darker regrowth of hair or no change at all in growth rate. There may still be ways for you to make laser work for you but may take additional sessions and an altered approach than with darker locks.
Light hair does not contain enough melanin for laser therapy to work effectively, as melanin attracts laser light and destroys hair follicles; light hair does not contain as much of this pigment as dark hair does.
Due to this risk, many individuals with lighter hair are advised against laser hair removal. Certain salons offer special dyes designed to better absorb and focus the laser energy onto individual strands; however, this practice could lighten skin as well.
Some doctors and aestheticians advise using bleaching cream prior to laser treatment in order to lighten skin tone temporarily and create contrast between hair color and skin tone, ideally suitable for laser treatment. Sunless tanning or any other methods of lightening should also be avoided prior to treatments as they will decrease contrast, making desired results less likely.
Laser hair removal treatments for light hair can be achieved, though you’ll likely require multiple sessions and additional time spent at the salon or dermatologist. But if you are willing to commit, laser treatments could provide an effective alternative to razoring or waxing as a means of hair removal.
Blonde Hair
Blonde hair has long been subjected to disparaging jokes, from outdated dumb blonde jokes to an array of purple toning shampoos. But that doesn’t mean it has to be plain; laser hair removal offers numerous options available to those wanting to change their color, making this change possible and beautiful.
Laser treatments that target melanin are among the most effective means of hair removal, since darker locks contain more melanin. Darker locks make laser energy easier to target with each passing pulse compared with thinner or lack of pigment hair that’s much harder for it to do its work.
Unfortunately, blonde hair can be difficult to treat with laser technology because its lack of pigment makes targeting difficult. Therefore, prior to any treatment session it’s recommended that the patient pluck, shave, or wax their locks so as to give the laser something tangible to target.
No one ever said laser hair removal for blondes was impossible! In fact, there are treatments tailored specifically for this type of hair – and non-ablative lasers like the ND:YAG laser are great ways of targeting dark areas without damaging skin in any way.
Laser light energy is administered in short pulses through short exposure times to both your hair and skin, followed by a cooling period to protect it. Therefore, it’s critical that you hire an experienced practitioner as they will know exactly how to target only your desired areas without harming other areas nearby.
Laser technology has made removing unwanted hair easier and safer for all complexions, especially with regards to blonde locks. With warmer temperatures on its way, many are turning to laser hair removal as an option to achieving a more beautiful appearance – for more information about this procedure contact Macias Dermatology in Fresno for an appointment today.
Red Hair
Lasers work by targeting pigment (eumelanin) at the base of hair follicles and then absorbing energy from light to damage and inhibit their growth. As there is more melanin available to be targeted by light, this treatment works best on darker hair as more melanin attracts it and targets it directly.
But that doesn’t mean people with lighter coloured hair can’t benefit from laser hair removal as well, though the process may be slightly more challenging as their locks don’t contain as much melanin.
Eumelanin and pheomelanin are the pigments responsible for giving hair its color, with eumelanin being responsible for darker hues like brown or black while pheomelanin produces lighter blonde or red tones. Pheomelanin can still be targeted by laser light; however, as it has lower absorption rate compared to eumelanin it may make targeting it difficult and ultimately lead to the destruction of follicles.
Modern laser technology has advanced significantly over time, with modern lasers capable of treating even very light hair types. This is great news for people who would rather avoid shaving, plucking or waxing and seek permanent solutions to unwanted body hair issues.
Unfortunately, results from laser treatments for light colored hair may not be as fast or complete as for darker-coloured ones; nevertheless, their impact is still significant. A series of eight sessions is usually advised for those with light coloured locks so as to damage as many follicles as possible and prevent future hair follicles from producing further hair growth.
Although not suitable for everyone, those with red hair may still benefit from laser treatments thanks to naturally thicker locks and lower levels of pheomelanin. It is important to have realistic expectations about the outcomes and be willing to undergo multiple sessions until you achieve desired results.
Electrolysis hair removal may be more of a manual process than laser hair removal, yet still offers an effective means for getting rid of red hair. This technique works by heating each individual root individually until its entirety has been eradicated; however, this can be very expensive and take much longer before any noticeable results appear.
