Excess hair is a problem that affects many people and for most of them, it can be a major cause of discomfort and even shame. After all, unwanted hair growth does affect one’s appearance. Now, excess hair growth can be controlled via methods such as shaving and tweezing.
However, shaving and tweezing are time-consuming processes; not to mention, messy as well. If you’re someone who has to deal with a busy schedule on a daily basis, shaving and tweezing may not be the ideal method. Plus, these methods produce extremely short-term results, which means you have to carry them out on a repeated basis.
Fortunately, there is good news – unwanted hair can be removed through a solution that is less tasking and offers results that last longer. It’s referred to as laser hair removal. Laser hair removal is an excellent option for anybody who simply doesn’t have the time or the patience for other conventional solutions.
Laser hair removal is a common procedure for hair removal in the US. In fact, over the years, its popularity has only grown. The procedure, in short, involves using laser beams to remove hair by directly targeting concentrated light into the hair follicles. The pigments present within these hair follicles absorbs the light, which destroys the hair.
The benefits of laser hair removal
As we have already mentioned, laser hair removal is an efficient and clean way to get rid of excess hair that might grow on one’s face, underarms, arms, legs, and groin area etc.
Other than that, it is also a precise method that only targets the excess hairs that have grown. You won’t have to worry about the surrounding areas getting affected or damaged. This is a blessing considering the fact that shaving or tweezing can often end up damaging or injuring the skin around the area that needs to be treated.
Laser hair removal is also a quick method of removing hair. While shaving and tweezing can take more than an hour, laser hair removal can be carried out in minutes. In fact, it takes a just a few seconds to remove multiple patches of hair growth. For instance, the entire upper lip can be made free of excess hair in less than 60 seconds.
If you need to remove excess hair on your back or legs, the whole process will not take you more than an hour.
The results also last longer. In fact, with enough number of sessions, the results can be made permanent. It has been observed that excess hair growth stops after about 7 seven sessions of laser hair removal.
Preparation
Laser removal is a quick and efficient procedure, but, it is still very much a procedure. So, it requires training and should be carried out only by a trained medical expert. It is not something to be taken lightly. Patients are advised to choose the right surgeon, technician, or doctor to do the job by checking and verifying their credentials.
Also, you will have to stop waxing, plucking and electrolysis before going in for the treatment. This must be done 6 weeks prior to the actual date of the procedure. This is necessary because the whole objective of laser hair removal is to target the roots, which are eliminated when you wax or pluck.
Sun exposure must also be avoided prior to the procedure. Again, this too must be done 6 weeks before the actual date of the procedure. Sun exposure can lead to complications and even reduce the effectiveness of the procedure.
What to expect during the procedure
Just before the procedure begins, the excess hair on your legs, face, or arms etc. will be trimmed down to a certain level. You’ll only have a few millimeters of hair left above the skin. Once that is done, the doctor or technician will calibrate the laser equipment according to location, thickness, and color of your hair. Even your skin color will be taken into consideration.
You may also be asked to wear eye protection. However, this depends on the exact light sources used by the technician/doctor. A cold gel will also be applied to your skin to offer protection. Sometimes, a specialized cooling device may be used instead. The cooling, additionally, helps the laser penetrate the skin with ease.
The technician/doctor will send out a test pulse over the treatment area and observe your skin’s reaction for a few minutes. This is done to determine if everything is okay such as the settings used or the condition of your skin. Sometimes, it is possible that the skin might end up reacting poorly to the laser light.
Once the test offers positive results, your technician/doctor will begin the actual procedure. This can vary in time based on the level of hair removal required. However, it is highly unlikely that you’ll undergo the procedure for over an hour.
Once the procedure is completed, you will be provided with ice packs, anti-inflammatory lotions or creams, and cold cream to reduce the discomfort that might arise from the procedure. The next session will be scheduled after 4 to 6 weeks. As stated earlier, it may take up to 7 sessions for you to stop the excess hair growth permanently.
Recovery
The first thing you’ll notice is that your skin looks and feels like it has been sunburnt. However, this won’t last longer than 48 hours. In fact, if your face has undergone laser hair removal, you can even actually make-up just a day after the procedure is completed
In about 4 weeks, your treated hair will begin to shed. When this happens, you are advised to wear sunscreen in order to inhibit discoloration of the skin, which is likely to occur at this stage. Darker skinned people might experience some mild blistering, but, it isn’t common.
There can be scarring, swelling or redness, which will subside eventually. If it doesn’t, get in touch with your doctor right away. The chance of permanent scarring is highly unlikely. Laser hair removal is popular because it is a highly successful procedure.