Laser hair removal is a quick, relatively pain-free procedure. Before going ahead with the treatment it is advised to shave the area 24-hours prior.
Your doctor will use a handheld laser instrument against your skin and may add cooling gel or another cooling mechanism on its tip in order to reduce discomfort and protect your skin.
Burning Hair
Laser hair removal involves using a beam of light to heat up and destroy hair follicles that produce unwanted hair, creating the distinctive “burning” smell associated with it. This odor results from heat killing off cells producing hair cells before burning them off completely, leaving behind smoke, steam and debris as it breaks them down further. As cells get hotter they emit an increasingly strong odor which increases as heat levels do.
That’s why it is essential to choose a reputable clinic or at-home device using an FDA-approved laser system and employ only licensed practitioners. The procedure itself may feel similar to rubber bands snapping against your skin; duration will depend on the size and scope of the area being treated and can last from minutes up to hours, though numbing gel may help mitigate discomfort during this stage of the process.
Once it’s complete, your skin may become red and swollen – leading to increased smell. To maintain comfort during treatment, avoid direct or artificial sunlight exposure for the area being treated; apply a cool compress for added soothing. If any smell persists after completion of treatment sessions with an aesthetician.
One study published in a medical journal identified an correlation between body odor and the amount of hair removed during laser sessions and how much sweat accumulates underneath arms or on chest without being evaporated, leading to foul-smelling sweat being trapped under locks that trap it rather than dissipating into fresh-smelling air. When hair is gone, sweat can dissipate more readily, thus decreasing body odor significantly.
Laser hair removal may make the smell worse because new hairs take time to grow in. Old hairs still attached to their follicles can leave behind oily residue on your skin that makes you smell fouler than before.
Some individuals experience a temporary decrease in body odor following several laser sessions due to reduced glandular activity needed to release sweat trapped in hair follicles. Over the course of several weeks however, normality should return and odor should return as before.
Smoke
Laser treatments entail vaporizing hair, leaving behind a toxic mix of gases and particles known as Laser “Plume.” Inhaling this smoke contains chemicals which are hazardous to your health; breathing it in can irritate your respiratory tract, dry your throat out and even burn your eyes! Additionally, inhalation may cause hoarseness as well as blocked or labored breathing depending on how much is inhaled.
Researchers have examined the smoky mix of gases and particles produced during laser treatment and found it contains numerous contaminants. After analyzing 30 seconds of Laser plume they discovered 377 chemical compounds including 20 environmental toxins as well as 13 suspected carcinogens such as carbon monoxide, benzene and toluene; additionally they could smell viable bacteria and viruses within it.
Hair traps sweat under the skin and contributes to body odor. When combined with bacteria on the surface of the skin, this combination can produce unpleasant odors that deodorants or anti-perspirants cannot completely mask or eliminate. Laser hair removal helps eliminate this problem as its destruction alters biological structures of the follicle making it harder for bacteria to attach themselves to your skin surface.
Laser therapy may leave your skin raw and swollen after treatment, which may increase its odor. To minimize further complications from sunburn after undergoing laser therapy, it is wise to avoid direct sunlight after your session as direct sunrays could worsen it further.
Laser treatments don’t cause much discomfort, but any noticeable odor may indicate that your technician is not taking adequate safety precautions. It is crucial that treatment takes place in a professional facility equipped with all of the appropriate safety features such as Smoke Evacuator to keep the air clear and safe for everyone involved – it also requires qualified, experienced staff.
Debris
Laser hair removal can be an ideal alternative to shaving and waxing, both of which can be expensive and wasteful practices. Shaving wastes water (particularly if left running or shower on while shaving), uses lots of plastic razors which eventually end up in landfill, and wax strips/applicators which end up there too. With laser hair removal you can achieve long-term results in just a few sessions without producing unnecessary waste products.
Laser hair removal creates something known as “laser plume”, or gaseous and particulate matter released from the surface of skin during treatment, that contains carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – substances which could lead to irritation or allergic reactions if inhaled directly. To minimize laser plume’s impact, experts at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Boston University recently conducted a joint study published in JAMA Dermatology that concluded its makeup includes carbon dioxide, formaldehyde and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – experts suggested wearing loose, breathable clothing as well as not applying moisturizers, sunscreens or deodorants prior to arriving at your appointment time.
Laser hair removal often stinks due to ingrown hairs, or hair follicles that become lodged under dead skin and oil accumulation on the surface of your skin. Since ingrown hairs can be painful and even cause infection, prompt treatment should be sought immediately from a licensed practitioner like O’Donnell Vein & Laser for effective laser hair removal results.
Sweat odor has an unpleasant stench caused by bacteria that come into contact with sweat. Since hair traps the smell rather than allowing it to dissipate naturally, shaving helps reduce body odor.
Note that laser hair removal does not impact the delicate nose hairs that filter pollen, debris and allergens into our bodies through our nasal cavity. Instead, laser hair removal occurs only around the edges of nostrils.
Chemicals
Laser hair removal has quickly become one of the most sought-after services to permanently eradicate unwanted body hair, saving both time and expense when compared with shaving or waxing. Unfortunately, however, laser treatments don’t come without their share of drawbacks: some may experience pain during their sessions while others claim they smell a burning sensation afterwards; according to some rumors, some believe laser treatment can even cause cancer or infertility; though these claims are false, it underscores why it is imperative only getting laser hair removal at licensed medical spa or clinic.
Laser hair removal produces an unpleasant yet harmless odor due to the laser’s interaction with melanin molecules in hair follicles; this gives off an aroma similar to burned popcorn or similar substances; although unpleasant, it poses no real health hazards.
Some individuals may be more sensitive than others and experience discomfort more regularly; those with very sensitive skin may use a cooling cream before and after treatments to alleviate both odor and discomfort.
Lasers don’t just destroy hair follicles; they also damage and kill off cells surrounding it, disrupting their protein-making abilities and thus rendering the follicle incapable of growing new hairs.
But destroyed cells do not immediately die off; rather, they continue producing chemicals including those with an unpleasant odor-producing properties that become released as cells decay. These proteins contribute to body odor that becomes offensively pungent.
As opposed to shaving, which often causes irritation of both skin and hair follicles, laser hair removal tends to cause less ingrown hairs than shaving does; hairs that regrow after being treated tend to be finer and softer – less likely to become ingrown hairs!
laser hair removal odor may not pose a health hazard, but it is nonetheless unpleasant. Bacteria harbored by hair follicles can combine with sweat to produce volatile organic compounds that contribute to body odor. Antiperspirants and deodorants help mask these unpleasant odors; however, additional treatments like Botox injections can reduce sweat production entirely and thus body odor production as a whole.
