Am I a
candidate for laser hair removal?
Laser hair removal is not for everyone. The absolute requirement is that
one's hair must be darker than the surrounding skin. Additionally very
darkly pigmented people absorb too much laser energy in their skin and are
not ideal candidates. Tanned patients with light hair are not candidates.
Tanned patients with dark hair should wait until their tan fades before they
are treated.
What is the
Influence of skin color on laser hair removal?
Light skin makes laser hair removal easier to perform. Fewer treatments are
required, and better, faster results are obtained. People with darker skin
can be treated, but results are slower, more sessions are required, and
greater expertise is required on the part of the laser center. Laser hair
removal must be individualized for each patient.
What is the Influence of hair color on laser hair removal?
Dark hair absorbs more laser energy and is easier to treat. Coarse dark hair
responds the best to laser treatment. Light hair is more difficult to treat.
Blonde or red hair is very difficult to treat. Multiple treatment sessions
are required, and results are variable. Blonde or red hair usually contains
pheomelanin, which absorbs laser energy less avidly than the eumelanin
pigment which is present in black or brown hair.
Does Laser hair removal requires multiple treatments?
Although one laser session can produce long-term hair removal, as a rule
multiple treatment sessions are necessary to obtain optimal results. In
large part this is due to the fact that laser hair removal is most effective
for hair which is in the anagen phase. Anagen is the growth phase of hair.
Since hair grows in cycles, not all of the hairs are in anagen at any given
time. Additional sessions are necessary to catch all of the hairs when they
are in anagen.
What areas can be treated?
Any area, except adjacent to the eye, where there is excess hair. The most
common areas requested are the face, upper lip, neck, chest, periareolar,
underarms, back, abdomen, bikini line, and legs.
How does laser hair removal work?
Lasers have been used for many years for a variety of medical cosmetic procedures including treatment of facial and leg veins, age spots and smoothing fine lines on the face. The laser energy is transformed into heat, which can disable the follicle leaving the surrounding skin unchanged.
Why is laser preferred for hair removal?
Traditional hair removal techniques, such as shaving, plucking and waxing, provide only temporary relief. Until now, the only long-lasting hair removal solution has been by electrolysis - which can be time-consuming and is usually limited to small areas, because each hair is treated individually. Laser hair removal is non-invasive, and safely removes unwanted body hair without damaging the delicate pores and structures of the skin. Facial and bikini areas are usually completed in under 45 minutes; legs and larger areas can take longer.
What does the treatment include?
Depending on the amount of hair and area treated, the procedure varies from patient to patient.
A small hand piece will be used to deliver the laser light. Most experience little discomfort at the treatment site. The sensation and the degree of discomfort varies with each person. In some cases, topical anesthesia is an option.
Depending on the size or number of areas treated, the time will vary in length from minutes to hours. Patients can return to work or resume their normal activities immediately following treatment. The area may become slightly red and may last from a few minutes to several days depending on the area and skin sensitivity.
