How Exactly Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Aesthetics Daily – Unwanted hairs can irritate people. Therefore, someone will look for various ways so that unwanted hair is gone immediately. Commonly, people will remove hair with tools that are easily available in the market. For example, by shaving, waxing, plucking or using a depilatory cream.
Technological advances in medicine make hair removal can be done more effectively. One of the beneficial discoveries for humans is a laser which is used in various fields including medical world. Now, laser becomes one of medical device for removing unwanted hair.
Hair removal with a laser machine is a good option because it provides more optimal results. To undergo laser hair removal, you can visit the nearest aesthetic clinic or dermatologist in your city.
Why Choose Laser Hair Removal?
Compared to traditional hair removal methods, laser hair removal is safer because it has minimal side effects. Traditional hair removal methods such as waxing, tweezing or shaving can cause ingrown hairs that influence appearance. On the other hand, laser hair removal makes use of a laser beam that is able to penetrate the skin.
The laser beam targets the hair follicles and then damages them in order to inhibit hair growth. Being one of the most popular noninvasive treatments in the United States for removing unwanted hair, laser hair removal is performed by a trained dermatologist or practitioner.
Preparations Before Treatment
Before deciding to undergo laser hair removal, make sure you see an experienced dermatologist. Be wary of beauty salons or spas with non-medical staff that offer laser hair removal.
Schedule a consultation with your doctor to determine the appropriate treatment for your skin type. You will also get more complete information from the procedure to the benefits of laser hair removal. The doctor will also recommend the number of treatments that suit your needs.
Before and after treatment, you are advised to avoid sun exposure. If you do activity outdoors, apply SPF30 sunscreen. Also, avoid other hair removal methods such as waxing and electrolysis, which can irritate the hair follicles. It is recommended that you shave your hairs roughly and leave a small amount of them the day before treatment.
Procedure of Laser Hair Removal
After consulting with the doctor, the patient’s body where the hair wants to be removed will be cleaned. Furthermore, if the patient has sensitive skin, a gel can be applied to reduce irritation. Patients, doctors and everyone in the room are required to wear protective goggles to protect the eyes from exposure to laser light.
Parts of the body that hairs can be removed include the face, bikini area, arms, chin, legs, thighs, and back. The duration of treatment depends on the dimensions of the body parts. The larger the treated area, the longer the treatment process. Vice versa, a smaller area requires a shorter treatment time.
In contrast to intense pulsed light (IPL) which uses polychromatic light, laser hair removal emits monochromatic light so that it can focus more on a specific area. Although both can remove hair effectively, laser hair removal is capable of providing more permanent results than IPL.
How Laser Hair Removal Works?
After the body area is cleaned, the doctor will shoot a laser beam which is then absorbed by the pigments in the hair. The light energy that is converted to heat damages the hair follicles. Damaged hair follicles will prevent hair growth for a relatively long period of time. Laser drawn onto hair pigments makes them evaporate instantly. The hair that evaporates from the laser energy forms a puff of smoke and smells like sulfur.
Patients with dark hair and light skin are ideal candidates for laser hair removal because the pigments in the hair attract the laser light. In contrast, people who have dark skin need to be treated with a special type of laser.
How laser hair removal feels on one’s body parts? During treatment, the patient will not feel pain. Each patient feels differently depending on several factors such as skin sensitivity for example. They may feel a light pinching sensation. Some patients also feel a sensation like sunburn.
Most hair removal tools use one specific type of wavelength. The most common ones are 755nm, 808nm, and 1064nm. One laser machine that is popular in medical aesthetics is Alma laser hair removal device.
The Super Hair Removal (SHR) developed by Alma takes advantage of high-repetition pulses that are sent deep into the dermis. Not only that, the Alma engine is also equipped with a cooling system that prevents pain during the session.
How are the Results?
After treatment, your skin may experience redness. However it is a minor side effect that will go away within a few hours. To fix this, you can apply ice packs to the treated body parts.
Usually, laser hair removal requires 6 to 12 treatments at 1 month intervals. The number of treatments also depends on the dimensions of the body being treated. The results you get after laser hair removal, unwanted hair will be reduced and will not grow again for a long time.
The hair may still grow but it will appear lighter and sparse. You will also look cleaner and tidier because there is no hair covering your skin. If you are ready to choose laser hair removal, then you can consult with the doctor to get further advices and treatments.
