Unwanted hair on your body and face can be an annoying annoyance that requires time-consuming solutions like shaving, waxing or plucking to remove. Laser hair removal provides a safe and efficient method for permanent reduction.
Laser hair removal lasers do not produce UV radiation that could potentially lead to skin cancer; however, moles may change shape or color following cosmetic laser treatments.
Do I need to see a dermatologist?
Laser hair removal is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes light energy to target hair follicles responsible for growth. Our laser system delivers an intense beam of light to the target area, which absorbs by melanin present in hair follicles. As heat generated from melanin causes them to shut down, no new hair grows into that follicle – with HIT (high intensity) or ChillTip (cooling) technology used depending on which area needs treating to maximize results while minimising discomfort.
Before beginning laser hair removal sessions, both you and your physician will discuss your medical history as well as conduct an exam of your skin to detect any early warning signs of cancer such as melanomas or basal cell carcinomas. It’s a good idea to visit your dermatologist regularly for skin examinations as this can help detect cancer early and treat it before it spreads further.
If you notice changes to a mole, please visit your doctor immediately. He or she may conduct an excision biopsy and test the area for signs of melanomas.
Your doctor may order additional tests to ascertain if the melanoma has spread, such as X-rays, ultrasound examination, computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). If they believe your cancerous tissues have spread further than initially suspected, surgery to remove the cancerous tissues would likely be recommended in an operating room at a hospital and performed by a surgical oncologist familiar with treating melanomas.
Laser Hair Removal and Other Procedures If your melanoma has not spread yet, your dermatologist may suggest various procedures to help slow its spread such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. They may also suggest a sentinel lymph node biopsy using thin needles to extract several lymph nodes from your body and test them for cancerous cells.
Before your melanoma has been completely treated, any cosmetic treatments like tattooing or laser hair removal, including tattoos or laser hair removal should be avoided as they could alter the color or thickness of your skin, altering its appearance and making it harder to detect cancerous cells in that mole.
Do I need to see a radiologist?
Laser hair removal works by emitting heat and light energy directly into hair follicles to disable them, which allows you to avoid having to spend hours shaving, tweezing or waxing them yourself. As it’s considered medical treatment it should only be conducted by trained practitioners such as dermatologists.
Before your laser treatment starts, your doctor will trim away any excess hair before applying a topical numbing agent to help manage any discomfort from its pulses. Treatment time varies between 15 and over an hour depending on the size and system being used.
Laser hair removal uses pulses of light emitted by a laser that target pigment in hair follicles, and their destruction by heat from the laser. While you may experience some redness or irritation after treatment, this should subside within hours; should anything more serious arise contact your physician immediately.
For those with very dark or light skin, laser hair removal could cause noticeable differences in color change after treatment. This is because its light can affect various parts of your skin differently. Lighter skin may develop darker spots while darker skin might lighten.
After your melanoma has been successfully removed, additional medical imaging tests may be required to ascertain whether it has spread. An ultrasound scan, fine needle aspiration (FNA), or sentinel node biopsy may be recommended if lymph nodes have become involved; or alternatively a PET/CT scan can also provide valuable insight into whether or not your cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
If you have had skin cancer before, any cosmetic procedures involving heat and light (such as laser hair removal) should be avoided. Instead, your doctor can suggest non-UV solutions, like electrolysis or waxing; some insurers might cover these treatments while flex spending accounts can often help cover their cost. Either way, always do a background check on any practitioner performing cosmetic procedures on your body; it is preferable if they belong to a register that certifies their training, skill and insurance standards as being met by them.
Do I need to see a plastic surgeon?
Laser hair removal involves the use of laser light to destroy hair follicles responsible for producing unwanted hair growth. A technician will apply topical numbing cream before beginning laser pulse treatments to reduce any discomfort experienced from their effects, and protective eyewear must be worn during the procedure.
Many individuals with melanoma fear that laser hair removal will increase the risk of skin cancer; however, lasers used for hair removal do not increase this risk because their wavelengths are longer than UV radiation and do not damage genetic material within cells.
However, after undergoing laser hair removal, some patients may observe their moles change shape or color after receiving laser therapy. This is caused by hair growth being more noticeable when active follicles are active – therefore removing this hair growth could appear like it has made an irregular mole appear in shape or color. It is not harmful and helps doctors decide if removal or biopsy should take place on it.
Avoid this scenario by consulting with an experienced dermatologist for laser hair removal treatments. Board-certified specialists like Dr. Michele Green in New York City are knowledgeable of all of the latest non-invasive cosmetic procedures, which will enable them to help you reach your aesthetic goals more efficiently. She will work with you individually on designing a tailored treatment plan for hair removal as well as skin rejuvenation services.
After receiving laser hair removal treatments, most patients no longer require shaving or waxing to keep their bodies hair-free. Even for those who do experience some regrowth, their new growth tends to be much finer and lighter in color than before – often making it less noticeable! For some lucky individuals there may even be no need for further shaving!
Should you develop melanoma, your doctor will need to conduct a comprehensive physical exam with an extensive history and medical record review, as well as conducting tests such as X-rays, ultrasound, CT and PET scans in order to detect signs of cancer spreading to nearby lymph nodes or nearby organs.
Do I need to see a gynecologist?
Laser hair removal uses light energy at specific wavelengths to destroy hair follicles without harming surrounding tissues or creating other health complications, and without using ionized radiation like CT or MRI scans would do. You should, however, refrain from tanning prior to laser hair removal treatments as your skin may absorb melanin and be negatively impacted.
Laser hair removal on moles or freckles may be performed by dermatologists, but before proceeding it’s wise to have a general practitioner (GP) assess any changing or expanding spots first. They may use magnifying devices to examine these areas with skin magnifiers while instructing patients how to monitor these spots for signs of melanomas including asymmetry, border irregularities, color changes and diameter greater than 6 mm as well as any signs of enlargement or melanomas forming such as asymmetric borders or irregular borders as indicators for possible melanomas development.
When treating melanoma is discovered, doctors typically perform fine needle aspiration or sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). A FNA involves extracting fluid or cells from around a tumor site in order to test for cancer cells while an SLNB refers to the first lymph node near that tumour that receives lymph fluid; with its location marked on an organ map.
These tests and others can help detect whether a melanoma has spread beyond its initial site in your body, so doctors can treat it via surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
PET or PET-CT scans can detect whether or not melanoma has spread to other organs and help physicians assess its size before planning surgery. They also allow doctors to detect tumors before proceeding with procedures.
An MRI uses powerful magnetic forces to produce images of the brain, tissues, bones and blood vessels. It is often utilized before or after surgery in order to determine if melanoma has spread.
Melanomas tend to form on their own in isolated lesions; however, they may form on other parts of the body and be misidentified for other types of skin growths. Since melanomas can often be mistaken for other forms of skin growths, it’s crucial that any growing or changing spots or moles be examined by a healthcare provider using either magnifying equipment or dermoscope tools; additionally they will explain what to look out for and provide resources and support services when necessary.
