Laser hair removal is a quick and relatively painless procedure. A typical treatment session typically lasts from a few minutes up to over an hour depending on the size of the area being treated.
Your practitioner may advise that prior to beginning laser hair treatment on an area, you refrain from waxing, plucking or using tweezers on it so that melanin-rich follicles may be targeted with laser light.
Darker Hair
Laser hair removal can be an efficient and safe way to reduce unwanted body hair, but it’s essential that you choose a qualified physician familiar with both your skin type and procedure – the best choice being a board-certified dermatologist who can conduct treatment safely and effectively.
As well, it’s crucial that between sessions you refrain from shaving or waxing the area in question, as doing so could pull out hair follicles that should have been exposed for treatment by laser light piercing through skin layers to target pigment (eumelanin) found within these follicles – this explains why darker-haired individuals typically experience better results from laser hair removal.
Lighter hair follicles contain less melanin, making them harder to target with laser treatment. Eumelanin gives hair its brown or black hue and absorbs light energy from laser beams; therefore, when activated by light energy the laser destroys hair follicles so they cannot grow anymore; over time this process should lead to its thinned and faded growth over about six months.
Though some experts disagree, most agree that laser hair removal is generally safe for most people of color and more effective than shaving or waxing. It is also essential to note that for optimal results, treatments must be administered by someone experienced in treating melanin-rich skin types.
Used correctly, laser treatments can effectively eliminate the appearance of enlarged pores, fine lines and wrinkles caused by rosacea or other conditions, and blotches caused by shaving (including hyperpigmentation). Furthermore, they may help decrease razor bumps associated with shaving as well as any side effects like hyperpigmentation that arise as a result.
But it is essential to remain cognizant of the possibility of paradoxical hypertrichosis – a rare condition in which hair grows faster after laser treatment than usual, typically seen among women with darker complexions due to medications, autoimmune diseases or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Should this occur for you it would be wise to consult your dermatologist as soon as possible for advice.
Less Hair Growth
Laser hair removal may be the answer to their unwanted hair woes. Studies have demonstrated that it can reduce unwanted hair growth by over 99% after multiple sessions, although it should be noted that most individuals require multiple sessions spread out over several months in order to reach optimal results.
As your body adjusts to being free from hair, regrowth may occur as your body readjusts itself to a world without hair. While this is usually not an issue, if the new growth appears thicker and darker there could be several possible explanations why.
Pluck or Wax Too Often
While it can be tempting to pluck or wax unwanted hairs, it is better to allow them to fall out on their own over time. Plucking or waxing interrupts the laser process and prevents its ability to target hair follicles; furthermore, plucking or waxing could actually increase ingrown hairs that cause further pain and inconvenience. For best results try gently rubbing skin with loofahs or using washcloths until all the unwanted hairs have dropped out naturally.
Are You Receiving Enough Treatments
Most patients need 6-8 treatments before seeing results that can be considered permanent. If your hairs have begun growing back thicker or darker than before, this could indicate that not enough laser treatments have been administered as the laser must target active phases of hair growth for it to have any impact.
Are You Pregnant
Hormonal changes may cause additional facial or body hair growth after laser hair removal sessions, which could potentially be temporary; it could also be related to pregnancy, menopause or other hormone-related conditions.
At these times, it may be wise to opt out of laser treatments altogether and use other means of hair reduction instead. If a laser treatment must be undertaken during such times, however, pad the area and refrain from shaving or any other hair removal methods in the days leading up to your appointment; this will enable your skin to recover properly without becoming irritated from treatment and help it to recover faster from its experience.
Hormonal Imbalance
Laser hair removal can seem like an instantaneous solution to those tired of shaving and waxing their body hair regularly, or who desire a permanent solution for unwanted body hair. And it works, with many clients reporting reduced hair growth after having finished their course of treatments.
Unfortunately, laser hair removal isn’t a one-and-done treatment; most individuals will require multiple sessions over an extended period. Your body must adjust to these changes gradually while simultaneously targeting hair follicles at specific stages in their growth cycle.
Hair follicles grow, rest and reset at various rates over time; laser only targets active hairs. When having laser treatments, it’s essential not to shave or wax in between sessions as doing so could pull hair from its follicle and force it back into an active phase prematurely; this may result in darker and more noticeable new hair growth than expected.
Avoid tanning prior to receiving laser treatments as UV rays from the sun can cause pigmentation changes and discolouration of skin cells. Wait at least six weeks after your final session before seeking sun exposure of any sort.
Last but not least, it’s essential that only trained professionals perform laser treatments on your skin. Look for a clinic with licensed and experienced dermatologists; your trust should never be given to just anyone; there may be scammers out there looking to exploit your situation.
As hormone imbalance can disrupt hair growth cycles, pregnancy, menopause or medication may have led to this situation affecting some genders more than others. While it’s unlikely, if this does happen it’s wise to consult your physician as they can restore balance and help slow hair growth.
Skin Tone
Laser hair removal offers the ideal way to eliminate the hassles associated with shaving, waxing and tweezing unwanted body hair at a touch of a button – a dream come true for many women and men alike! However, it is important to understand that getting semi-permanent results requires multiple sessions.
Laser treatments depend on multiple factors, including your skin tone and color as well as where your hair growth occurs. Darker hairs tend to be easier to target, and certain parts of your body tend to generate hair faster than others.
After each laser session, you may notice the treated area is beginning to shed hair due to being exposed to laser energy that targeted anagen phase hairs that have now started their natural cycle and begun falling out – this process may leave some blackhead-like particles scattered about, as well as stubble or blackhead-looking particles appearing – this is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about!
As soon as your anagen hairs have fallen out, new growth will start at a much slower rate and be finer in texture, since laser therapy targeted melanin. After multiple laser treatments, this should become even slower; although you may require touch up treatments every six to 12 months.
Before receiving laser treatments, it’s essential to avoid sun exposure as tanned skin can make hair appear darker. Furthermore, self-tanners may interfere with how well your body absorbs laser energy.
As with any medical procedure, laser hair removal services should only be sought from a reputable dermatologist with extensive experience with the procedure. You should also inform your doctor of any medications such as birth control pills or antibiotics which could interfere with light-based laser technology and increase hyperpigmentation risk after laser treatments.
