Lasers aren’t just for Star Wars!
They’re also used to remove unwanted hair from the body.
Although having excess body hair doesn’t pose any immediate danger, it can often make you feel self-conscious. If you like having smooth and silky skin, you should consider getting rid of your unwanted hair.
While waxing, shaving, or hair removal creams may do the trick, the procedures can be uncomfortable. What’s more, they only offer a temporary solution.
Luckily, laser hair removal offers a painless and long-term solution to your annoying hair. With recent studies showing that laser hair removal is projected to grow at a CAGR of 20.6% from 2021 to 2028, you can get the treatment at a dermatologist near you.
But before that here is a guide that’ll help you understand how does laser hair removal works.
What Is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal solution is a treatment that uses targeted laser light pulses to kill your hair follicles without damaging the skin. This treatment tends to delay hair growth for longer periods.
You can use it to remove hair from any body part including underarms, legs, bikini area, face, and more. A good candidate for laser hair removal is a person with darker hair since the laser beam can easily target the hair’s melatonin.
How to Prepare for Laser Hair Removal Procedure
Before you start an online search for “laser hair removal near me,” there are tips you should follow to get the most comfortable treatment and the best results. Here is how you can get ready for your laser treatment in the best way possible.
Avoid the Sun
For at least two weeks before the laser treatment, you should stay out of the sun. This includes self-tanners, fake tan, and sunbeds. Apart from causing skin discoloration, sunburn may cause a lot of pain and blistering during the treatment. If you can’t cover your treatment area, you should apply sunscreen before going outside.
Be Careful With Skin Products
Skin products that have ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and retinol can increase the photosensitivity of the skin. Since laser hair removal uses light to target your hair follicles, greater photosensitivity can increase the risk of burns on your skin. You can avoid using skin products with these ingredients for 2-3 days before treatment.
Avoid Waxing or Plucking
Laser hair treatment targets the roots of your hair. If you pluck or wax your hair, you can change the hair growth cycle and the laser won’t catch the hair follicles. But it’s advised to shave. It leaves the root in place and decreases the chances of burning your skin.
Avoid Bleaching Your Hair
Your hair pigment can be found in the roots and darker hair follicles are more visible to the laser. When you bleach your hair, you can make your hair more difficult to target.
Pick a Suitable Wardrobe
Since you may experience some irritation in the treatment area after your laser hair removal, you should choose loose and breathable clothing. It’ll help you avoid irritation.
Arrive Clean
During the day of the laser appointment, you should not use makeup, creams, and deodorant. These beauty products may affect negatively affect the results of your hair removal.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
If you’re looking for a gentle and non-invasive way of getting rid of unwanted hair, laser hair removal is your best bet. Below is a step-to-step procedure that shows how the treatment works.
Step 1: Consultation
During the consultation, your laser experts will listen to your needs and goals. They’ll ask you questions about your background, medical condition, and lifestyle to determine whether you are a suitable candidate for laser hair removal.
They may also perform a patch test— applying laser on a small part of the target area and monitor. It helps show the rate of your skin’s sensitivity and if you can undergo the treatment.
Step 2: Marking the Treatment Areas
Your doctor will mark the treatment area to ensure no parts are missed. They’ll also cover up your beauty marks, spots, and tattoos to prevent any negative effects.
Step 3: Taking Safety Precautions
Before your laser hair removal treatment, you will need to wear special goggles to prevent injury to your eyes. To protect the outer layers of your skin, the doctor may use a cold gel or a special cooling device.
This can makes the laser treatment more effective by enabling laser light penetration through the skin. If you have very sensitive skin, your laser experts may apply some numbing cream to make you feel comfortable.
Step 4: Laser Hair Removal Treatment
Using a low-energy laser beam that’s adjusted to your skin color and hair qualities, your doctor will start removing the unwanted hair. The laser beam will pass through your skin and the melanin found in the hair follicle will absorb it. The heat energy from the laser will then damage the follicle, stunting the cells that stimulate hair growth.
Step 5: Post Treatment
After the procedure, your doctor may give you cold water, ice packs, or anti-inflammatory creams to soothe the laser treatment areas.
How Many Laser Hair Removal Treatments Do You Need?
Your laser hair removal will be a success when administered during your hair’s active growth stage. Since each hair follicle has different active growth stages, you may need 6-10 treatments to achieve your desired results.
Ensure you schedule each laser treatment 4-6 weeks apart to target hair follicles during the hair cycle’s growth stage. If you have lighter-colored hair, you may require more treatments to get long-lasting hair removal.
How Long Does Laser Hair Removal Take?
Depending on the laser technology used, your hair removal treatment may be under 5 minutes. Most practitioners have larger laser spot sizes that can handle larger areas of skin. You can get the treatment with little to no downtime. What’s more, it isn’t painful.
Get Safe and Effective Laser Hair Removal Treatment
Looking to get rid of the unwanted hair? Wondering how does laser hair removal work?
Look no further Lush Laser & Aesthetics for all the answers to your question. We’ll provide you with state-of-the-art laser hair removal that’ll leave your skin smooth and silkier. Contact us to make an appointment.