“I can’t tell you what a relief it is not to shave or wax my underarms, legs or bikini line and have my skin look smooth and sleek. Dr. Grodberg’s laser has saved me from constant irritation, ingrown hairs and unsightly stubble. I also like the fact that a physician does the treatment.”—LS, Haworth
“Laser hair removal is a godsend for individuals with dark unwanted hair anywhere on their face or body. Essentially, it utilizes laser energy targeted to the hair follicle, using thermal damage to remove hair and inhibit hair growth. " —Dr. Michele Grodberg
IF YOU’RE CONSIDERING LASER HAIR REMOVAL, HERE ARE DR. GRODBERG’S ANSWERS TO A FEW FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
HOW DOES THE LASER WORK?
“The laser beam targets the pigment located in hair follicles that gives hair its color. It emits light energy just long enough to be absorbed by the pigmented hair, thus destroying or significantly impeding the hair and the hair’s ability to regrow, but not long enough to effect the surrounding skin.”
IS HAIR REMOVAL PERMANENT?
“Theoretically, damage to the hair follicle can remove unwanted hair permanently, but because of the nature of hair and the many factors that influence its growth, the results are variable. The effect of repeated treatments is cumulative, however, with many people experiencing long-term hair removal after several treatments.”
IS IT SAFE?
“As with any medical treatment, use of the laser for hair removal can have some side effects. These tend to be minor and manageable in clinical use. Extensive study and experimentation has gone into defining the laser parameters used today so that the risk of scarring and most other complications following treatment are minimized.”
IS IT PAINFUL?
“No treatment to remove unwanted hair is completely painless. Patients who have undergone repeated waxing or hours of electrolysis have certainly experienced the pain that these methods have caused. The laser I’ve chosen is fast—which reduces treatment time, and requires a minimum of repeat treatments—and cools the skin’s surface during the treatment. This helps reduce discomfort while protecting the skin surface from thermal injury during delivery of the pulse of the laser light. If large or sensitive areas with unwanted hair are to be treated, a topical anesthetic cream may be applied to the site to further reduce discomfort.”
WHAT WILL THE TREATED AREA LOOK LIKE AFTER THE PROCEDURE?
“Immediately after treatment, the site will be somewhat swollen, feel like a mild sunburn and appear slightly red. This reaction usually subsides over a few hours, and the treated sites usually return to their normal appearance over the next several days. The hair may then take 1 to 3 weeks to shed. You can continue shaving during this time. The amount of discomfort after the procedure is normally minimal and should not limit most normal physical activities.”
ARE THERE ANY COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TREATMENT?
“There is the potential for hyperpigmentation (darkening) and hypopigmentation (lightening) of the treated skin, but these changes are usually transient. If you have a history of Herpes Simplex (cold sores) in the area being treated, you may have a flare-up of this condition, however the risk of this complication can be greatly reduced if you take antiviral medication prior to the procedure.”
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR LASER HAIR REMOVAL?
“The most important thing is not to get tan prior to laser hair removal. You must avoid the sun for six weeks prior to the procedure and for at least four weeks after the laser treatment. You should shave the day prior (although shaving is not necessary on short hair such as the upper lip) but avoid waxing, depilatories or electrolysis for six weeks before the treatment.”
WHAT POST LASER CARE IS NECESSARY?
“Avoid the sun for one month after the laser treatment. This makes the fall and winter months ideal times to consider laser hair removal treatments.”
MGMD® Maintenance and Care Regimen
Dr. Grodberg emphasizes post-procedure care and develops and reviews with each patient a customized post-procedure protocol.
Dr. Grodberg brings her extensive experience and deep physicians’s knowledge to follow-up care and has designed standard guidelines as a starting point for most common procedures. See our Pre & Post Laser Hair Removal Guidelines form to get a general idea of her suggestions.
See below for Dr. Grodberg’s recommendations of products commonly used by patients who get Laser Hair Removal. Click on any product to find out more. Our popular Skin Rejuvenation Package or Alastin Procedure Enhancement Kit both contain many of our most recommended products at a significant savings.
