Laser hair removal is an effective solution to unwanted hair growth, yet can sometimes cause discomfort depending on the area and individual pain thresholds. But take heart: by following these tips you can help minimize pain during laser hair removal sessions.
By using an over-the-counter or professional grade numbing agent during treatment, significantly lessening its sensation is significantly decreased.
The Area
Laser hair removal uses concentrated beams of light to effectively destroy unwanted hair follicles and delay (or even inhibit) future growth. Common treatment areas for laser hair removal include the face (chin, upper lip and sideburns), bikini area, underarms and legs. Most clients report that any discomfort experienced on their first visit subsides over time as their body adjusts to the sensation and their follicles begin to shrink and become finer over time, becoming less sensitive.
Before undergoing laser treatment, it is wise to discuss pain tolerance with your laser technician. Depending on your level of tolerance for pain, they may suggest numbing the skin prior to your session – either through over-the-counter numbing creams, topical anesthetic provided by the clinic, or cryogenic cooling devices.
An hour before your appointment, taking an acetaminophen can help ease pain. In addition, sun exposure and self-tanner should be limited prior to treatment as these products can make your skin more vulnerable. In addition, be sure to inform your laser technician of any health conditions which could interfere with this procedure, such as genital herpes or shingles that could impact on its success.
Laser treatment not only removes the need for depilation (such as shaving or waxing), but can also alleviate related problems, like folliculitis and discoloration, that come with having unwanted hair. Maintaining smooth, flawless skin should be your goal, so permanent hair reduction may be just what’s needed to reach that goal. In most cases, multiple sessions are usually necessary before seeing results. At these sessions, laser hair removal will reduce both the size and thickness of hair follicles until they stop producing new growth altogether. You may require periodic touch-up treatments to maintain results; your area may become sensitive after your first session but this should subside after some hours; to expedite healing you can keep it cool or apply a cold compress to help speed up this process.
The Sensitivity
Laser hair removal uses highly focused light beams directed onto a targeted area to cause pigments inside hair follicles to absorb it and destroy them. As this light travels across your skin, it may create a short-lived tingling sensation which you may or may not experience, though not enough to cause significant discomfort.
The type of laser you choose also plays a part in its sensitivity. Some models feature larger spot sizes than others, allowing the heat generated from its pulses to penetrate deeper into the dermis layer and disrupt hair follicles more effectively. Furthermore, frequency, power and wavelength all play an integral part of laser treatment’s efficacy.
Therefore, it is crucial that you select a laser technician with extensive experience and knowledge of your skin type. They should be able to select an effective laser for you while explaining its inner workings in order to reduce side effects on your complexion.
If you want to reduce the discomfort associated with laser hair removal, there are a few things you can do before your appointment. First and foremost, be wary of taking medications containing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, which contain NSAIDs; they may thin blood and lead to bleeding during your procedure. Also avoid caffeine as this may make you more sensitive to pain.
Shaving before laser hair removal is another effective way to decrease its sensitivity, as this allows the laser to more efficiently target individual hairs and prevents them from growing back thicker or darker than they otherwise would.
Men and women often find that laser hair removal of their legs is less painful, due to thicker skin there. Most patients describe a laser treatment on their legs like rubber band snapping against skin; despite this, most require multiple sessions (about 6 – 8).
The Time of the Month
Most women desire a flawless complexion that they can wear proudly to the beach or while donning summer attire, yet after spending money on waxing or shaving treatments they often end up with ingrown hairs, bumps, redness, rashes and pigmentation that only become evident once the sun shines bright. That is why starting laser treatment early before spring and summer arrive can only serve you well!
Clients with light-mid coloured skin should be able to continue laser hair removal during spring and summer provided they don’t sun expose the treatment areas. However, this may prove challenging in cases such as beach vacations or when family and friends visit who could expose your skin further; in these instances it would be wiser for clients to begin treatment in autumn so as to complete all appointments prior to winter setting in.
Laser treatments target melanin in hair follicles, so any areas darker than surrounding tissue are at greater risk of damage during treatment. As such, people with dark skin typically require multiple laser sessions in order to see results; this trend holds especially true among those living in Southeast Asia or countries with very dark complexions.
However, laser hair removal can be made less painful by applying a numbing agent before your appointment – be it over-the-counter cream or clinic gel numbing agents. Furthermore, caffeine may increase pain sensation so it’s wise to forego caffeine before your appointment and drink lots of water during this process to flush out your system and help relieve any associated discomfort.
The Numbing Agent
Laser hair removal sessions become much less painful for clients who utilize numbing cream before their session. This topical anesthetic makes the experience more tolerable over time, enabling you to complete it faster without taking breaks between each zap.
Prior to your laser hair removal appointment, use a high-quality numbing cream that can prepare your skin and reduce discomfort during laser sessions. Reapply it post procedure if possible in order to further minimize discomfort.
Always shave prior to laser hair removal treatments as this will protect the skin and keep it from feeling irritated after each session. After receiving laser treatment, some areas may feel hot or sensitive afterward causing mild discomfort; this is normal and won’t last too long.
After receiving laser hair removal on the neck, it is wise to apply a cold compress or ice pack as part of your aftercare routine. This will reduce any uncomfortable sensations and sensitivities after the treatment and may also provide assistance for those experiencing troublesome ingrown hairs which cause pseudo-folliculitis and red or swollen patches on their skin.
After receiving laser hair removal treatment, it is highly advised to protect the treated skin from sunlight by wearing sunscreen at all times when outdoors. Exposure to UV rays could potentially lead to burns, scarring and hyperpigmentation on treated areas of skin.
Laser hair removal is an effective and safe solution to permanently eliminating unwanted body hair. Although the process can require multiple sessions, laser hair removal will eventually provide a permanent and pain-free solution! If you are ready to discover all of its benefits for yourself, contact Xanadu Med Spa now and schedule your first consultation session!
