Frequently Asked Questions About Laser Hair Removal

It is a growingly popular treatment and many women prefer it over wax and threading which are painful. If you are going for your first laser hair removal treatment you should have some questions in mind. Following article answers the questions.

What happens during laser hair removal?

Before the treatment, the area to be treated will be cleansed. Some patients receive a numbing gel. Numbing the area to be treated helps when a small area will be treated and the skin is very sensitive. It takes about 30 to 60 minutes for a numbing gel to work.

The laser treatment will take place in a room set up specifically for laser treatments. Everyone in the room must wear protective eyewear during the procedure. To perform the procedure, the skin is held taut and the skin is treated with the laser. Many patients say that the laser pulses feel like warm pinpricks or a rubber band being snapped against the skin. 

A laser removes hair by vaporizing it. This causes small plumes of smoke that have a sulfur-like smell.

How long your treatment lasts depends on the size of the area being treated. Treating the upper lip takes minutes. If you are having a large area like the back or legs treated, your treatment may last more than an hour.

What must I do after getting laser hair removal?

To avoid possible side effects, all patients need to protect their skin from the sun. After laser hair removal, you should: 

• Avoid direct sunlight from hitting your treated skin.
• Not use a tanning bed, sun lamp, or any other indoor tanning equipment.
• Follow your dermatologist’s after-care instructions.

You will see some redness and swelling after treatment. This often looks like a mild sunburn. Applying a cool compress can help reduce your discomfort. 

Is there downtime?

No, laser hair removal generally does not require any real downtime. Immediately after having laser hair removal, your treated skin will be red and swollen. Despite this, most people return to their everyday activities. 

When will I see the results after having laser hair removal?

You will likely see the results immediately after treatment. The results vary from patient to patient. The color and thickness of your hair, area treated, type of laser used, and color of your skin all affect the results. You can expect a 10% to 25% reduction in hair after the first treatment. 

To remove the hair, most patients need 2 to 6 laser treatments. After finishing the treatments, most patients do not see any hair on the treated skin for several months or even years. When the hair regrows, there tends to be less of it. The hairs also tend to be finer and lighter in color. 

How long will the results of laser hair removal last?

Most patients remain hair free for months or even years. When some of the hair regrows, it will likely be less noticeable. To keep the area free of hair, a patient may need maintenance laser treatments. 

What are the possible side effects?

The most common side effects are minor and last 1 to 3 days. These side effects include: 

• Discomfort
• Swelling
• Redness

Other possible side effects are rare when laser hair removal is performed by a dermatologist or under the dermatologist’s direct supervision. Other possible side effects include:

• Blistering
• Herpes simplex (cold sores) outbreaks
• Infections
• Scarring
• Skin lightening or darkening

In time, skin color tends to return to normal. Some changes to skin color, however, are permanent. This is why seeing a medical doctor who is skilled in laser treatments and has in-depth knowledge of the skin is so important. 

It is also important to follow your dermatologist’s instructions. Following both the before-treatment instructions and after-treatment instructions will greatly reduce your risk of side effects. 

When is it safe to have another laser treatment for hair removal?

This varies from patient to patient. Removing hair often requires a series of laser treatments. Most patients can have laser hair removal once every 4 to 6 weeks. Your dermatologist will tell you when it is safe to have another treatment. 

Most patients see some hair regrowth. Your dermatologist can tell you when you can safely have laser treatments to maintain the results. 

What is the safety record for laser hair removal?

Lasers play an important role in treating many conditions that affect the skin, hair, and nails. In recent years, many advances have been made in laser medicine. Dermatologists have led the way in making these advances. 

One such advance is that more people can safely have laser hair removal. In the past, only people with dark hair and light skin could safely have laser hair removal. Today, laser hair removal is a treatment option for patients who have light-colored hair and light skin and patients who have dark skin. Laser hair removal must be performed very carefully in these patients. Dermatologists know what precautions to take to provide laser hair removal safely and effectively. 

Laser Hair Removal- Everything you need to know

Talking about hair removal there are plenty of options namely shaving, electrolysis, waxing. Shaving is the easiest and quickest option makes hair grow fast as compared to other options. As shaving removes off the hair on the skin making it grow again in no time. If you want to get your hair plucked a bit deeper, you might go for sugaring or waxing hair at the root. Being a painful process It does not let the hair grow for weeks, but does feel itchy when it grows back again. Another long-lasting option is electrolysis. It uses a super-fine needle that gets inserted into each follicle which is killed by electric current. It is a time taking process and more painful. In the end, this all brings laser hair removal a better option for semi-air removal that damages follicles and minimizes hair growth. And that brings us to laser hair removal, a popular semi-permanent hair removal option that damages the hair follicle to minimize hair growth. ·You can get it done on any part of your body as a machine can cover large parts fast. When it comes to pain, laser hair removal falls in between no pain and slightly painful treatment. Laser Hair Removal is an aesthetic process that removes unwanted hair from the body and face without burning the skin or leaving the skin red after shaving or waxing. It is safe in use for most parts of the body including legs arms, armpits, bikini area, chest, back and even facial areas. It is an expensive process with a number of follow-ups, pre-care and aftercare, to get benefited to the most. Before getting any treatment, make sure laser hair removal is the right choice for you. In this process laser targets on breaking down the melanin, a pigment that gives hair its colour in its filicide, making the hair fall out, thus working on best to remove coarse dark hair. Women having hormonal issues won’t get much benefited from this treatment as their hormonal level is already disturbed. moreover, a proper consultation session is required with your dermatologist about any medicines you are taking or any treatment you are undergoing already. Preparing for Laser Hair Removal Before you undergo any treatment, a consultation session with your certified practitioner is a must. They will inquire you about your medical history present medication. You will undergo a patch test as well to make sure you can undergo the process or not, what kind of treatment you need for your hair and the number of sessions you will require to get your desired results. Avoid tanning before undergoing the treatment as it may damage your skin already and if you show up for a treatment with tanned skin it might be lead to burn or blisters. So it is for follow-ups and exposure to the sun after the treatment. Try not to go any extensive steps for hair removal before the treatment for about 6 months. And if necessary use some technique or method that pulls out hair above the skin not from the root. For if pulled out by roots, there won’t be any hair left to be targeted by the laser. The technician numbs the surface using ice before the treatment and progressively the pain gets less after some sessions. Lasers work on selective areas leaving other parts of the skin undamaged. It takes fractions of seconds and treats multiple hairs at the same time. It can lead to permanent hair loss for most of the clients after two or three sessions depending upon the nature of hair. Laser hair removal is a scientific process that requires a certified practitioner to carry out the process. So before undergoing any treatment make sure that the clinic or the doctor is skillful and reputable enough to perform this task. Moreover, your friends about their experiences can lead you to better options. Side Effects The laser may have temporary side effects immediately after the procedure including skin irritation, pigmentation changes, scarring, blisters and change to skin texture. However, it takes a number of multiple sessions to acquire the desired results, and generally, you have to wait for a week or so before the next session. It is a more expensive treatment than you can undergo waxing sessions or threading processes comparatively but far less painful and results are long-lasting.