Laser Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is a medical/cosmetic procedure that uses a beam of light (pulsed laser) to remove unwanted hair from the treated area, while leaving surrounding skin unharmed. During the treatment, laser energy is absorbed by the pigment (melanin) in the hair follicle. This energy is converted to heat by the melanin causing damage to the hair follicle leading to hair loss and thinning of the hair in the treated area. Common treatment areas include but are not limited to the chin, upper lip, chest, armpits, back, bikini line and legs. Although there are many temporary treatments, including shaving, using creams and waxing, to remove unwanted hair, patients seeking longer term and less irritating means of hair removal are frequently good candidates for laser hair removal.

Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is a medical/cosmetic procedure that uses a beam of light (pulsed laser) to remove unwanted hair from the treated area, while leaving surrounding skin unharmed. During the treatment, laser energy is absorbed by the pigment (melanin) in the hair follicle. This energy is converted to heat by the melanin causing damage to the hair follicle leading to hair loss and thinning of the hair in the treated area. Common treatment areas include but are not limited to the chin, upper lip, chest, armpits, back, bikini line and legs. Although there are many temporary treatments, including shaving, using creams and waxing, to remove unwanted hair, patients seeking longer term and less irritating means of hair removal are frequently good candidates for laser hair removal.

Candidates for Laser Hair Removal

Best candidates for laser hair removal are those with a lighter skin and darker hair in contrast to those who have light hair and dark skin. Although laser hair removal is not supposed to produce skin damage, risk of skin damage is higher when there is little contrast between hair and skin color. The reason lies beneath the fact that laser energy is absorbed by darker pigment therefore it is easier to produce damage in darker hair.

Benefits of Laser Hair Removal

There are many benefits to having unwanted hair removed through the use of laser therapy. They include the following:

Hair is precisely targeted
Procedure is quick and less irritating
Results are permanent (for most patients) or long-lasting

For many patients, laser hair removal is painless, although some experience minor discomfort, usually described as something like a rubber band’s snapping against the skin.

Laser Hair Removal Procedure

Like any other technology laser machines have evolved significantly during past decade. Older equipment did not have to option for as many adjustments as can be made to the settings of the laser as available today. Not too long ago there was a need for application of numbing medications or cooling devices to decrease the pain during the procedure. That no longer is the case, more advanced lasers are capable of making adjustment to surface area, and amount of energy and the frequency of laser pulses are introduced t the treatment area. Therefore laser can be used for maximal efficiency and minimal discomfort to produce the best results possible in the least amount of time or sessions needed for optimal results.
The procedure itself usually consist of introducing laser rays through a handheld that may or may not contact the skin. Newer devices have a cooling device incorporated to the laser so that it can provide instant cooling as the energy is introduced to the treatment area leading to significant improvement in the amount of discomfort felt by our patients.
Hair growth cycle is divided into four stages: Anagen or growth phase, Catagen or transition phase, Telogen or resting phase and Exogen or new hair phase. At any point in time any one of the hair can be at a different phase. Our understanding is that anagen phase can last about 2 to 7 years and determines the length of our hair and about 70% of hair is in this stage at any specific time. Hair follicles are most sensitive to laser while they are in anagen phase but because our hair follicles are in different stages at any given time, several laser treatments usually between 4 to 8 sessions are required on a monthly basis for maximum effect to assure that the hair is treated during the anagen cycle. Other factors that can affect number of treatments and the outcomes include texture of the hair, location of the hair, and hormonal status of the person receiving treatment.

Recovery from Laser Hair Removal

Depending on the amount of energy introduced to the tissue redness, soreness or swelling is not unusual immediately after hair removal, but they are almost always mild and disappear within a day or so. Administration of ice back to the area or taking Tylenol in more severe cases can minimize the discomfort.

Complications of Laser Hair Removal

More serious side effects of hair removal include scarring hyperpigmentation (dark spots) or hypopigmentation (light spots) of the treated area. These side effects tend to happen in darker skin and if the person undergoing the procedure has recently been exposed to the sun or becomes exposed to the sun after the treatment. Therefore avoidance of sun exposure is of prime importance.

Schedule a Consultation

If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of Laser Resurfacing, please contact us for a consultation at (415)644-8301.

Scroll to Top