Laser hair removal is an effective way to reduce or remove unwanted body hair. The minimally invasive cosmetic procedure can remove hair from the back, shoulders, arms, chest, bikini area, legs, neck, upper lip, and chin.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
The procedure uses concentrated light to target hair follicles, which are small cavities in the skin that produce hair. The melanin in the hair attracts and absorbs the laser and the hair is instantly vaporized.
Darker hair is more effective in attracting the laser, making people with dark hair and light skin ideal candidates for laser hair removal. Clients with blonde, gray, or white hair are more difficult to treat because the laser doesn’t focus well on nonpigmented hair.
Risks And Side Effects To Look Out For
The procedure is relatively safe and clients have nothing to worry about. Common yet mild and temporary side effects of laser hair removal include swelling, redness, discomfort, and skin irritation. These side effects typically resolve within a few days after treatment. Less common side effects include burns, blisters, infections, scars, and permanent changes in skin color.
It’s important to choose a trained medical professional to perform laser skin removal to minimize the risk of serious side effects or complications.
What Do Clients Need To Do Before Treatment?
Before clients go in for treatment, the clinic’s staff will provide them with detailed instructions for getting ready for treatment. A few common recommendations include:
- Avoid exposure to direct sunlight. Laser hair removal is discouraged for tanned skin (since it makes treatment less effective).
- Avoid irritating the skin with harsh chemicals.
- Don’t wax or pluck the skin.
- Avoid anti-inflammatory medications that increase the risk of bleeding, such as aspirin.
Clients with an active infection, such as a cold sore or bacterial skin infection should wait until they’ve fully recovered before undergoing treatment.
What Happens After Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is a breeze and most clients go back to life as usual after treatment. All that’s necessary is to wear sunscreen (before and after the procedure) to prevent irritation.
Immediately after the procedure, clients can expect to see fewer hairs in the treatment area. Two to eight weeks after laser hair removal, clients may experience increased hair growth in the treated area, since not all hair follicles are typically destroyed by the laser after one treatment. Clients typically need three to eight treatment sessions to see permanent hair loss. However, after the first treatment clients may see a 10 to 25 percent reduction in hair.
A consultation with the medical professional before treatment could help clients set reasonable expectations for treatment results. Some clients may need annual touch-up sessions to maintain results.
Cost of Laser Hair Removal
The cost of treatment will depend on the clinic’s geographic location, the specialist’s experience, the size of the treatment area, and the number of sessions necessary to achieve the desired results.
We encourage clients to schedule a consultation with one of our skin care specialists to learn more about treatment and cost.
