There are various temporary methods of hair removal, from shaving (which can result in razor burn) to painful waxing; but is laser the answer for permanent hair removal?
Laser treatment success depends on multiple factors. Ideal candidates for laser therapy possessing contrast between their hair color and skin tone to allow the laser to easily target follicles with laser light.
How Does It Work?
If you’re sick and tired of shaving, waxing, or plucking unwanted hair, laser treatment might be the perfect solution. Laser heat destroys hair follicles to stop further hair growth – it is safe when performed by an experienced practitioner registered on an appropriate register that shows they meet set standards of training, skill and insurance coverage; choosing the wrong practitioner could result in burns, changes to skin color or scarring that requires medical intervention to correct.
Your doctor will apply a topical numbing cream prior to your session, which typically lasts 15-30 minutes and over an hour. Some individuals experience burning or stinging sensations; these should dissipate within hours to days, though an ice pack may help ease discomfort further.
As part of your preparations for laser hair removal, it is recommended that you refrain from tanning or using sunless tanning products for one month prior to scheduling an appointment. This allows the laser better target contrast between dark hair and light skin to ensure maximum effectiveness during your session. Furthermore, avoid tweezing or waxing the area six weeks beforehand as these methods can damage hair follicles; you can still shave regularly though.
After receiving treatment, your excess hair should begin thinning out and regrow with finer and lighter texture than it had been prior to treatment. Most individuals require multiple laser sessions for permanent hair reduction.
Your results from laser hair removal should last several months or years with regular maintenance sessions to ensure your follicles don’t regenerate. Most people require four to six sessions on their facial areas and six to eight sessions for legs every four to six weeks on average; those with darker skin or lots of hair may require additional sessions; to reduce treatment frequency speak with your physician first.
What Are the Side Effects?
Laser hair removal provides an effective and reliable alternative to shaving, plucking or waxing for body hair removal. Results typically appear after two to six laser sessions are administered for permanent results; additional touch-up sessions may be required once or twice each year in order to keep up with maintaining them.
Procedure is generally pain-free; however, your skin may experience temporary prickling. Your physician will use a hand-held laser instrument against your skin while applying cooling devices or gel as necessary to avoid skin damage.
Laser beams penetrate your skin surface to reach hair follicles beneath, damaging and inhibiting them. Your doctor will repeat this process on every hair follicle in the targeted area; depending on its size, treatment could last anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour.
Laser hair removal often results in redness, swelling and itching as potential side effects. Following treatment it is advised not to shave or pluck in the target area until all irritation has subsided and sun exposure should be limited until all irritation has subsided.
Select a laser technician with extensive training and experience when choosing treatments with laser technology, as misapplication of these treatments may pose serious health risks and cause side effects that are serious in their nature.
After laser hair removal, some of your hair may regrow – typically finer and lighter than before. How long your laser hair removal lasts will depend on many factors including frequency of shaving/trimming/trimming as well as hormonal fluctuations that impact regrowth.
Preparing for laser hair removal requires stopping shaving and plucking for at least a couple weeks prior to beginning treatments. You can shave again after your session, but be careful that any irritation subsides first before doing so more regularly. Also consider applying an anti-inflammatory cream post treatment as this could also help.
How Long Will It Take?
Unwanted hair growth can be time-consuming and embarrassing to deal with. Shaving, plucking or waxing may even cause skin irritation or burns if performed incorrectly; laser hair removal provides a safe and efficient method to permanently eliminate unwanted body hair growth.
People typically need multiple treatments before seeing any significant reduction in body hair. Laser hair removal works best on people with darker skin tones and dark hair since its contrast makes it easier for laser beams to target and destroy hair follicles. Unfortunately, however, this method of hair removal isn’t appropriate for pregnant women or those living with herpes (HSV-2).
Before beginning laser treatment, it’s essential to refrain from plucking, shaving and waxing in the area being treated. Doing so temporarily removes hair roots which makes your laser treatment less effective; additionally it’s advisable to wear sunscreen with an SPF 30 rating or higher to protect skin damage from UV rays.
At the start of any laser treatment session, your dermatologist will apply a topical numbing cream. Once this step has taken effect, the laser is used to zap away hairs; depending on where exactly on your body the laser will be focused, this process may only take minutes or up to an hour in larger areas such as back and chest areas.
Your laser hair removal treatment should not be painful or uncomfortable. Numbing cream may help minimize discomfort during treatments; many clients report that symptoms vanish within hours after treatments have finished.
Once you’ve completed the necessary sessions, unwanted hair should be significantly reduced; however, hair follicles will inevitably regrow and require follow-up visits usually one month apart.
Are you tired of unwanted body hair for good? Contact Hollywood Dermatology & Cosmetic Specialists right away and set an appointment! We offer laser hair removal for both men and women in South Florida.
Will Hair Grow Back?
Unwanted hair growth can be frustrating and embarrassing, particularly if it appears on your neck, arms, legs, face, or chest. While shaving, waxing, and plucking offer temporary solutions that require time-consuming and tedious care on an ongoing basis; laser hair removal offers long-term solutions that may eliminate these traditional methods for eliminating unwanted body hair.
Although heat from laser treatments damage or destroy hair follicles, their cells often recover and regrow a small amount of hair following treatments, leading to multiple sessions required to achieve hair removal. After treatment has taken effect however, any new growth usually emerges finer and lighter compared to what had previously been present and this helps create smoother and more even skin tones than before.
Laser hair removal works by having a technician shave an area to target only hair follicles without harming any of the surrounding tissue, so to maximize effectiveness it is wise to avoid tanning beds or skin lightening creams in the days prior to treatment and other methods such as shaving, waxing or plucking before your appointment.
Laser hair removal usually results in less noticeable hair regrowth after treatments due to heat from the laser damaging hair follicles and making new growth lighter and finer than what existed previously.
After your initial series of laser hair removal treatments, you should experience up to 90% decrease in hair growth in the area being treated. Touch-up treatments will be necessary in order to maximize results and extend them as long as possible.
Your dermatologist will recommend an appropriate maintenance treatment plan tailored to your skin type, hair thickness and treatment area. While some people can go years between touch-up sessions, others require ongoing sessions at least annually.
