No matter which technique you choose for hair removal, it remains an unpleasant and often expensive chore. These methods last a few days or weeks before hair starts to regrow. With laser hair removal, you can see years of stubble-free skin.
What is Laser Hair Removal?
You can have laser hair removal nearly anywhere that you grow hair, including the face and bikini area. This treatment destroys hair follicles and prevents them from producing new hairs. A series of treatments will stop hair growth, and any hairs that do return will look finer and softer. You will no longer have to tolerate stubble or ingrown hairs.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Laser hair removal works by destroying the root of hair follicles, the structures in your skin that grow hair. The laser used targets pigments found in the base of these structures. The laser energy is absorbed by the pigment, heats the root, damages the follicle and stops hair growth. After treatment, the injured follicles never grow hair again if they are adequately damaged. Since pigment is concentrated in the hair root, not the skin, laser hair removal does not cause harm to the skin if the correct laser and settings are used for the patient’s skin type, hair type and strict sun avoidance is adhered to before and after the treatments.
How Many Laser Hair Removal Sessions Will I Need?
Many factors affect the number of treatments you need. Hair grows differently in various areas, so some may require more sessions than others. Your hair also goes through cycles of resting and growth. The laser can only treat follicles in their active phase. Repeated treatments will continue to treat them as they become active until all have been injured and destroyed. In some areas such as the chin in women that are under hormonal control, you may need maintenance treatments to remain hair free. In other areas like the bikini, you may need five to six treatments and never need to shave again.
What Results Will I See After Laser Hair Removal?
After a few treatments, you may start to notice less hair regrowth. After your series of sessions, you can expect long-lasting results. Results can be permanent, but some people may need maintenance treatment occasionally. Hairs on women’s faces will regrow in response to hormones, so this area often needs repeated treatment. Hair in other regions may never grow back at all. Because of growth cycle differences for example, the shins take more treatments than the bikini or underarm to see improvement.
Is There Downtime With Laser Hair Removal?
You will have no downtime after laser hair removal. Most people return to their routine immediately, although you will have some redness and sensitivity for a day or two. To protect your skin, you should avoid sun exposure before and after your session. Plan to avoid tanning while having laser hair removal treatments. For facial hair removal, makeup can be applied after the procedure.
Am I a Good Candidate for Laser Hair Removal?
If you are ready to stop removing hair with shaving, waxing, or threading, laser hair removal can help. Ideal candidates for laser hair removal have a strong contrast between skin tone and hair color. This treatment will not work well for those with light blond, red, gray, or white hair. These shades do not have enough pigments for the laser to work.
Our Diode 810 nanometer laser for hair removal works best on skin types 1-4. This includes caucasian skin types, light Asian, Hispanic and Middle Eastern skin tones. Type 5-6 darker skin tones are better and more safely treated with the 1064 Nd-Yag laser for hair removal which we do not currently have at our office.
Take the Next Step
If you have further questions about laser hair removal, we encourage you to schedule a consultation at Krauss Dermatology. Call us at (781) 416-3500 or fill out our online contact form. We look forward to taking care of you.