Laser hair removal is an incredibly common and popular treatment today, and a lot of people consider it at one point in their life. If you’re considering laser hair removal, you probably have a ton of questions about how it works, what to expect and how long the results will last. We’re here to explain everything we can about laser hair removal, and additional questions can be answered when you book an appointment with a professional. Read on to learn about the laser hair removal process.
The Laser Hair Removal Process
Laser hair removal is a noninvasive way of removing body hair. Lasers target the hair follicle pigment, which then absorbs the light and damages the follicle itself. The pigment is able to absorb the radiation because it contains melanin, which soaks up all types of radiation, including that from lasers as well as the sun.
Laser are able to concentrate a very thin ray of light onto the hair follicle, which damages it. When the hair follicle is damaged, it’s no longer able to grow hair. The exact type of laser that will be used depends on your specific hair and skin type. Your doctor will choose the laser that will give you the best results possible.
What to Expect with Laser Hair Removal
The laser hair removal process isn’t very painful for most people, and the feeling is akin to being snapped with a rubber band. It’s somewhat uncomfortable for most clients, but not normally unbearable. People who have a higher pain tolerance won’t be as affected by the pain, while clients with a lower pain tolerance may be more uncomfortable than normal during the procedure.
The part of the body that’s receiving the laser hair treatment can play a role in how much it hurts, too. For example, more sensitive areas of the body, like the bikini area, may be more painful than other areas. You can speak with your doctor about numbing creams, which can help make the process more comfortable. You can also ask if it’s safe to take a painkiller before the procedure.
Cost of Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal starts at a few hundreds dollars per treatment area, but may cost up to a few thousand dollars per area. Treatment price can vary based on the area that’s being treated. Plus, it’s important to know that for permanent results, you may have to have the same area treated multiple times.
Rounds of Treatment
In order for laser hair removal to be effective, you may need between five and 12 sessions per treatment area, and you’ll want to get treatments approximately four to six weeks apart. Laser hair removal only works on hairs that are currently in a growth cycle, notes Zapp Laser Studios and not all hairs will grow in a single area at the same time. In order to get all of the hairs in an area during their growth cycle, several rounds of treatment are necessary, spaced out at specific intervals. In between treatments, it’s best to not wax or shave, and to limit your sun exposure as much as possible.
Permanency of Laser Hair Removal
You’re probably wondering if laser hair removal is permanent – after all, the point is to be rid of your body hair forever, which is something other hair removal treatments can’t do (like waxing and shaving). While results vary among clients, laser hair removal usually slows down growth quite a bit and also makes hair growth less noticeable than before. While it’s not guaranteed that your hair will never grow back, it can be a big change and relief from before.
While any skin tone and hair color can be a candidate for laser hair removal, it tends to work best on light skin with dark hair. The reason for this is because light skin has a low amount of melanin and dark hair has a high amount of melanin, which results in the melanin in the hair drawing the laser’s radiation away from the skin, resulting in a more concentrated effect.
Safety of Laser Hair Removal
Since the laser is damaging the hair follicle and it’s incredibly close to the skin, you may be worried that your skin will be damaged during the process. This isn’t an issue, though, because laser hair removal is designed to only “attack” the hair follicle. Once the cells around the hair are damaged, the laser will turn off before the heat can affect the skin.
Another feature of laser hair removal that will keep you safe is that you won’t have your entire body worked on in one sitting. Laser hair removal requires multiple treatments, and you won’t be undergoing a ton of radiation exposure at one time. Since your body is only able to deal with small amounts of radiation at a time, your doctor will require that your treatments are spaced out.
Laser hair removal is very safe, and only minor side effects are common, like irritation and redness. If you have more discomfort following treatment than you expected, you can ask your doctor if he has a numbing cream that you can use for a few days. It’s also a good idea to stay out of the sun for a few days after treatment and to wear sunblock whenever you do go outside. Steer clear of self-tanning lotions, too.
You also may experience breakouts at the treatment site following laser hair removal, because the laser treatment opens the hair follicles, which can cause blemishes. An antibacterial lotion can be used to keep blemishes at bay.
Booking Laser Hair Removal
For a professional procedure look to Dr. Schoenfeld of Renu Artful Medicine – a certified plastic surgeon whom has been featured in many publications. Get in touch at 301.652.7368 or visiting the website to schedule a visit.
