Do you have unwanted hairs on your body and want to get them removed?
Unwanted hair does not look nice and it makes you feel awkward in social interactions. So, you want to get them removed to give a nice look and be confident in social gatherings.
Most people want to find ways to camouflage or remove unwanted hair. Are you the one who is also looking for laser treatment for hair loss?
Let me tell you the most common ways to get the unwanted hair removal treatment that includes; threading, plucking, bleaching, and shaving. Some people also use creams while others use an epilator – a device that pulls the hairs out.
The most advanced ways, however, are Laser Therapy and Electrolysis. However, here in this blog, I will cover laser hair treatment, how it works and its benefits.
Table of Contents
Laser Hair Removal – The Complete Procedure
In laser hair removal, all the excessive body hairs are removed from the body to give you a nice look. It is a complete procedure for hair removal.
Before you go for Laser hair removal treatment Let’s discuss the things in detail;
- What is Laser hair therapy?
- How does laser treatment work?
- Does Laser treatment remove hair permanently?
- How many Laser treatment Sessions Do I Need?
- What can be the risks of Laser Treatment?
What is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a procedure to remove unwanted body hair. People want to get their hair removed from the side face, underarms, back or bikini line. The laser hair treatment does not remove your hair permanently but laser hair removal lasts longer than the other common procedures.
A normal person may need 5-6 sessions to get the hair removed. This method is safe to use, however, you may face skin burns and itching at the sensitive points.
Laser hair removal is a non-invasive procedure that does not require any cuts in your body. This treatment can be applied at any part of your body, but the most common areas are;
- Face
- Arms
- Legs
- Back
- Underarms
- Bikini area
How Does Laser Treatment Work?
Laser hair treatment uses a beam of light to target pigmented hair – uses single specific light colour. The hair removal treatment uses a wavelength of approx. 700 μm direct laser light precisely to each melanin-containing hair follicle.
But to remove hair permanently and to minimise damage to the surrounding tissue, the laser needs to be targeted to specific cells. The laser hair removal treatment focuses on follicle stem cells – sits in part of hair known as the hair follicle.
The skin surface also contains melanin, avoid damaging it. Also, take care when you shave for hair removal.
Does Laser Treatment Remove Hair Permanently?
Laser hair treatment removes some of the hairs permanently and reduces the density of long, thick hair.
After taking a laser hair removal session, some hairs will regrow after a single course of therapy and it will be removed only with the ongoing laser treatment.
Permanent hair removal means that no hair will appear again in the treated area and it won’t need any session again. But this is not the case! For permanent hair removal, it almost needs 6-7 sessions to get rid of the unwanted hair.
Either the hair will be removed permanently or just reduced in density depends on:
- The colour and the thickness of the hair being treated
- Skin colour
- The type and quality of the laser treatment
- The qualification and expertise of the laser therapist
Laser hair treatment is not effective for grey hairs – having no melanin pigmentation. The available laser hair treatment doesn’t work effectively on grey hairs.
How Many Laser Treatment Sessions Do I Need?
So, you want to know how many laser treatment sessions do you need? There is no answer for this. Removing the hairs permanently depends on the Fitzpatrick skin type. The Fitzpatrick scale defines your skin type based on hair colour, sun sensitivity and the probability to get tanned.
Pale or white skin burns easily while tan skin rarely does. People with dark hair usually get permanent laser hair removal treatment in 5-6 sessions, every 4-6 weeks. People with fair hair will generally get permanent hair treatment after 6-12 sessions after every month.
Get a laser hair treatment from a professional to get the maximum results. Light brown skin burns easily sometimes and people with fair skin will get permanent hair reduction and it will take three to six repeat treatments after one-month duration.
Moderate brown to dark brown skin rarely burns. It tans well or gets moderate brown. However, people who have dark skin usually achieve permanent hair reduction with 6-10 treatments after every month.
Re-treatment sessions must be taken when the new hair growth reaches the level of the bulge. Otherwise, it won’t work efficiently.
What Side Effects or Complications Should I be aware of?
Laser treatment works by using a beam of light to remove the unwanted hair, this procedure can cause temporary side effects on the area. These side effects can occur in any part of your body.
It may Cause Irritation and Redness:
When you go for laser hair treatment, the device uses a beam of light that may cause temporary irritation and the person may notice slight redness in the treated area. However, after a few hours, the person will observe no such effects on the body. These side effects are normally caused by the heat applied via laser.
Apply ice or soothing gel to reduce the effects that have been caused by swelling or pain.
