Whether you shave, wax, or even thread to remove excess hair, it is a repetitive process that can be frustrating at the best of times. Of all of the hair removal methods, only laser hair removal is a permanent solution to getting rid of body hair.
Here Is What You Should Know About The Process:
1. Laser hair removal works by sending a laser light through the follicles of unwanted hair. The light converts to heat, damaging the follicle and hair bulb, ensuring that hair can never grow there again.
2. You can have the procedure done on any part of the body. It is commonly done on the face, armpits, legs, and the bikini area, but can also be done on the back, stomach, and anywhere that hair grows unwanted.
3. The process itself is not as painful as it might sound. As long as you can keep yourself cool during the procedure and you have not raised your body heat before the procedure, the process really is only mildly discomforting. The procedure becomes less uncomfortable the more sessions that you have as well, so you can anticipate that.
4. To achieve the full results from laser hair removal, you will need to return for several visits. Your goals cannot be achieved in one visit, but the amount of visits that you need will depend greatly on the area that is being treated, the type of hair that you have, and how many hairs are being addressed. Your hair follicles will also be in various stages of growth when you come in so it will take several tries to catch them all.
5. The procedure is pretty quick. It only takes around 20 minutes per treatment, so it can easily be done on a lunch break.
6. You will need to shave the area before your appointment. If you have any hair on your skin before a treatment, the hair will be subjected to the heat of the laser and might result in a burnt hair smell.
7. You will not be able to exercise for the first 24 hours following a treatment. You do not want to give bacteria a home on your skin.
8. You will need to stay out of the sun as much as possible following a laser hair treatment. If you already have a tan, you will need to wait until your tan fades before you have the treatment done as well. Your skin is going to be more sensitive to the sun and heat during laser hair treatments and you want to keep it as safe as possible.
9. Your daily home skin treatments might need an adjustment as well. If you are using scrubs, retinol, or glycolic acid, you will need to check with the doctor to see if you need to stop using any of them before a laser hair treatment. You should avoid chemical peels and fake tanning sprays as well. Your skin will need to be as healthy as possible before you begin the process.
10. Laser hair removal can be done on anyone, regardless of your skin tone, skin type, or hair color. In fact, the treatment works better on darker hair, because the laser is attracted to the melanin in the hair. It is normally faster to remove darker hair for this reason.
11. The process is incredibly precise, treated only the hairs that you would like to have treated, leaving the skin unharmed in the process. You might still need to go back for touch-ups in the future, especially if you experience a hormonal fluctuation that causes hair to increase.
12.You will need to remember that hair trends do come and go, so be fully committed to the hair that you want to have removed, since it will not be growing back. This is especially true for bikini lines. Just keep that in mind when making your decision.
If you are wondering whether laser hair removal is the right choice for you, you will need to call our office and schedule a consultation with Dr. Crippen. He will be able to evaluate the area that you would like to have treated and determine what would need to be done to achieve your desired results.