If you want to permanently get rid of unwanted hair, there are various solutions available. Each method comes with different upfront and ongoing costs.
Laser hair removal works by targeting pigment in hair follicles to damage them, which then inhibits future hair growth. For optimal results, multiple sessions must be administered over time to achieve maximum success.
Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal provides the ideal long-term solution to unwanted hair. It penetrates beneath the surface to target root areas and stop them producing new follicles; however, when embarking on this journey for the first time it is important to remember that results may take time to appear.
Undergoing laser hair removal typically requires three to eight sessions to see a noticeable, lasting reduction in unwanted hair that grows back in treated areas. A specialist can assist you in determining how many treatments will be necessary based on factors like area, skin tone and hair color, response of treatment and desired desired result. It is wise to schedule one follow up appointment each year in order to maintain your new beautiful look.
Before beginning the procedure, your practitioner will clean the treatment area and apply topical numbing gel in order to ensure minimal discomfort during your session. As light from laser can damage eyes, protective goggles should also be worn during sessions; you may experience what some have described as feeling like rubber band snapping against their face during treatment; laser heat then vaporizes hair follicles to stop further production and disable further hair production.
Laser hair removal treatments will leave your skin red and swollen after each appointment; some people even experience mild histamine-type reactions following treatment. As hair sheds naturally over the next several days, redness and swelling should subside with time. It is wise to avoid exercise and direct sun exposure after having undergone laser hair removal therapy to optimize results.
Prior to beginning laser treatments on any areas, it is advisable to wait four to six weeks without plucking or waxing as this activity removes hair follicles and roots which then make the laser treatment less effective. Furthermore, shaving in these weeks could potentially impede its effectiveness as well.
IPL Hair Removal
IPL hair removal, also known as Intense Pulsed Light or IPL for short, is an increasingly popular cosmetic service available at salons and spas as well as sold as home handheld units that can remove up to 70% of unwanted hair in targeted areas while slowing regrowth for up to one year. IPL works by emitting short bursts of high intensity light which penetrate the skin’s surface to reach pigmented cells found within hair follicles – both processes work by emitting short bursts of high intensity light emit from devices sold as handheld handheld units at salons/spa/home handheld units which emit short bursts of high intensity light which penetrate the surface to reach pigmented cells present within hair follicles where pigmented pigmented molecules found.
Once absorbed, this light energy is converted to heat that effectively disables hair follicles and prevents new hair growth. Once treated hairs begin falling out naturally over a period of several weeks, giving you smooth skin without the hassle of constant grooming.
IPL treatment can be performed quickly and conveniently from the privacy of your own home, depending on its size. Bikini line treatment typically requires 15 minutes while legs may take 60. IPL is painless and does not require downtime, providing an efficient means of maintaining smooth skin without interrupting daily life.
As with laser hair removal, IPL treatment is safe for all skin types and colors. To maximize its efficacy, however, tanning or using sunblock should be avoided at least a week before your appointment to increase effectiveness of treatment.
For optimal results, IPL treatments should be taken over six to eight sessions for best results. Most individuals require this minimum number of sessions in order to experience positive effects; however, some individuals may require more in order to successfully rid themselves of unwanted hair.
Though IPL hair removal is non-invasive and effective, its results may take longer to appear due to melanin absorption by their hair and its impact on light energy absorbed more efficiently by dark complexioned individuals than it would on lighter complexions. If this is your situation, more treatments may be required than you expect to see results from IPL treatments alone.
If you’re curious about using IPL to permanently reduce hair, speaking to one of Skin From Within’s skin experts is recommended as they can create an individualised treatment plan tailored specifically to you and ensure a painless and pleasant hair removal experience. Get in touch now to schedule your consultation session.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis is the only permanent hair removal method approved by the FDA, and is the only solution that effectively destroys every unwanted follicle. Electrolysis involves inserting a needle into each unwanted hair follicle and applying heat directly to them in order to destroy them; trained technicians know how to regulate its temperature so it does not burn the skin, while many individuals also opt to get numbing gel applied prior to electrolysis sessions so that they won’t feel when the needle pokes into their skin.
Due to electrolysis’s unique process of dismantling hair follicles one at a time, it may take multiple sessions for your unwanted hair to completely go away. Because hair grows in cycles with only certain percentages of follicles active at any given time, full clearance may require 18 sessions before becoming visible again.
Electrolysis tends to be relatively painless for most individuals; however, certain areas like eyebrows or the groin can become sensitive when being treated by electrolysis. Pain levels will depend on an individual’s tolerance of discomfort as well as where their hair follicle is being addressed.
Electrolysis may cause discomfort or redness at the site where hair follicles were extracted. Folliculitis can occur when bacteria invade follicles and cause inflammation; to avoid this from happening again make sure that you use antibacterial cleanser in the treatment area and consult your dermatologist if a painful bump develops in the vicinity of electrolysis treatments.
Visit a certified professional and request a consultation, detailing what type of hair removal techniques would best meet your needs and desired results. Provide details such as your type of hair, desired results and any additional information that might help them assess which options would work for you best; that way, they can give an estimate of the timeframe and cost involved with hair removal processes based on what information they gather during their consultation session with you. If they do not meet these expectations then continue looking until you find one who fits.
Waxing
Waxing is a semi-permanent hair removal method suitable for any part of the body. Unlike shaving, which only cuts surface-level skin cells and may lead to razor burn or ingrown hairs, waxing removes all root-level hair growth for silky smooth skin that lasts much longer than shaving can ever hope to do. Plus it may even be less painful with some people only experiencing minor discomfort!
Preparing for waxing treatments early is key to minimizing pain and irritation, so wash the area that will be waxed to remove dirt, oils, and dead skin cells. Exfoliation using loofah or salicylic-acid scrubs before your appointment can keep skin hair-free while making exfoliation sessions less painful; be sure to do this every day leading up to your appointment as doing this can decrease redness, itching, and discomfort.
On the day of your appointment, take steps to minimize heat exposure such as baths and saunas, avoid applying lotion or cream directly to the area being treated, and consider taking an over-the-counter pain reliever 30 minutes beforehand.
Waxing offers many options, from warm and hard wax, strip waxing and sugar waxing. Hard wax is applied directly onto skin before it cools off before being removed with a paper strip in the opposite direction from hair growth – commonly used on large areas like legs and arms. For sugar waxing, warm and hard wax are applied directly, strip waxed or sugared after it hardens – these methods usually result in smooth skin after removal of unwanted hair growth.
Strip waxing (also referred to as soft wax) involves spreading a thin layer of warm body wax on larger areas such as legs and arms before covering it with a non-woven cloth strip, and then pulling off in the opposite direction as your hair growth to remove any hair that has come up through the skin.
No matter whether you opt for soft or hard wax, sugar or any combination thereof, hair regrowth usually takes between three and six weeks following each treatment session. While individual results can differ greatly between people and locations on their bodies, you should generally experience results of three weeks at most before hair begins growing back in again.
