To find out if laser hair removal is the right procedure for your hair removal needs and your budget, check out the answers to these frequently asked questions about hair removal through laser procedures.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Laser hair removal works by damaging the follicles of unwanted hairs through a pulsating light beam or laser. When a laser targets a hair the energy of the laser, in the form of heat, passes through the hair and into the hair follicle – and the follicle becomes damaged.
Is Laser Hair Removal Painful?
This type of hair removal procedure does cause some discomfort which has been compared to the type of pain associated with waxing. A numbing cream can be used to ease the discomfort, but it should not be used unless necessary because the cream can cause side effects and should only be used on small areas of skin at a time.
What Are the Side Effects and Risks of Laser Hair Removal?
The most common types of side effects caused by the laser beam include itching, inflammation and redness on the portions of skin which were also exposed to the laser during the treatments; in some cases, scabbing on the skin occurs.
Risks for laser hair removal treatments include changes in skin pigmentation, blistering, scarring, burns, and infection. While these risks are rare, they can occur – especially if the laser was on an incorrect setting during the treatment.
Is Laser Hair Removal Right for Me?
Laser hair treatments work the best on people who have light skin and dark hair. People who have darker skin are at higher risks for pigmentation changes due to laser treatments; however, the Nd: Yag Laser, has been developed to remove dark hairs on dark skin with lower risks of pigmentation changes.
Laser hair treatments will not work on light colored hairs, red hairs or grey hairs. To remove these types of hair, electrolysis is an alternative type of hair removal treatment which will be more effective.
How Much Do Laser Hair Treatments Cost?
The price of hair removal treatments with a laser will vary widely according to how much hair is removed, the type of laser used and where the treatment center is located. Treatments for each session can range from around $150 dollars for very small areas to well over $500 dollars for large areas. Repeated treatments are necessary, so the entire costs should be estimated before a decision is made.
Is This Hair Removal Procedure Permanent?
Laser hair removal treatments generally take 6 – 8 sessions to result in complete hair removal. However, it is possible for hairs to eventually start growing back and hairs on some people will not respond to the treatments. While laser procedures are used to effectively remove hair in many people, at this time the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will only allow permanent hair removal claims for electrolysis procedures.
The information contained in this article should not be construed as medical advice, and those considering using any treatment for hair removal should talk to their medical professional before doing so.
