Laser hair removal works best for those with dark hair and light skin, since their combination allows the laser beam to target and destroy each individual follicle more accurately. Unfortunately, however, regrowth will still occur over time.
To prevent this from occurring, it is advisable to shave and not pluck or wax before laser treatments, and avoid getting any sun exposure prior to your session.
How It Works
Hair growth can be unsightly, time consuming and expensive to manage. From persistently growing follicles to unwanted body hair on arms, legs, necks, underarms and stomachs – laser body hair removal offers an effective, safe solution. It offers women and men alike the chance to use laser body hair removal to regain smooth skin surfaces with less stubble.
Laser treatments offer permanent relief from hair growth by permanently eliminating its source. Instead of leaving razor bumps, ingrown hairs, and redness in its wake after using temporary methods like shaving and depilatory creams that result in temporary solutions like razor shaving and depilatory creams alone, laser therapy destroys hair follicles responsible for hair growth permanently resulting in finer, lighter and less noticeable hair growing back after treatment.
Laser treatments utilize various types of lasers, but all work by emitting quick pulses of light onto the skin and targeting pigmented hair follicles. Treatment times typically last just minutes to an hour depending on the size and location of the area being treated; typically numbing cream will be applied before beginning and depending on your skin type and laser used, you may experience burning or stinging which should subside after several hours.
Before going in for laser therapy, it’s essential that you avoid waxing, tweezing and plucking in the weeks leading up to your appointment. The laser needs an actively growing, pigmented hair follicle in order to target it; additionally, tanning beds or sun exposure may obstruct its effectiveness as well as interfere with results of your treatment.
Before seeing long-lasting results from laser hair removal treatments, most patients need six to nine sessions. Research shows that most patients need between 6-9 sessions for desired reduction of unwanted hair. After these series of treatments are complete, most do not notice regrowth for months or even years; when hair does return it’s often finer and lighter in color than before. For optimal results please follow aftercare advice provided by your physician to extend the effects of your laser therapy treatment.
Side Effects
Laser hair removal does have some mild side effects that often resolve on their own. Common symptoms of laser hair removal are redness and irritation that can be relieved with cool compresses or cream. Some individuals with darker skin tones may also experience changes to skin color which should reverse itself within days; until then it’s important to limit sun exposure.
Some laser treatments may cause brief, sharp pain during the procedure; most people find it tolerable. Newer machines have cooling mechanisms designed to ease discomfort. Shaving before laser treatment ensures the laser can detect hair follicles for destruction by the laser light beam. It is wise to refrain from tanning beds or sun lamps for several weeks prior to having laser treatments performed; if necessary, sunscreen with SPF 30 protection or higher should be worn while outdoors.
Before getting laser hair removal, it’s also advisable to discuss any skin conditions or medications you are currently taking with your dermatologist. For example, having polycystic ovarian syndrome, hirsutism or menopause could make you more prone to dark hair growth than usual in areas. Birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy or thyroid disorders could all increase this risk significantly.
People with certain medical conditions, including those pregnant or breastfeeding, should avoid laser hair removal for several reasons, as this treatment could affect blood vessels in the skin and lead to decreased circulation and ultimately changes in skin pigmentation.
People at high-risk of skin cancer should always consult with a dermatologist prior to having laser treatment, since laser can damage cells that make up skin, increasing risk for sun damage and skin cancer.
People suffering from unwanted body hair often turn to laser treatment in order to improve their appearance or avoid the hassle of shaving and waxing. Laser can significantly decrease time spent removing unwanted hair while even eliminating some. But it should be remembered that while its results may appear permanent, most will come back eventually.
How Long It Takes
As opposed to traditional hair removal methods such as shaving, waxing and plucking where hair regrows back within days or weeks, laser removal ensures hair does not regrow for months, sometimes years. When it does regrow it is usually much lighter in texture and color than its original growth reducing visibility and making less noticeable for many people. Many also report experiencing reduced body odor as bacteria no longer have access to an oily substance within their follicles that caused unpleasant odors – something which was not possible before.
After just one laser treatment session, patients typically notice 10 to 25% less hair on their bodies after just one session. While results will differ based on individual, an experienced professional will discuss your specific needs and goals for body hair removal as well as how many treatments will be required in order to reach those results.
Location, skin tone and genetic makeup all affect how long it takes for hair removal to become permanent. Facial hair usually returns faster than that on legs or bikini areas; to speed this process up it may be beneficial to have multiple initial laser sessions on just your upper lip or chin first before moving onto legs or bikini area.
Other factors affecting laser hair removal longevity include frequency and quality of post-treatment care. To get optimal results, it’s crucial that you adhere to your doctor’s post-treatment care recommendations; such as not tanning the treated area, forgoing sunless tanning products, as well as forgoing any other hair removal techniques like waxing or plucking.
If you are curious to discover more about how laser body hair removal could benefit you, Metro Dermatology invites you to set up an appointment with one of its experienced dermatologists today! We look forward to helping you achieve smooth, soft skin!
Regrowth
Laser hair removal offers permanent relief from depilation, shaving and waxing needs; however, hair may still reappear over time; when this does happen, however, typically more sparse and finer versions than before treatment appear based on factors like skin type, genetics and hormones. The amount of regrowth will differ for everyone based on different skin types, genetics and hormones.
Your hair goes through three distinct growth phases: anagen, catagen and telogen. While anagen-phase hair has more melanin for easier targeting by laser, as it grows out it becomes too light for this technique – thus necessitating regular sessions so as to not pluck, bleach or wax in between sessions.
Following laser hair removal treatments, it’s possible to notice some regrowth a few weeks later. This is due to your hair follicles still trying to produce more melanin but haven’t achieved their goal just yet; any such regrowth usually appears very fine and short-lived.
Your results depend on which areas have been treated; certain places, like your face, tend to produce hair quicker than other parts of the body and therefore may need additional treatments in order to achieve desired results. Your dermatologist will discuss this during an initial consultation appointment.
People reporting permanent results from laser hair removal tend to prefer it over touch-up treatments; however, for others regrowth remains inevitable and they must seek touch-ups annually in order to keep unwanted hair at bay.
Are you ready to say goodbye to shaving and other forms of depilation? Contact us now to schedule your initial laser hair removal consultation and achieve the look of your dreams with minimal downtime! We provide treatments tailored specifically for ingrown hairs, razor burn and dark or tanned skin tones; as long as you commit to regular treatments we can even address unwanted hair growth in these situations.
