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- by Vitalogy Skincare in
- Cosmetic Dermatology
Savanna Godinez, LA
As young adults, most of us become obsessed with our body hair and how to get rid of it. We start out shaving, try out depilatory creams, and move up to waxing. Staying well-groomed becomes a greater priority during the warmer months when we naturally wear less clothing.
In our quest, we’ve cut ourselves and created new scars, we have tortured our skin with waxing treatments, and sometimes dealt with reactions to depilatory creams – not to mention the nauseating smell. With all the money we have spent on shaving creams, more than a few new fad shavers, expensive waxing appointments, and just the endless time we spend on it through the years, the investment in laser hair reduction becomes a very attractive money-saving proposition.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Each individual hair in our body sits in a hair follicle within our skin, and each hair follicle grows hair through a “food supply.” This food supply gives all the nutrients the hair needs to grow and thrive. Each laser treatment will help destroy the food supply resulting in thinning and reduced hair growth. The pigment in your hair absorbs light from the laser and converts it to heat. This heat is enough to damage the target hair follicle while the surrounding tissue is left untouched. The goal of the laser procedure is to damage the hair follicle beyond repair so that it will stop regenerating/creating new hair.
Now, laser will only work on hair in the growth phase or anagen phase. This is the only time that the hair actually connects to the hair follicle. At any one time, hair in your body is going through different phases. For that reason, when you go in for your first laser hair removal treatment, only about 20% of your hair will be affected. Depending on your goals, the best results are achieved with 6 – 12 treatments scheduled a few weeks apart to help entirely reduce the hair. In about a week, you can expect the hairs to casually fall out of the follicle.
Can I Get Laser Hair Removal Anywhere on My Body?
Great question – if the area has hair, we can definitely treat it. Some examples of areas we treat on a day-to-day basis are upper lip, chin, legs, Brazilians, toes, and more.
If you are concerned with laser treatments being painful. We’ve great news, laser technology has come a long way and is much more tolerable than it was years ago. Most people compare it to feeling a rubber band snap against your skin. Of course, everyone’s pain level differs, and some areas are more sensitive than others. For your comfort, we can numb the site to be treated. After your treatment, you can expect some redness that will usually dissipate within a few hours.
One of the benefits of laser hair removal is that each treatment doesn’t take up much time. Of course, it depends on the area you are treated. For example, larger areas, such as the legs and back, can take up to an hour, while smaller areas, such as the upper lip and chin, can take as little as fifteen minutes. Making is feasible to squeeze into your busy schedule.
How Do I Prepare for My Laser Hair Removal Treatment?
Our before and after care recommendations to our patients include the following.
Before Your Laser Hair Removal Appointment
- Discontinue photosensitive medications or topicals 3-5 days before the appointment to avoid burns.
- No sun exposure seven days prior to your appointment.
- Shave the area to be treated 24 hours before the appointment. This is very important to the success of your treatment.
- Do not wax, tweeze, or use other hair removal methods weeks before your treatment.
After Your Appointment
- No sun exposure for seven days after your treatment. If you are going to be outside, make sure to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher).
- No swimming in pools, spas, lake, or ocean for seven days.
- I always recommend exfoliating the treated area using an exfoliation glove three days after your appointment to avoid ingrown hairs.
- During the series of laser treatments, it’s best NOT use any other hair removal methods such as waxing or tweezing. It is ONLY okay to shave in between appointments until you complete your treatments.
Does Laser Hair Reduction Work for Everyone?
It is very effective for almost all hair types. With our latest, most up-to-date laser equipment, we can customize settings for each session. We can give you a successful treatment no matter the density or type of hair. However, if the hair has no color (grey or white), our machines will not detect it even if we adjust the settings.
Make sure your laser treatments are performed by skilled, knowledgeable, and licensed professionals. At Vitalogy Skincare, we care about your safety, as well as providing you with the best results.
Book an appointment online to see us at any of our eight Central Texas locations, where we will be happy to answer all your questions on how laser hair removal works and what it can do for you.
Savanna Godinez is one of Vitalogy Skincare’s Licensed Aestheticians practicing at our Harker Heights location. Her passion for giving her patients the best cosmetic dermatology care leads Ms. Godinez to stay current with the latest developments in skin care and continually learn new things.
