If you are tired of managing your body hair or nicked yourself several times while shaving and waxing and would rather remove it permanently, then laser hair removal is an option worth considering. Gone are the days for razors, tweezing, waxing, or shaving to remove unwanted hair since laser hair removal technique is around. And luckily, it’s a much more effective process than others. Laser hair removal is one of the most commonly done cosmetic procedures worldwide due to its long-lasting results.
What is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a medical procedure in which a beam of light or laser is concentrated into hair follicles to remove unwanted hair. During this process, a laser emits a light that is absorbed by Melanin, a type of pigment in the hair. The light energy is then converted into heat resulting in the damage of tube-shaped sacs within the hair follicles that produce hairs on the skin. This damage delays future hair growth. Multiple laser hair removal treatments are needed for initial hair removal, and maintenance treatments might be needed as well. Laser hair removal is most effective for people who have light skin and dark hair, but it can be successfully used on all skin types.
Why Laser Hair Removal is Done?
The simple answer is to reduce the unwanted growth of hair on the body. Common treatment locations include legs, armpits, upper lip, chin, and the bikini line. However, it’s possible to treat unwanted hair in nearly any area, except the eyelid or surrounding area. Skin with tattoos should not be treated either. If there is more contrast between skin and hair color like light skin and dark hair, then the best outcomes can be achieved.
The risk of skin damage is greater when there is little contrast between hair and skin color, but advances in laser technology have made laser hair removal an option for people who have darker skin. Laser hair removal is less effective for hair colors that don’t absorb light well such as gray, red, blond, and white. However, laser treatment options for light-colored hair continue to be developed.
Benefits of laser hair removal
The pros of laser hair removal are tenfold when compared to other hair removal methods. Some of the benefits include:
Preciseness: Laser can selectively target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged. You can remove hair according to your needs except for some parts like around the eyes.
Painless: It is less painful than other methods. Patient skins are treated with different gels before diving into the laser procedure. So, this process is less pain more gain.
Speed: Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs at the same time. The laser can treat an area approximately the size of a quarter every second. Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute, and large areas, such as the back or legs, may take up to an hour.
Predictable: Most patients have permanent hair loss for quite a long time after an average of three to seven sessions. The hair that grows back tends to come back thinner and much slower growing. So, you will likely never need to shave again with just an occasional maintenance treatment.
Preparation Before Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is more than just wiping out unwanted hair. You must perform few steps and fill requirements before performing laser hair. You should thoroughly check the credentials of the doctor or technician performing the procedure, choose a doctor who is board-certified in a specialty such as dermatology or cosmetic surgery and has experience with laser hair removal on your skin type. Be cautious about spas, salons, or other facilities that allow nonmedical personnel to do laser hair removal. Review your medical history, including medication use, history of skin disorders or scarring, past hair removal procedures, risks, benefits, cost, and expenses, etc. with your doctor. Take before and after photos for reviews.
Some specific instructions your doctor will offer to prepare for laser hair removal might include the following:
Avoiding the sun: You should also avoid sun exposure for six weeks before and after treatment. Sun exposure makes laser hair removal less effective and makes complications after treatment more likely. Whenever you go out, apply a broad-spectrum, SPF30 sunscreen.
Avoiding other hair removal methods: If you are planning on undergoing laser hair removal, you should limit plucking, waxing, and electrolysis for six weeks before treatment. That’s because the laser targets the hairs’ roots, which are temporarily removed by waxing or plucking.
Lightening your skin: Avoid any sunless skin creams that darken your skin. Your doctor might also prescribe a skin bleaching cream if you have a recent tan or darker skin.
Shaving treatment area: Trimming and shaving are recommended the day before laser treatment. It removes hair above the skin that can result in surface skin damage from burnt hairs, but it leaves the hair shaft intact below the surface.
During and After Laser Hair Removal
Just before the procedure, your hair that will be undergoing treatment will be trimmed to a few millimeters above the skin surface. Usually, topical numbing medicine is applied 20- 30 minutes before the laser procedure, to help with the sting of the laser pulses. The laser equipment will be adjusted according to the color, thickness, and location of your hair being treated as well as your skin color. For each treatment, you’ll wear special goggles to protect your eyes from the laser beam.
The doctor will press a hand-held laser instrument to your skin. Depending on the type of laser, a cooling device on the tip of the instrument or a cool gel might be used to protect your skin and lessen the risk of side effects. When the doctor activates the laser, the laser beam will pass through your skin to the hair follicles. The intense heat from the laser beam damages the hair follicles, which inhibits hair growth. You might feel discomfort, such as a warm pinprick, and you’ll likely feel a sensation of cold from the cooling device or gel. Treating a small area, such as the upper lip, might take only a few minutes. Treating a larger area, such as the back, might take more than an hour.
When the procedure is completed, you may be given ice packs, anti-inflammatory creams or lotions, or cold water to ease any discomfort. The interval between treatments will vary depending on the location. On areas where hair grows quickly, such as the upper lip, the treatment might be repeated in four to eight weeks. In areas of slow hair growth, such as the back, the treatment might be every 12 to 16 weeks.
Recovery and Risks
The treated region of your skin will feel like it’s sunburned for a day or two afterward. In that case, recommended moisturizers and gels may help. You can wear makeup the next day unless your skin is blistering. Your treated hair will fall out over the next month. You can wear sunscreen for the following month to help prevent temporary changes in the color of the treated skin. Blisters are rare but are more likely in people with darker complexions. Other potential side effects are swelling, redness, and scarring. Permanent scarring or changes in skin color are rare.
The repeated treatments are usually necessary because hair growth and loss naturally occur in a cycle, and laser treatment works best with hair follicles in the new-growth stage.
It’s normal to wonder if paying for a treatment like this is worth it when you can simply shave off the hair for almost nothing. But in the long run, laser hair treatments offer you genuine savings of both time and money. Is laser hair removal permanent? No, but 100% as efficient as permanent hair removal for every single treated hair forever. That said, the results are much longer-lasting than with other forms of hair removal, and it so drastically reduces hair growth that you’ll be able to throw away your razor and maintain smooth, hair-free skin with just a very occasional maintenance treatment. So, if you want to flaunt your dolphin-like body, then laser hair removal is only the best option available.