The Truth About Laser Hair Removal

The removal of unwanted hair with lasers has rapidlyChest
gained popularity. However this form of treatment isPeriareolar
not for everyone and it is important that consumersUnderarms
become educated as to the different and competingBack
hair removal procedures available.Abdomen
Some procedures still in use are outdated, whilstBikini line
some are more suitable for certain hair and skinLegs
colors.Are laser hair removal results permanent?.
What are laser hair removal requirements?Hair removal techniques such as waxing, shaving, and
It is most important that the surrounding skin isplucking all have temporary results. Some newer
lighter than the hair. Also very dark skins absorblasers show positive evidence that laser hair removal
excessive laser energy which is not ideal.produces permanent hair reduction after each
Patients with light hair and tanned skin should nottreatment on an accumulative basis. However results
consider laser hair removal treatment.can be individually variable, even using the latest
However if you have dark hair and a tan, you mustlasers.
wait for the tan to fade before having treatment.Some Important Laser Hair Removal Considerations.
Note that you will require several treatmentsThere are no guarantees. Exact laser hair removal
depending on the body areas, and although relativelyresults for each individual patient are unpredictable,
cheaper that electrolysis, laser hair removal costsparticularly with regard to the number of treatment
could exceed $1000.sessions required.
How much will laser hair removal cost?It is highly recommended that you choose quality
This depends on the size of the area being treated.over price when selecting a laser hair removal clinic.
Top treatment centers average around $500 aThis procedure is an exact science, and the best
session, and generally four treatment sessions areresults come from the centers with the most
prescribed.experience.
Whole back or leg areas will cost a lot more, whilstProperly performed laser hair removal is effective in
small upper lip areas could be cheaper. You wouldthe vast majority of cases. It is usually only those
need to have an individual assessment by the laserwith blonde or red hair that do not respond well.
center for more exact costing.Laser hair removal is not compatible with tanning as it
What is the effect of skin color on laser hairwill reduce it's effectiveness and increase the number
removal?of sessions required.
Light skin:Some light or dark skin pigment changes may occur
Easier to performand persist for months, but these are usually
Fewer treatmentstemporary and very rare in untanned patients with
Better and faster resultsfair skin.
Darker skin:Rarely blisters and burns my occur, especially in dark
Slower resultsskinned patients.
More sessionsAs beta carotene darkens the skin, it's consumption
Greater expertise requiredshould be avoided for several months prior to
Individualized treatment requiredtreatment.
What is the effect of hair color on laser hairAfrican-Americans and those with dark skins can take
removal?heart that new lasers and techniques available at
Dark hair:specialized laser hair removal centers can now
Absorbs more laser energyprovide effective laser hair removal for most
Easier to treatpatients, no matter what their skin type.
Coarse dark hair gives best responseLatest Advancements In Laser Hair Removal
Light hair:Lasers for hair removal from tanned and black skin
More difficult to treathave continued to advance with new long
Blonde or red hair is very difficult to treatwavelength multi-pulse lasers.
Multiple treatment sessions are requiredSpecialized laser clinics can offer at up to three
Results are variabledifferent laser hair removal technologies for optimal
How many treatments are required for laser hairtreatment of different skin and hair types:multi-pulse
removal?alexandritesingle-pulse alexandritemulti-pulse Nd-Yag
A single laser session could result in long-term hairlasers
removal, however multiple treatment sessions areSkin cooling techniques should be used before, during
usually required for best results. This is mostly due toand after the laser pulse as the best way to keep
the fact that hair grows in cycles and individualdiscomfort at a minimum during the laser hair removal
strands are not all in a growth phase at the samesession.
time which is when laser hair removal is mostAll laser hair removal settings must be determined for
effective.each individual patient's hair and skin color, as well as
What body areas can be treated with laser hairfor the location and coarseness of the hair to be
removal?treated and the patient's reactions.
Anywhere except next to the eye. The mostIt could be dangerous to use topical anesthetic
requested areas are:creams or solutions excessively. Better to avoid them
The facecompletely if possible, particularly whilst the proper
Upper liplaser settings are being initially determined.
Neck