Are you tired of tweezing, waxing, and shaving your unwanted hair?
Traditional hair removal routines can be tedious, painful, expensive, and time consuming. Here at Dr. Monica Scheel Dermatology we can offer you another option: laser hair removal with the Cynosure Vectus® Laser- the world’s fastest laser treatment for laser hair removal! About Laser Hair Removal Unwanted hair is a common problem, for both men and women. Frequent hair removal tasks including shaving, depilatories, plucking, and waxing can be time-consuming, inconvenient and often painful. At best, these methods offer only temporary results – for some only a few hours. Free yourself from the constant need to shave and wax unwanted facial and body hair and feel your best. Laser technology has brought us a permanent solution to remove unwanted hair, leaving skin feeling smooth and healthy. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, laser hair removal is the 3rd most performed non-surgical cosmetic treatment in the US1. We can help you to get to the root of the problem with our state-of-the-art Vectus® Laser system. Laser hair removal gives you effective, permanent hair reduction anywhere on your body including the face, legs, back, underarms or bikini line. Treatments are quick and easy letting you get back to your everyday activities. How It Works To understand how laser hair removal works, it’s helpful to understand how your hair grows. Below is an overview and how a laser is uniquely able to permanently reduce unwanted hair. How Your Hair Grows Hair grows from deep within hair follicles, which are embedded in the skin. Hair does not grow continuously, but in a three-phase cycle. Anagen Phase: This phase is where the hair actively grows which typically lasts for several months and is the best phase for laser hair removal. Catagen Phase: During this brief phase, the hair bulb regresses and begins to shrink. Telogen Phase: The final phase is a resting phase which lasts a few months. During this phase, the hair is released from the follicle and once complete, the hair will restart at the Anagen or growth phase. While the rate at which hair grows differs by individual, the length of the hair growth cycle generally depends on the type of hair. For example, the active growth phase of the hair on your head may last several years, while hair on the body has an active growth phase that may last only a few months. How Laser Hair Removal Works During laser hair removal, a laser device emits light energy that travels through the skin and is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle and hair shaft. Pigments are the substances that give skin and hair its color. This energy damages the hair follicle, which impairs its ability to grow. Hair follicles that are in the anagen, or active growth phase, have more pigment and absorb more energy, and typically respond best to treatments. For this reason, it takes multiple treatments to achieve the best results – it’s important to “catch” your hair in this active growth phase when you are receiving treatments. Laser Hair Removal Procedure During the procedure, the provider will guide the device over the treatment area. The Vectus® Laser will emit gentle pulses of energy that are delivered into your skin and hair follicles. The hair follicles that absorb the energy from the laser will be damaged. Hairs that were present in the follicles at the time of treatment will fall out over the next couple of weeks and future hair growth will be impaired. Since not all hairs are actively growing at the same time, a single procedure will not treat all of the hair follicles in the area. As the follicles in the transitional and resting periods return to the active growth phase, you may notice some hair regrowth but not as thick as it was before the treatment. This regrowth will become thinner and lighter with each subsequent treatment until there is little, to no hair at all. What To Expect On The Day Of Treatment We suggest shaving prior to your consultation and minimizing sun exposure if you would like to get started the same day as your consultation. Typically, there is little to no down time after laser hair removal treatments and is so quick and easy patients can come on their lunch breaks. Before the laser is used, a gel is applied to your skin where you will receive treatment. The treatment will begin with the provider guiding the Vectus® Laser handpiece over the treatment area. You will feel cooling while the handpiece is gliding over the treatment area to provide a comfortable session. You may also feel a slight rubber-band like snapping when the energy is being delivered into your skin and hair follicles. The discomfort is over almost immediately, and treatments take just a few minutes depending on the size of the area. After the treatment, the gel will be removed and a cooling gel may be applied to your skin. Bandages and ointments are not necessary after laser hair removal due to the nature of the treatments being so minimally invasive. For a few days after your treatment, you may feel like you have a mild sunburn but can resume all your normal day to day activities immediately following treatment. If you are a laser hair removal patient, please be aware of the following: Shave the area being treated prior to your appointment. Discontinue all waxing, plucking, and tweezing on the areas receiving treatment 6 weeks before and during your sessions. Discontinue excessive UV exposure, tanning and tanning beds and tanning creams on the areas receiving treatment, 4 weeks prior to your appointment. Post Treatment Instructions For Laser Hair Removal Immediately after the treatment, there may be redness around the treatment site, which may last up to a couple days but usually subsides within the first few hours. It is normal for the treated area to feel like a mild sunburn for the first few days. Avoid sun exposure on the treated area and use a sunscreen SPF 45 or greater at all times throughout the course of treatment. Anywhere from 7-30 days after treatment, shedding of the hair may occur and this may appear as new hair growth. This is not all new hair growth, but mostly dead hair pushing its way out of the follicle.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What areas can laser hair removal treat? The Vectus® Laser can remove hair from many areas including the face, back, chest, arm, underarm, bikini, and legs. Am I a good candidate for laser hair removal? The Vectus® Laser can be safely used on all skin types from very light skin to very dark skin. It is best if the hair is black or brown, however, your provider will determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure based on a variety of factors. Can the laser get rid of all of my unwanted hair? Since our hair grows in different phases it’s not possible for any laser treatment to achieve 100% hair removal, but it is possible to significantly reduce the number of growing hairs by as much as 85%. Multiple treatments can be administered for maximum results. Is hair removal permanent? Hair removal is permanent. Hair follicles in the anagen phase, or growth phase, are targeted by the laser. After treatment, those follicles are permanently unable to produce new hairs, or can produce only very thin, tiny hairs that are virtually invisible. Can anyone have this treatment? Laser hair removal is effective on individuals with dark hair anywhere on their face or body. Individuals with very light or gray hair are not ideal candidates. Any skin color can be treated, as the laser is effective on light and dark skin types. Speak with one of our provider to discuss if you are a good candidate. What does the treatment feel like? Most people feel only a slight “snap” like a rubber band at the treatment site during the procedure. You will also feel cooling on your skin as the handpiece guides over the treatment area. How many treatments will I need? Since your hair grows in three stages, several treatments are needed to affect all of the unwanted hair. The number of treatments can vary between individuals, depending on the amount of hair, the area to be treated, skin color, hair color and hair coarseness. Typically 4 – 6 treatments are needed but this will depend on a number of factors. One of our providers can give you a more specific treatment plan during your consultation. How far apart are treatment sessions? It depends on which area is getting treated. In general, face, underarms, arms, and bikini are approximately 4-6 weeks apart. Back, chest, and legs are approximately 8-10 weeks apart. How much does the treatment cost? Treatment costs vary depending on the size of the area to be treated. How does the laser work? The laser emits powerful light energy that targets and heats hair follicles. After treatment, the follicles are permanently unable to produce new hairs, or can produce only very thin, tiny hairs that are virtually invisible. Can I shave in between laser hair removal sessions? Yes. In fact, the area needs to be freshly shaved before your treatment session. However, you should not wax or pluck the hair between treatment sessions. How quickly will I recover? You can resume regular daily activities immediately following treatment. Are there any side effects? Typically, most people experience a mild, sunburn-like sensation, possibly accompanied by some minor redness and/or swelling immediately following the treatment. This usually lasts 2-24 hours. We will discuss any other possible side effects and the necessary post-treatment care with you during the consultation.
