Laser hair removal treatments are as quick and simple as having a haircut, and when you compare the results with waxing or shaving, it’s easy to understand why they’re so popular.
How does it work?
When laser energy is fired into the skin, it’s automatically attracted to the darkest object in your skin, which in most cases is your hair. Once the light hits the hair follicle, it travels down the hair shaft, where the energy is absorbed. This traumatizes the hair and causes it to fall out while stunting its growth for a considerable time.
Keep in mind that only hairs in the active growing stage (anagen) can be treated. This is why in most people, new hairs seem to grow through at about the six-week point. These are not the same hairs that have been treated. The other two stages of hair growth are the transitional stage (catagen) and the resting phase (telogen). These stages are in a continuous cycle. This is why laser hair removal needs a course of many treatments.
Initial Consultation
A laser treatment specialist will perform an examination of your skin in the treatment area to make sure you are a suitable candidate. Some darker skin types may only be suitable for certain wavelengths of light, meaning different lasers should be used. If you have darker skin or have been tanning, this is taken into consideration when creating a treatment plan.
Initial Treatment
The treatment area needs to have the hair removed from it. Hair should only be removed by use of a razor or clippers. Some form of topical anaesthetic cream may also be used first to numb the area a little to make the procedure more comfortable. The darker your skin and the thicker your hair, the more painful the treatment tends to be.
Treatment can range from five minutes to more than two hours, depending on the size of the area and the density of the hair coverage. Once the area is treated, it’s common for it to become red and irritated for a number of hours. You can use soothing creams and gels for this. For the next week or so, you will find hair still growing but this is only the dead hair falling out of the follicle and it should actually pull out quite easily with your fingers within a few days.
Remain hair-free for about six weeks, though this can vary slightly among people. Don’t wax any hairs that sprout through; just remove them with a razor as pulling the hairs out by the root will make your course of treatments longer.
Top-up Treatment
Top-ups may be required once every few months to keep you totally hair-free. Cost varies substantially among clinics. Smaller areas, such as underarms or bikini line, can cost from $59 to $100 while larger areas, such as legs, from $200 to $500.
Before undergoing this treatment, seek professional help from one of the most trusted laser clinics.