Laser Hair Removal
Laser Hair Removal is a procedure that uses a laser for the removal of unwanted hair. It is a concentrated beam of light. During the procedure, the laser emits light. The melanin pigment present in the hair absorbs this light. The light energy converts to heat that damages the tube-shaped sacs. These tube-shaped arcs present within the skin (hair follicles) produce hair. The damage caused either delay or inhibits future hair growth. You may require multiple hair removal treatments for initial hair treatment and maintenance treatments as well. Although the treatment is successful on all skin types, it is most effective on people with dark hair and light skin.
How does the Treatment work?
The treatment involves high-heat laser beams in the form of mild radiation. The laser beams heat up and damage the hair follicles during the process. Hair follicles are present just underneath the skin and are responsible for producing new hair strands. Hair production temporarily disables upon the destruction of hair follicles. Shaving, tweezing, and waxing remove hair superficially and don’t target hair-producing follicles. Areas appropriate for laser hair removal are:
- Shoulders
- Face (except the eye area)
- Neck
- Back
- Chest
- Bikini line
Lasers work better on light skin tones with dark hair color because they target hair melanin (pigment). Although it doesn’t remove some hairs, it lightens their color to reduce their appearance on the skin. Following your first treatment session, some hairs might shed off. The process of laser hair removal treatment is quick. While smaller areas require a few minutes, the larger areas may require an hour or two for hair removal.
Advantages of Laser Hair Removal
Laser Hair Removal technique removes unwanted hair from the face, chin, back, underarms, arms, bikini line, legs, and other areas. Benefits of the procedure are:
- Speed- Each pulse of the laser treats many hairs while taking a fraction of a second to treat many hairs at the same time. Areas like the upper lip take a minute while legs or arms may take up to an hour.
- Precision- Laser target coarse and dark hair while they leave the surrounding skin undamaged.
- Predictability- Most of the patients can expect permanent hair loss after about five to seven sessions of laser hair removal treatment.
What should you expect?
Prior to the Laser Hair Removal procedure, your doctor might trim your hair above the skin surface to a few millimeters that will be undergoing treatment. He or she may apply the topical numbing medicine around 30 minutes before the procedure. The doctor will adjust the laser equipment according to the thickness, color, and location of your hair undergoing treatment and according to your skin color. He or she will ask you to wear eye protection and apply a cold gel that is necessary to protect the outer skin layers. It also helps the light to penetrate under the skin.
The technician or the doctor will give a pulse of the laser light to the treatment area to ensure the best settings and check for reactions if any. He or she will give you anti-inflammatory creams, ice-packs, or lotions to ease any discomfort upon completion of the procedure. There will be a gap of four to six weeks between two treatment sessions. The treatment sessions continue until the hair growth on your body stops.
Why is Laser Hair Removal done?
Laser Hair Removal treatment treats unwanted hair on common treatment locations like the upper lip, chin, armpits, bikini line, and the legs. Skin color and hair greatly influence the success rate of laser hair removal treatment. The basic principle is that the hair pigment should absorb the light, not the skin pigment. The laser light should only act on the hair follicle and not damage the skin. Hence, a contrast between skin and hair color results in high success rates.
When the contrast between the skin and the hair color is less, there is a high risk of damage to the skin. However, laser hair removal is now a treatment option for people with dark skin too, with the advances in technology. The treatment is less effective for hair colors absorbing low light that may be white, red, or gray. Ensure that you do not undergo treatment for the skin areas with tattoos. However, you can opt for laser hair removal treatment of any area of your body except the area surrounding the eyelids.
What are the results of Laser Hair Removal treatment?
Why is there a need for follow-ups?
Follow-up sessions are necessary to get the best outcomes for Laser Hair Removal. Every individual requires a varying number of laser hair removal maintenance treatments. Most people require 4 to 6 laser treatment maintenance sessions. Hence, the duration of the entire treatment may take about 9-10 months of time. With each treatment session passing out, you will notice a gradual reduction in the hair. Even though hair remains or regenerates in any area, it will have a lighter texture and color. There will be a great improvement in the reduction rate of hair.
You might require occasional maintenance sessions for the best results. These sessions ensure that the hair follicles won’t regenerate. You may require a maintenance session once or twice a year after the completion of your initial laser treatment, depending on the results of the treatment on your body. The time period for maintenance sessions is the same as the initial laser hair removal treatments. However, the duration may vary depending upon the area of treatment. Your maintenance session might be short if the areas for treatment are small.