Laser Hair Removal Langley is an effective, noninvasive way to reduce unwanted hair growth. It’s a great alternative to time-consuming and sometimes painful methods like waxing, shaving and plucking.
However, you should only get it done by a trained professional. Unwanted side effects can include burns and blisters caused by using an incorrect laser setting for your skin tone.
Millions of people are tired of shaving, waxing and tweezing and want to get rid of unwanted hair. Laser hair removal is a safe, effective and permanent solution. The procedure targets individual hair follicles and destroys them, preventing them from growing new hair.
Before a laser hair removal session, your doctor or specialist will review your treatment goals and address any questions or concerns you may have. You will also be asked to fill out a medical history form to ensure you are safe for laser hair removal and have no conditions that could prevent optimal results.
Depending on the area being treated, your provider will apply a topical numbing cream to minimize any discomfort. After a few minutes, the technician will then place a cooling device on your skin to protect it from the heat of the laser light. During your treatment, you will wear protective goggles to shield your eyes from the laser light.
You will need to shave the area 24 hours before your appointment so the laser can see the pigment in the hair follicle. Do not pluck or wax the area, which can distort your skin tone and make it harder for the laser to target the follicle. It’s also a good idea to avoid sunless sun products that darken the skin, as they will interfere with your ability to achieve the desired results.
While some individuals experience mild discomfort during laser hair removal, the vast majority of patients report that it is tolerable. Most describe the feeling as a warm pinprick and say it’s less painful than waxing or tweezing. Some areas may feel like a sunburn or razor burn for several days after treatment, but over-the-counter hydrocortisone can help alleviate any discomfort you might be experiencing.
After your laser hair removal, you will need to keep the treated area clean and moisturized. The treatment can increase your skin’s photosensitivity, so it is important to avoid using lotions or other products that contain hydroxy acids, salicylic acid and retinol for 2-3 days before and after treatment. It’s also a good idea not to exercise, sweat or spend prolonged time in hot tubs or saunas, and to use broad-spectrum sunscreen on the treatment area when you are outdoors.
Procedure
Laser hair removal uses light energy to destroy the hair follicles responsible for new hair growth. It’s usually done over several treatment sessions. It’s a less painful option than traditional methods such as shaving, plucking and waxing. A doctor or licensed practitioner will use a laser hair removal device on your skin, with you wearing protective glasses or goggles. Before the procedure, the technician will trim your hair to about a millimeter above the skin’s surface and apply a topical numbing agent. They will adjust the laser settings based on your skin and hair color. They may also use a cooling device to protect your skin from the heat of the laser pulses. Many people compare laser hair removal to a warm pinprick and say it’s far less painful than other hair removal procedures.
During the actual treatment, your practitioner will hold the handpiece over your skin and give it a series of pulses of light. The light energy penetrates the skin to the hair follicle, where it is converted to heat and destroys it. The destroyed follicle can’t produce new hair, so the treatment will result in less overall hair and a smoother appearance. Some hair will regrow, but it will be lighter and sparser than before the laser treatment.
There are certain medical conditions that prevent laser hair removal, including pregnancy and other diseases associated with hormone imbalances. In addition, some medications, including birth control pills and antibiotics, can interfere with the effectiveness of laser treatments. Before deciding to undergo this procedure, you should discuss it with your doctor or another health care provider.
For the best results, you should avoid tanning beds and stay out of the sun before a laser hair removal session. A natural or artificial tan can make it more difficult for the laser to penetrate the skin and affect the hair follicle. You should also refrain from other hair removal techniques, such as shaving, tweezing and plucking, on the day of your treatment. If you must shave, you should do so only on the area that will be treated and leave a stubble no thicker than a grain of rice.
Discomfort
Laser hair removal can be painful, depending on the area of the body. It’s usually more uncomfortable to remove hair from the bikini line, as the skin here is thinner and more sensitive. However, newer laser devices have helped to lessen the pain by providing a more consistent snapping sensation on the skin. This is comparable to how waxing feels but isn’t nearly as painful. Using a topical numbing cream can reduce the discomfort even further.
Some people experience redness and irritation after laser treatment, which can be likened to mild sunburn. This is a temporary side effect and typically resolves itself within a few days. It’s important that the client doesn’t pick at or scratch the treated skin, as this can cause scarring.
Clients should also avoid plucking or waxing their hair for 6 weeks before their appointment because this will interfere with the effectiveness of the procedure. It’s also recommended that clients wear sunscreen on the treated areas to avoid sunburn, as laser treatments make the skin more sensitive.
During the actual laser treatment, it’s helpful to focus on a distraction, such as talking to your practitioner or reading a book. Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever can also help to diminish the pain, as well. The most common side effects from laser hair removal are swelling, irritated skin, and blistering. The redness and irritated skin can be treated by applying soothing lotions, staying out of the sun, and avoiding hot baths or saunas.
If there’s any severe swelling or blistering, it’s important that the person seeks medical attention immediately to avoid infection. Other possible side effects include discoloration of the skin, hypo- or hyper-pigmentation, scab formation, and scarring.
Overall, laser hair removal is much safer and more effective than other hair removal methods. If you’re looking to get rid of unwanted hair and want to feel more confident, give it a try! Just remember that it may take multiple sessions to achieve the results you’re looking for, and be sure to follow the advice above for best outcomes. For more information about laser hair removal, talk to one of the experts at The Vein Center at GBMC!
Results
Hair growth occurs in a cycle, and laser treatment targets the follicles in their active growth phase. After each treatment, the hairs will shed over a period of days to weeks and may appear to have continued hair growth. However, they have been shed from the follicle and will not regrow in that location. Hair reduction with laser treatments lasts for several months or even years, but maintenance sessions are necessary to ensure long-term results.
The number of laser hair removal treatment sessions needed varies from person to person. This depends on the color and thickness of the hair, the area of the body being treated, and the type of laser used. In general, people with lighter skin and darker hair respond better to laser treatment than those with pale skin and light hair.
Prior to the first treatment, a skin care specialist will evaluate the patient’s skin tone and texture to determine the safest and most effective settings for the laser. The skin is then shaved and cleansed. Protective goggles are then placed over the eyes. The laser’s spot size is then adjusted as needed to treat the area of the body being treated.
The laser delivers a beam of high-intensity, coherent, directional, and monochromatic light that interacts with tissue in four ways: transmission, reflection, scattering, and absorption [3]. In this case, the target chromophore for the hair-removal laser is melanin in the hair follicle.
The hair-removal laser emits a wavelength of light that is absorbed by melanin in the hair follicles, which destroys the follicles and prevents new hair growth. This can be done without harming the surrounding tissues, as the laser does not penetrate deep into the skin. A variety of lasers are approved for use in this application by the FDA, including ruby (694 nm), alexandrite (755 nm), diode (800-1,000 nm), and Q-switched and long-pulsed neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG; 1,064 nm) lasers. Laser hair-removal treatments are often recommended for people with excessive hair growth, also known as hirsutism. Unlike hair-removal methods like waxing, plucking, and cream depilatories, laser treatment for unwanted hair can be performed quickly and is relatively painless.