Laser hair removal can reduce the need for depilation, shaving and waxing by thinning out unwanted hair and thickening its thickness. Regular sessions every four to eight weeks will maintain desired results.
Practitioners will begin by cleaning the area you would like treated, before pressing a hand-held laser instrument against it and possibly adding cooling devices or gel.
Safety Goggles
Laser hair removal uses a beam of light to target and destroy hair follicles, generally considered safe. Eye injuries may arise if protective glasses designed specifically for laser treatments aren’t worn during treatment – glasses that provide optimal safety are recommended.
Visible Light Transmission (VLT) ratings must match the wavelength used for laser treatments; Alexandrite laser glasses should have a VLT of around 30% in order to protect from 730-855nm wavelengths while Diode laser glasses need at least 40% protection for 800-810nm wavelengths; for 1064 nm laser treatments YAG glasses need a VLT rating greater than 60% in order to offer adequate protection.
Home laser hair removal devices often require protective filters in order to be effective. These filters should be thoroughly tested and certified so as to meet Optical Density specifications; this measures how much light is blocked, potentially contributing to eye injuries in users.
Not only should you utilize an FDA-approved device for laser hair removal, it is equally essential to carefully follow all instructions and guidelines provided with that device. In particular, avoid tanning in the weeks leading up to treatments and only use it on naturally-toned skin; tanning increases light sensitivity which may result in adverse side effects and increased side effects from laser light treatment.
As part of your laser treatments, it’s also essential not to touch or tweeze areas being treated – this could compromise their efficacy as well as cause additional skin damage and irritation. In case of discomfort during an appointment, ask your provider for an analgesic cream numbing agent application in that area.
As well as wearing appropriate eye protection, it’s also crucial that you keep your eyes closed during laser treatment to reduce the chance of lesions due to inhaling airborne particles released during treatment, which have been found to contain viruses and carcinogens that could potentially be harmful.
Sunglasses
As laser hair removal devices emit light that’s visible to humans, it’s crucial that proper precautions be taken when using one at home. This includes wearing goggles designed specifically to block wavelengths used in laser hair removal – these ones are comfortable, reusable, unisex and CE certified – ideal for use with all common laser and IPL hair removal systems.
After using a laser hair removal device, it’s strongly advised that you limit sun exposure after applying a topical cream to numb your skin. Numbing cream may render skin extremely delicate and damage it easily if accidentally touched; to protect this delicate area of your body from accidental injury during this phase of healing it’s also wise to avoid contact while it remains numb, and moisturize regularly afterwards.
Bianca Kratky, an InStyle commerce writer with more than two years of experience covering fashion and beauty finds, conducted an exhaustive investigation to identify the top at-home laser hair removal devices for this story. Consultation was sought from dermatologists as well as Amazon reviews in search of these at-home devices – Bianca also has extensive knowledge about detanglers, acne treatments, skincare gadgets and has written about all three. She analyzed their efficacy for Cosmopolitan.
Contact Lenses
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular cosmetic treatment, using light energy to permanently eliminate unwanted hair follicles. Although you can perform it yourself at home with specialized equipment, it’s still essential that safety goggles or shields be worn during treatment to protect both eyes and prevent skin damage caused by laser light energy.
As well as wearing sunglasses to protect their eyes from UV rays from the sun, wearing sunglasses with polarizing filters to reduce exposure is also recommended for laser hair removal procedures; their polarizing filters help decrease UV radiation reaching your eyes. Finally, it is best practice to remove contact lenses before starting laser hair removal; depending on which device is being used, laser light could come close enough to pierce them and increase risk.
There are various laser hair removal devices on the market, so it is crucial to find one approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA-cleared devices not only ensure safe but also more effective results than methods such as shaving and waxing – potentially less painful and more cost effective over time.
Wearing glasses that protect the eyes can not only prevent injuries but also ensure optimal results from your treatment. While it may be tempting to bypass eye protection in order to speed up treatment time, doing so can significantly diminish results as these lenses block certain wavelengths used by laser hair removal treatments.
An intelligent far red/NIR LED contact lens was constructed by chemical crosslinking silicone elastomer solution to encase an ASIC chip, antenna and transmitter coil inside of a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film with Parylene C passivation. To reduce contact angle with biocompatible and hygroscopic hyaluronic acid (HA), O2 plasma was applied; after which, this HA surface was further modified using (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed its successful treatment using both APTES and HA-NH2.
Sunscreen
Laser hair removal is an excellent way to permanently eliminate unwanted hair on your upper lip, bikini line and armpits. While the procedure itself is safe, you should take certain precautions prior to and following each session, particularly when it comes to sun exposure – sunscreen should always be worn as part of an effective sun protection plan.
At the forefront of mind should be the fact that laser hair removal makes your skin much more vulnerable to sunlight, necessitating extra precaution after each session – even for as little as several weeks post-session.
When venturing outdoors, wear at least an SPF 30 sunscreen for protection from UVA and UVB rays, which can damage skin. In addition to protecting from sunburns and hyperpigmentation that could leave permanent dark patches behind.
Wear a hat, stylish sunglasses, and other sun protection accessories when out in the sun to help disguise any areas where laser hair removal has taken place and stop people from noticing this area of treatment. This will also prevent anyone from seeing where treatments have been applied!
When choosing sunscreen, physical sunblock should provide more effective protection than its chemical counterparts which simply absorb rays. Reapply often so you remain safe!
Before scheduling laser hair removal treatments, it is wise to abstain from tanning for at least a week prior. Tanned skin makes it more difficult for laser light to target hair follicles accurately while also creating painful burns and uneven skin tones.
Additionally to avoiding sun exposure, it’s best to avoid waxing or plucking in the days leading up to laser hair removal treatment. Both practices can irritate skin while making it more difficult for laser light to find hair follicles; thus reducing effectiveness and increasing side effects such as hypopigmentation.