You May Notice Pigmentation Changes:
You will observe a slight change in the pigmentation at the area where laser treatment will be applied. You will observe darker or lighter skin areas on the treated side. If you have a fair skin tone, you will observe darker spots in the treated area. However, a person with a dark skin tone will observe lighter spots in the treated area. With time, these changes will disappear and your skin will automatically convert into the original tone.
Occurrence Of Severe Side Effects Is Very Rare!
Laser hair removal treatment rarely causes severe side effects such as blisters, crusting or infection. Usually, this side occurs when you visit a local clinic or consult an inexperienced professional.
Therefore, make sure to get the laser hair removal treatment from an experienced skincare professional at Meridian Spa to avail safe results.
Does the Type of Laser Matter?
Yes, it does! The type of laser not only influence how well it works; it also produces fewer side effects. Different types of laser hair removal treatments include;
- Long-pulse ruby lasers
- Long-pulse alexandrite lasers
- Long pulse diode lasers
- Long-pulse Nd: YAG lasers
IPL devices (Intense Pulse Light) are flash lamps that emit multiple wavebands of light simultaneously. They work in the same way as the lasers do though are less effective. They are much less likely to remove the hairs permanently.
Make sure to get the laser treatment that matches your skin type and produces less damage to the melanin-producing cells.
People with fair skin and having dark hair colour can use an IPL device, a diode laser or an alexandrite laser to get effective results. However, people with dark skin can use diode laser or Nd: YAG laser treatment to get the permanent hair removal treatment. Moreover, the diode laser is also effective for people with blond or red hair.
Short laser pulses are effective to use in controlling the spread of heat and unwanted tissue damage. You can also adjust the heat. Make sure to make it high enough to damage the bulge cells but not that high to cause blisters or burns.
Take Precautionary Measures When You Go for Laser Hair Treatment
- Make sure to wear goggles at the moment when you are getting the laser treatment.
- Avoid sun radiations for some duration when you get laser hair removal treatment.
- Apply some ice or soothing gel to the treated area to lessen the after-effects.
Most people observe pain during treatment. This usually happens in the first few treatments as it cannot remove all the hair follicles inside. Some of the hairs inside don’t get removed but the heat cause pain and irritation. The pain gets low when you repeatedly take the sessions. The redness or itching may last for up to 24 hours.
Who are the good candidates for laser hair removal?
The laser hair removal treatment is suitable for almost everyone but it does not give the same results for everyone. The initial laser technologies were effective for fair to light skin with dark, coarse hairs. This means that the dark, coarse hair would be able to absorb a good amount of light – necessary for hair follicle destruction.
On the other side, the dark skin would absorb more amount of light and it will cause hyperpigmentation. So, it is very important to go for a treatment that offers you safe treatment with the best results. choose a dermatologist that will apply the laser treatment that suits your skin tone. A professional dermatologist would first observe your skin tone and suggest the type of treatment that would produce the best results.
How Can Laser Treatment Be Made More Comfortable and Effective?
The laser treatment can be made more effective and comfortable by applying a few things that are mentioned below;
- Avoid direct sun exposure
- Do not consume photosensitive antibiotics as it may cause burning of skin when exposed to laser
- Do not use alcohol at least a day before the scheduled appointment
- Use a numbing careen 30 minutes before the treatment. It will reduce the discomfort that may be caused during or after the procedure.
Remember, laser hair removal is a comfortable procedure and it won’t cause any pain. There will be a slight stinging sensation that is bearable. However, applying ice, numbing Careem or soothing gel would make it more comfortable even for people with sensitive skin.
How To Care for Post-Laser Treatment?
- Avoid sun tanning for a few weeks.
- Wear sunscreen daily. Re-apply every 3-4 hours.
- At least for a day, avoid going to the gym, hot water bath, or taking a sauna bath.
What are the Benefits of Laser Hair Removal?
The best advantage of laser hair removal is that it gives you smooth skin without razor burns or painful ingrown hair.
It does not damage your skin colour and does not provide any harm to the skin type. However, when you do wax, shaving or threading that may cause cuts or skin irritation. However, laser hair removal works effectively and safely and the treated person return to his/her normal routine immediately.
Laser hair removal treatment is effective for any part of your body. It works perfectly for the face, nose, full arms, legs, underarms and bikini lines.
The treatment removes hair perfectly as it is accurately directed to the hair follicles.
One course of laser treatments stays for a longer duration and the person may need maintenance sessions only once or twice a year. So, it saves a lot of the time that you would need for daily wax or shave.
This method requires you to pay once not like other methods that require regular expenditure – saving money in the long run.
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