Laser treatment works best for people with light skin and dark hair as the pigment contrast makes it easier for the laser beam to travel into the follicle and destroy it. However, after laser treatment your hair may grow back thicker.
Reduce this by not tweezing or waxing for at least 1-2 days prior to each of your sessions and by limiting sun exposure.
Dark Hair
Laser hair removal utilizes light pigments found in hair to target and destroy them with laser light, although not all hair colors respond equally; darker hues tend to fare better at being targeted by this technique than blonde, reddish or gray locks.
Dark hair contains more melanin than lighter ones, enabling it to absorb energy from laser treatments more effectively without harming surrounding tissues. Shaving is therefore highly recommended at least 48 hours prior to being treated – waxing or plucking will remove melanin from your skin, rendering this process ineffective as the laser cannot target its beam directly against its target follicle.
Therefore, it’s advisable that you avoid tanning beds or becoming tanned prior to and between laser treatment sessions. Tanning can darken hair follicles, making them less responsive to laser light treatment.
Your hormone levels could shift between laser treatments, altering how quickly and thoroughly follicles are destroyed – thus necessitating multiple sessions before seeing desired results.
Do not panic if you find hair growing unexpectedly! This is entirely natural as we age, especially as vellus hair grows more freely on its own in unexpected areas such as your chin or other places. Vellus hair helps regulate body temperature, and having some grow unexpectedly is normal and expected.
If you are unhappy with the results of your laser hair removal sessions, contact Metro Dermatology now and arrange for a consultation appointment. As experts in laser technology, we are dedicated to finding affordable, effective and permanent solutions to unwanted hair growth. While no guarantees can be given regarding when or if hair will regrow back, at least any future growth will be much thinner and lighter.
Dark Skin
Laser hair removal employs an intense beam of light that targets dark pigment in hair follicles to destroy them without harming surrounding skin; therefore it can even treat people with darker complexions successfully by selecting an appropriate laser for their skin and hair type – typically done so through professional dermatologist guidance who also provide pre and post treatment instructions.
As with any laser treatment, laser treatments may result in red and swollen skin areas which should be taken as per the advice of their dermatologist in order to minimize lasting side effects from this therapy. If these symptoms persist after therapy has concluded, cold compresses or cool baths are available as solutions and any tanning should also be avoided in areas treated.
Laser treatment for hair growth typically requires multiple sessions due to how hair grows in cycles and that the laser only targets active growth phases – not resting phases or destroyed hair follicles that have already been destroyed by external factors like age or stress. As such, repeated sessions are usually necessary in order for many individuals to achieve permanent reduction and reduction results from laser therapy treatments.
As hair begins to reemerge post-laser treatments, it typically is finer and lighter in tone with reduced amounts. Some individuals may still see additional hair growth despite repeated treatments and maintaining an effective maintenance program.
Some individuals may experience continued hair growth after multiple laser treatments due to hair follicles that do not respond well to laser therapy treatments and must be activated using other means in order to produce additional growth.
One potential risk associated with laser hair removal for those with dark skin is paradoxical hypertrichosis, an unusual condition in which treated hair becomes thicker and more abundant post-treatment. It’s most often observed among individuals who use hair-removal lasers on darker skin types or those from Middle Eastern and Mediterranean backgrounds or those suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Pregnancy
Pregnancy can bring many changes to the body, including excess hair growth. This is often due to increased levels of androgens which cause your hirsutism to worsen during gestation; for this reason it is wise to inform both your OBGYN or midwife as soon as possible about this matter; they will advise which treatments may be suitable – most doctors advise waiting until postpartum for any permanent hair removal solutions such as laser treatments.
Laser hair removal uses light energy to target and destroy hair follicles (tube-shaped sacs that produce hair in your skin) that produce unwanted hair on your face, arms, legs or other parts of the body. While effective at reducing unwanted hair on these areas of the body, such treatments won’t be permanent and you may require follow-up sessions in the future.
Laser hair removal treatments typically involve having a technician move a light-emitting device over your skin surface while wearing protective goggles over their eyes. Some individuals may feel some slight sensation during treatment; however, most find it to be less painful than shaving or waxing. In addition, topical anesthetic may also help alleviate any potential discomfort during this procedure.
Rarely, your hair might grow back thicker after laser treatment – this condition is known as paradoxical hypertrichosis and no one knows exactly why this happens. There have been various theories as to its cause. One such possibility could be natural tanners not using sun protection; low-fluence laser treatment might also play a part.
Prior to seeking laser hair removal while you’re pregnant, consult with your physician first. He/she can recommend other strategies for temporarily reducing unwanted hair growth until you feel ready to pursue permanent solutions such as laser. They may also offer advice about preparing for laser treatments by avoiding tanning beds or bleaching cream use as well as shaving the area two to three days before your appointment – it is also advised that waxing, plucking or using tweezers on this area occur until after the session has concluded.
Hormonal Changes
Rarely, laser hair removal can lead to thicker and darker hair growth in areas treated. This condition, called paradoxical hypertrichosis, typically appears on either the face or body and is believed to be due to hormonal changes post treatment. PCOS patients and postmenopausal women experiencing increased testosterone levels have also been known to experience paradoxical hypertrichosis while it has also been documented among families who have an ancestry history of hirsutism.
Hair growth is driven by hormones within your body, which can be altered by birth control pills, menstrual cycles, medications and stress. Any disorder or disease which causes hormone imbalance can increase your likelihood of experiencing excess hair growth in areas you wish to target with laser treatments.
Laser treatments may not work effectively on someone if they possess too few or too many hair follicles for laser removal to work effectively, which often occurs with people with blonde or reddish locks and darker skin who cannot distinguish the difference between their individual follicles and surrounding tissue.
Finally, some hair follicles may become permanently damaged by laser light treatment and result in an increase in hair regrowth or increased difficulty to remove. Although rare, this does occasionally happen.
For optimal results, it is best to adhere to the preparation protocol recommended by your practitioner. This involves refraining from using sunless skin products or tanning beds prior to receiving your treatment and refraining from waxing or plucking the areas to be addressed prior to scheduling an appointment with them. Your practitioner may recommend the use of a skin-bleaching cream in order to lighten the area so that laser light can better target and destroy follicles without harming surrounding tissue. Most people find that once their treatment regimen has been completed, the hairs in treated areas don’t regrowth very rapidly or become difficult to remove; however, some find their hair continues to regrow slightly over time and require occasional touch up treatments.
