Laser Hair Removal at Anova Skin & Hair Clinic
Laser hair removal is a procedure that uses a monochromatic laser, or a concentrated beam of light, to get rid of hair in different areas of the body. If you’re not happy with shaving, tweezing, or waxing to remove unwanted hair, laser hair removal may be an option worth considering. It beams highly concentrated light into hair follicles. Pigment in the follicles absorb the light. This destroys the hair.
Benefits of laser hair removal include:
Precision: Lasers can selectively target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged. Speed. Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs at the same time. The laser can treat an area approximately the size of a quarter every second. Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute, and large areas, such as the back or legs, may take up to an hour. Predictability. Most patients have permanent hair loss after an average of five to seven sessions.
How to Prepare for Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is more than just ”zapping” unwanted hair. It is a medical procedure that requires training to perform and carries potential risks. If you are planning to undergo laser hair removal, you should limit plucking, waxing for 6 weeks before treatment. That’s because the laser targets the hairs’ roots, which are temporarily removed by waxing or plucking. You can however shave the day before the procedure too. You should also avoid sun exposure for 6 weeks before and after treatment. Sun exposure makes laser hair removal less effective and makes complications after treatment more likely. Avoid taking any blood-thinning medications before the procedure. Talk to your doctor about which medications to stop if you’re on any anti-inflammatories or regularly take aspirin.
If you have darker skin, your doctor may prescribe skin bleaching cream. Don’t use any sunless creams to darken your skin. It’s important that your skin is as light as possible for the procedure.
What to Expect During Laser Hair Removal
During the procedure, the pigment in your hair root will be targeted by specific laser light and permanently destroyed over sessions.
Before laser hair removal
Just before the procedure, the hair that will be undergoing treatment will be trimmed to a few millimeters above the skin surface. Usually, the nurse/doctor will apply a topical numbing medicine 20-30 minutes before the procedure to help with the sting of the laser pulses. They’ll also adjust the laser equipment according to the color, thickness, and location of your hair being treated, as well as your skin color.
Depending on the laser or light source used, you and the nurse/doctor will need to wear appropriate eye protection. They’ll also apply a cold gel or use a special cooling device to protect the outer layers of your skin and help the laser light get into it.
Is laser hair removal painful?
Temporary discomfort is possible, with some redness and swelling after the procedure. People compare laser hair removal to a warm pinprick and say it’s less painful than other hair removal methods like waxing or threading.
Laser hair removal aftercare
The treated area will look and feel sunburned for 1-2 days. Cool compresses and moisturizers may help. If your face was treated, you can wear makeup the next day unless your skin is blistered. Avoid direct sunlight, tanning beds, sun lamps, or any kind of indoor tanning equipment.