Everyone has unwanted hair that they wish they could just get rid of. You spend hours shaving your legs, arms or bikini line, just for it to start growing back days later.
If you are looking for a better way to remove unwanted hair for longer, laser hair removal is the answer. But what is laser hair removal and how does it work? We will provide the answers to those questions.
The first thing to remember is that everyone suffers from excess hair growth, so there is no need to feel embarrassed. We treat patients with laser hair removal on most places of the body and face. We work with you to develop a tailored treatment package that will work for your hair and skin colour, so you can achieve permanent hair reduction.
So, if you are ready to ditch other hair removal methods such as razors and waxing, read on to find out why laser hair removal is a great choice for you.
Laser hair removal treatments – an overview
What is laser hair removal treatment?
Laser hair removal is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures for men and women that uses intense pulsed light (IPL) to remove unwanted hair or excess hair growth. It uses a light source which heats hair follicles at the root to destroy them. This helps to disrupt future hair growth in that area.
The most popular areas for laser hair removal treatment include:
- The bikini area
- Legs
- Back
- Arms
- Abdomen
- Upper lips
How laser hair removal works
Laser hair removal involves sending beams of highly concentrated light energy into the hair follicles. This travels down the hair shaft to target the root of the hair follicle. As a result, it destroys the targeted hair follicle, which prevents further hair growth from that hair follicle.
Even though the old hair follicles have been destroyed by the laser treatment, you can still develop new hair follicles in that area. However, this hair growth will be much finer, softer and less dense than before.
Did you know that each of your hair follicles can have a different hair growth cycle? One hair can be at the first stage in the cycle, whereas another hair can be in the final stage. This is why one treatment of laser hair removal is not enough to achieve permanent hair reduction.
How many sessions of laser hair removal you will need will depend on several factors. This includes whether you are treating the face or body, how coarse or fine your hair is and your hair colour.
Your laser practitioner will assess your skin and hair colour at your consultation and discuss how many treatments you will need to achieve the result you want. On average, our patients require a course of 6-9 treatments to see a reduction in hair growth.
Depending on your hair growth cycle, you may need to come back into the clinic to have maintenance laser treatments every 6-12 months. This ensures that you maintain the results of your laser hair removal and keep your silky smooth skin.
Who is not suitable for laser hair removal treatments?
Most laser hair removal treatments are most effective on people who have light skin and dark hair. It is less effective on anyone with blonde, grey or red hair as there is not as much pigment in the hair that the laser can target, This is why darker hair types see the best results.
If you have tanned skin or your hair has been bleached by the sun, laser hair removal will not work on you. If you want to move forward with laser treatment, you will need to let the tan fully fade first.
Not every clinic that performs laser hair removal can treat all skin types including darker skin. If you use the wrong type of laser treatment, it can cause skin lightening on dark skin.
At Skin Perfection, we use Cynosure’s ND WAG wavelength. This laser targets the pigment in your hair follicle and not your skin. This means it will cause no harm to your surrounding skin tissue. It also means we can treat all skin types.
Is laser hair removal safe?
When performed by an expert in laser treatments, laser hair removal is perfectly safe. At Skin Perfection, you will have your treatment with a trained professional who has years of experience in providing hair removal treatment.
There can be a few side effects with laser hair removal. Some patients may experience some redness and sensitivity in the treatment area. This is completely normal and will go away after a day or two. As part of your aftercare advice, we may provide you with an aloe vera gel to help soothe your skin during this time.
Before you have laser hair removal at our London clinic, you will need to have a patch test. This will help us make sure that you are suitable for laser treatment and that it will work for your hair colour and hair type.
Does laser hair removal hurt?
Most patients say they feel quite comfortable during their laser hair removal treatment. However, there can be some mild discomfort, but it is much less than you might imagine.
Many people compare the feeling to the sensation of an elastic band snapping on the skin. This goes away when the laser leaves your skin.
You may also feel a slight heat sensation, however, we do use a skin-cooling device, which blows cold air over your skin. This helps to make your laser treatments more comfortable.
Ready to enjoy smooth, hair-free skin every day without the hassle of shaving or waxing? – Laser Hair Removal Newsletter
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If you would like to talk to a member of our team in person, you can contact our London clinic to book an appointment.
