Laser hair removal is one of the most sought-after nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in the US, offering safe solutions to men and women of all skin tones to permanently eliminate unwanted body hair.
Laser beams heat and destroy hair follicles to render them inactive; any future growth usually appears finer and lighter than before.
How Does It Work?
Laser hair removal uses the heat generated from a laser beam to efficiently eliminate unwanted hair. A laser emits light that hair pigment (melanin) absorbs, creating energy damage to follicles that inhibit future hair growth. Unlike depilatories, shaving or waxing, laser removal targets hair follicles rather than just superficial tissues and causes no irritation; moreover it works across skin types and complexions and lasts much longer than any of those methods combined.
Before beginning the procedure, your practitioner will first remove excess hair and apply a numbing gel as necessary. They’ll use a handheld device to trigger the laser; you may experience a mild snapping sound similar to snapping rubber bands when this happens. Depending on the size of the area being treated, the procedure could last anywhere between few minutes and over an hour.
As part of your treatment, protective eyewear will be worn to shield your eyes from laser light. Next, the practitioner will position the laser over an individual hair follicle and you may feel pulses as the laser passes over your skin; any damaged follicle is destroyed through its heat; after treatment has finished, any regrownt hair will likely be finer and lighter in tone than before.
Some individuals achieve permanent results from laser hair removal treatments, while for most it takes multiple sessions to see the desired effects. When hair does grow back it usually grows back shorter and thinner. To achieve long-term success it’s essential that you find a doctor with extensive experience performing laser hair reduction specifically tailored to your skin type and complexion.
After your appointment, it is wise to avoid direct sunlight as much as possible; your skin may become more delicate, and excessive sun exposure could reduce its efficacy and interfere with laser therapy. If necessary, wear high SPF sunscreen protection on any outdoor activity to shield your skin and ensure maximum results from your laser therapy sessions.
Finding out if laser hair reduction is suitable for you requires meeting with a plastic surgeon or dermatologist for consultation. They will explain the process and can assist in making an assessment if laser treatment fits into your aesthetic goals.
What Are the Side Effects?
Your plastic surgeon will tailor laser settings based on your skin type and area targeted for treatment, using handheld devices to activate and damage hair follicles with laser light, inhibiting future hair growth. For added comfort during treatment, a jet of cool air may be directed over the area being lasered. Sessions typically last 15-plus minutes depending on its size; you may experience redness and rash afterward that last 1-3 days post-laser procedure; keeping an ice pack against your skin may help, while regularly applying moisturizer may prevent crusting or scarring from occuring from treating scarred areas after laser procedures.
For optimal results, it is advised to wait several weeks after shaving the area before beginning a laser treatment to allow your doctor to more efficiently locate and target hair follicles without interference from newly grown hairs. In addition, skin creams or other methods for hair removal such as waxing, plucking or bleaching should not be applied directly in this treatment area for similar timeframe.
If you have been successful in finding an experienced practitioner, treatments should be relatively painless and may feel similar to a mild sunburn. As soon as treatment begins, treat the treated area like sunburned skin by moisturizing and avoiding sunlight to minimize infection risk. Keep an eye out for signs of infection and notify your practitioner as soon as you detect them.
Laser treatment of hair follicles often leads to their regeneration, although with finer and lighter locks. Many individuals will require multiple sessions in order to permanently reduce unwanted hair; your doctor will determine which frequency best meets your needs during follow-up sessions.
Maintaining the smooth, hairless appearance requires regular laser hair removal sessions – generally every four to eight weeks, depending on your skin tone and the part being treated.
How Long Will the Results Last?
Laser hair removal can provide more permanent or near-permanent solutions to unwanted body hair, but it won’t be an ultimate fix. Laser heat damages hair follicles and destroys them – meaning no new growth from those destroyed can come through, though more hair may form elsewhere in the area. Anagen phase (growth phase) hair follicles are especially vulnerable to laser treatment; therefore many require multiple sessions in order to achieve near-permanent results.
Your laser sessions and skin tone and hair color may also impact their effectiveness, though the treatment should generally be considered safe for most individuals. To make sure this treatment will suit you properly, always discuss it with a healthcare provider first to see if you qualify as a candidate.
People with darker hair often don’t respond as favorably to laser treatment due to differences in pigmentation preventing the laser beam from accurately targeting each follicle – leading to uneven and patchy hair removal results.
Prior to seeking laser hair removal, it’s vital that you limit sun exposure as direct sunlight can make skin more delicate and susceptible to damage. Furthermore, it would be beneficial if you stopped shaving, waxing or using other hair removal methods in areas where laser treatment will occur.
Avoid using hair removal techniques such as tweezing, plucking or bleaching after your laser session as these could prevent proper healing in those areas and thus decrease effectiveness of future treatments.
Laser hair removal requires touch up treatments every year or so, depending on your natural follicle cycle and response to treatment. Most people find their hair growth has reduced significantly after several laser sessions; therefore it is wise to be consistent in scheduling regular, routine treatments. Furthermore, giving yourself time for healing between sessions is beneficial as this gives your skin time to recover after each session.
What Should I Expect?
Laser hair removal is one of the most frequently performed cosmetic treatments in the US and has quickly become one of the go-to treatments for unwanted hair removal. It offers an efficient, quick, painless solution with long-term benefits: when some regrowth occurs it typically is lighter and less visible than before treatment began.
Laser hair removal involves our plastic surgeons using a handheld device to direct a beam of light at the area where hair growth is taking place, with this light dissolving pigment from within hair follicles to stop them from producing more hair growth. Most patients will need multiple treatments – usually six spaced weeks apart – in order to address different phases of growth for a hair-free finish.
Before coming in for laser hair removal, it is recommended to shave or trim the area that needs treatment in order to help the laser beam penetrate deeper into your skin, where it destroys hair follicles. Also important before visiting is avoiding sun exposure since tanning skin inhibits effective treatment from laser. Finally, avoid plucking, waxing or any other hair removal products on that area before your appointment.
Once you arrive for your appointment, we will cover the area to be treated with protective gel to shield it from light beams during treatment and apply topical anesthetic to ensure there is no discomfort during your session.
After receiving treatment, your skin may appear red and swollen for several days following your session. To help mitigate these side effects, we advise using an ice pack on the area for 10 minutes every hour throughout the day afterward. If more serious adverse reactions arise after visiting a plastic surgeon for advice and support.
Laser hair removal offers some of the best results when it comes to eliminating unwanted body hair. Not only can it offer you a long-term alternative to shaving or waxing, it can also improve self-confidence and comfort levels as well as help alleviate other problems associated with unwanted hair such as folliculitis or discoloration from shaving.
