Laser Hair Removal For Beginners

Shaving is time consuming and it grows back within days and waxing is messy and painful, so many women are looking towards laser hair removal as a way to get rid of unwanted hair. Laser hair removal is one of the ways that you can get silky smooth and hairless skin permanently. The most common areas of the body for laser hair removal are bikini line hair, female facial hair and back hair for men.

However, many people are still a bit confused about laser hair removal and how it works. There are many myths about the process and some people are hesitant to try laser hair removal because they are not sure about what is involved.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about laser hair removal and their answers:

How does it Work?

Laser hair removal employs a long pulse of laser light in order to remove hair from the body. The laser device is placed on the skin and the hair in the follicle absorbs the concentrated light energy from the laser. The laser works by targeting the melanin pigment (dark colour) in the hair. This causes it to heat up, which gently disables the hair in the follicle and stops it from growing back again.

Why are Several Treatments Needed?

One treatment of laser hair removal will not be enough, because hair grows in cycles and to be effective you need to treat the hairs in the ‘active’ stage with a laser. The different hairs on your body will enter their growth cycle at different times so that you will need at least 6-8 treatments to completely disable all the hairs in a specific area. At any particular time, approximately 85% of the hair in a certain area will be in a growth phase.

What are the common areas on the body for laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal is commonly used to remove unwanted hair on many parts of the body including the underarm, legs, abdomen, pubic area, upper lip, chin, buttocks, back, thighs, chest, neck, face, toes and arms.

Be hair free next summer

How should I prepare for a laser hair removal treatment?

There are a few things that you should do before your laser hair removal treatment to prepare your skin. You need to shave the hair from the area being treated before your laser hair removal treatment. Shaving the hair makes the treatment less painful and allows the laser energy to travel down to the root of the hair faster.

Before laser hair removal treatment you should also avoid sun beds and tanning. Also, if you are on certain medications such as Retin A and Roaccutane these can negatively affect your treatment so make sure that you finish taking these medicines at least 8 weeks before your laser hair removal treatment.

Is it painful?

This is a common question asked by people before undergoing laser hair removal. The sensation of laser hair removal treatment has been compared to being snapped with a rubber band and many patients have described it as less painful than waxing. Many professional lasers will have a cooling system which will help to reduce the temperature of the skin during the treatment to reduce pain. There is also the topical anaesthetic cream which can be used to numb the skin before treatment.

What should I expect after treatment?

After you have your treatment, some redness and slight swelling might occur in the area. This usually goes away within a few hours. If the swelling continues you should contact a doctor. Also, make sure that you wear SPF 30 sunscreen whenever you are outdoors after your treatment.

These are just a few of the questions that many people ask about laser hair removal before they decide whether or not this treatment is the best choice for their permanent hair removal needs.

Laser treatment is one of the most popular methods of home permanent hair removal and these are some of the common questions which are asked about the treatment.