Testosterone circulates around your body looking for receptor cells to attach itself to and, depending on your genes, either encourages or discourages hair growth. Laser treatment is one way of disrupting this cycle and stimulating hair follicle growth.
Prior to your session, ensure the area being treated has been shaved, and try not to expose it to tanning beds or direct sun. Laser energy cannot penetrate tanned skin.
Hirsutism
Hirsutism is a condition in which women experience an excess growth of dark and coarse hair in areas typically unaffected by it, such as their face, chest, arms, back, abdomen or even their thighs and buttocks. While not harmful, this growth can impact self-image and confidence negatively.
Hirsutism in women may be caused by various factors, including abnormally high androgen levels, hormonal imbalances, medications and hereditary factors. Lack of estrogen may also play a part. Many women who experience hirsutism have a family history of conditions related to it such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and congenital adrenal hyperplasia – conditions more likely to manifest themselves among overweight individuals compared with lean individuals; it can also be caused by certain medications like birth control pills and anabolic steroids.
As part of treating hirsutism, the initial step should be speaking with your physician about it. She’ll ask about your symptoms and when they first started. She may then conduct blood tests to measure hormone levels as well as conduct pelvic exams and ultrasound scans in order to diagnose an underlying problem.
If your hirsutism is due to an endocrine disorder, treatment must come first before seeking laser hair removal. You’ll require medication to balance hormones until hair growth stops; plus touchup treatments to keep it from coming back again.
Waxing and plucking are other effective treatments for hirsutism that may reduce androgen levels by extracting hair follicles from the skin, but must be performed on an ongoing basis and may be painful. Acupuncture has shown to reduce androgen levels as well as stop further hair growth; further research must be completed to verify these results. Surgical removal may be the last resort, though this method can be expensive, time consuming, and not suitable for all patients; intense pulsed light (IPL) laser treatments also destroy hair follicles but may not work effectively on all skin types either.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Normaly, the ovaries and adrenal glands produce small amounts of male sex hormones known as androgens to facilitate ovulation and other functions, but in PCOS overproduction of these male hormones causes irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth on face and body, acne breakouts and weight gain among other issues. Furthermore, PCOS increases risk for long-term health conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease as well as weight gain.
PCOS can be caused by hormonal imbalance, making it more likely to run in families. Insulin resistance – where your body doesn’t react appropriately to insulin hormone – may also contribute, leading to high blood sugar levels which wreak havoc with how your ovaries function and leading to PCOS symptoms such as high testosterone levels – which in turn affect ovulation function. Furthermore, people living with PCOS typically exhibit elevated testosterone levels.
Elevated testosterone levels may be an indicator of PCOS, but they could also be caused by other things. They could include side effects from birth control pills and steroids; or it could even be an indication of diabetes and liver disease. It’s essential to consult a healthcare provider if symptoms of elevated testosterone arise if you’re concerned about infertility or experiencing difficulties getting pregnant.
If you have PCOS, there are steps you can take to lower testosterone levels. Include eating soy products rich in phytoestrogens – chemicals which mimic female hormone effects – peppermint tea has also been proven effective against antagonism; and taking prescription medications like spironolactone or finasteride that may help.
One effective strategy to lower testosterone levels is exercise regularly. Physical activity helps balance hormones while improving overall health. Other ways include eating more whole grains, cutting back on dairy and red meat consumption and drinking more water; adding fruits and vegetables can also help. If you suspect PCOS, treatment must begin immediately for best results.
Hormonal imbalances
Hormones are chemicals produced by glands in your endocrine system and released into the bloodstream, where they communicate to different organs of your body to regulate processes like appetite and metabolism, sleep cycles, sexual function, etc. When hormone levels become unbalanced, symptoms such as fatigue, weight changes, itchy skin or low mood may arise as a result.
An hormonal imbalance can result in excess hair growth for both men and women; it is more prevalent among men due to having lower testosterone levels than women do. A hormonal imbalance can also alter libido and sexual drive which may become a challenge in relationships. A variety of treatments exist such as medication or laser hair removal which may help address an imbalance.
If you have a hormonal issue, you may need to wait until it has been treated before pursuing laser hair treatments for unwanted hair growth. Hair growth may become worse as a result of hormonal imbalance and treatments must be repeated at regular intervals in order to stop its return. Consulting a doctor can help identify what may be causing an imbalance and suggest effective solutions tailored specifically for you.
Hormonal shifts may happen naturally as we age, or they could signal an underlying health problem. If you experience frequent headaches, fatigue, or loss of energy despite taking proper medications for those conditions, get tested to ensure your hormones are in balance – you can use at-home testing kits for cortisol, thyroid hormones, and sex hormones if available.
Other indicators of hormonal imbalances include low libido, infertility and mood changes. Too much estrogen or progesterone can lower libido, while too little testosterone leads to erectile dysfunction. Hormonal imbalances may also have adverse impacts on skin condition causing dryness, itchiness or acne breakouts.
An imbalance of sexual hormones can hinder sperm production and lead to infertility, while decreasing muscle mass may make maintaining an erection difficult during sexual activity. Furthermore, stress caused by this issue may lower libido and impair sexual performance further.
Unwanted hair growth
Laser treatment remains one of the most efficient and popular means of hair removal, yet can have an adverse impact on hormone levels. When used on individuals who suffer from hormonal imbalance, it may cause excessive and increased hair growth; which may be especially frustrating for women suffering from hirsutism. Luckily, however, this issue can be remedied through hormone therapy or medication treatment.
Laser hair removal works by having melanin in the hair absorb light energy from a laser and convert it to heat, which destroys basal stem cells responsible for unwanted hair production. To optimize its effectiveness, it is best to avoid shaving or waxing products on the treatment area and use sun protection during this procedure; additionally it’s wise to be aware of medications which might interfere with its effectiveness.
As much as most people enjoy their results after just a few treatments, it is important to keep in mind that laser hair removal treatments are not permanent. Most hair will grow back, even if destroyed by laser therapy; often lighter and less noticeable than before. It is also important to remember that laser can damage hair follicles even when it does not manage to completely eliminate them; regular touchup treatments will therefore be required to keep up the results.
Laser treatment results depend heavily on skin and hair color. Darker complexions and darker locks are more challenging to treat with laser light. Furthermore, plucking or waxing should be avoided prior to laser sessions as well as anti-over-whitening creams to avoid an unintended over-whitening effect.
Before undertaking laser hair removal treatment, it is crucial to understand how hormones impact its effectiveness. If there is an imbalance, laser will likely not be as successful and could even increase growth. Furthermore, hormone replacement therapy may prompt increased hair regrowth.
Therefore, if you are experiencing hormonal problems and seeking laser treatments as a possible solution, medical assistance should always come first. In order to see permanent results from laser therapy treatments and address hormonal imbalances effectively. Meanwhile, other means can help manage unwanted hair growth like shaving and waxing.
