Laser hair removal is generally safe. Patients may experience some discomfort during treatment – it might feel like rubber bands snapping against your skin – as well as smell smoke and experience an unpleasant stinging sensation.
The FDA claims that laser energy used for hair removal is non-ionizing radiation. Does this hold true?
Ionizing Radiation
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular cosmetic treatment, often considered safe, effective and virtually painless. It can dramatically reduce unwanted hair while simultaneously improving your self-image – helping you feel more confident both socially and professionally. Furthermore, this relatively inexpensive procedure may even be covered by some insurance providers.
As with any procedure, laser hair removal does carry some risks; therefore, it is crucial that you understand and are able to minimize these. Informed decisions about whether laser hair removal is suitable for you can then be made.
Laser Hair Removal
When treating dark hairs for laser hair removal, the laser emits a beam of light which absorbs into their pigmented melanin content, then converts this energy to heat to damage tube-shaped sacs within the skin that produce hairs and inhibit future growth. As light does not penetrate these non-pigmented areas such as white, gray or blonde hairs; darker tones tend to make for better candidates for treatment.
Redness and swelling are potential side effects of laser hair removal that could last for several days after treatment, similar to mild sunburn symptoms. If this persists beyond this point, consult with a medical specialist for advice.
Laser hair removal may result in scars if you aren’t careful after treatment. To minimize risks associated with scarring, the treated area should be shielded from direct sunlight and moisturized to reduce chances of side effects occurring; to further minimize this possibility it’s recommended using at least SPF 30 sunscreen every time even on cloudy days!
Risks Associated With Unsuitable Candidates
The effectiveness and safety of laser hair removal depend on several factors, such as type of hair being treated, skin color, size of area targeted and type of laser used. Best results usually are seen with black or brown hair since these colors contain the most melanin; however other treatments using different hair types and skin colors have also proven successful. People trying to conceive should refrain from laser hair removal, since its full effectiveness cannot be guaranteed for this purpose.
People with sensitive skin should also avoid laser hair removal as this treatment can cause unpleasant and potentially painful side effects. There are other options for hair removal available to them such as electrolysis or tweezing; however, these methods tend to take more time and laborious processes compared with newer laser technology and should not be performed while pregnant due to possible health complications. Therefore, for optimal results and safety it’s best to find a qualified practitioner who offers laser hair removal that is safe and effective on all skin types, registered with an authority which checks credentials against set standards of training skill and insurance requirements.
