Laser Hair Removal

In ancient days, hairy legs and armpits were just a fact of life. Today, unwanted hair is clogging up shower drains, sticking to waxing strips and dulling razors around the world. Both men and women are anxiously looking for hair removal solutions. Here are some interesting facts:

• In the US, 85% of women regularly spend time removing unwanted hair daily?
• Women who shave, will spend over $10,000 on shaving products during their lifetime.
• Women spend 2 entire months of their lives shaving!
• Women who wax 1-2 times per month, end up spending about $23,000 on waxing products in their lifetime.

Luckily, in this day and age, we have options for hair removal other than shaving, waxing, threading and even electrolysis. The problem with older options is that the results do not last and some of them are quite painful. Laser hair removal is on the rise, however, likely due to the effectiveness found in modern laser technology.

We are often asked if laser hair removal actually works. Each laser works lightly differently, however the basic process is the same. The laser targets the pigment in the hair follicle, either through intense pulsed light (IPL) or by diode. The heat and energy combined are absorbed into the follicle, damaging the areas that produce the actual hair. With repeated treatments over the growth cycle of the hair, the follicle becomes unable to produce the hair from that follicle. After each treatment, the hair stems from that follicle will lose its course texture and speed of growth will be significantly diminished after each treatment.

So, is laser hair removal painful? Depending on the laser used and the settings of the laser, laser hair removal can be painful. This is one reason why choosing a certified laser hair technician and clinic is vitally important. Not only can the laser technician impact your result, they can also be responsible for the wavelengths that affect your pain threshold.

Seeing results after laser hair removal is highly dependent upon genetics, where the hair is in the growth cycle and the part of the body being treated. Typically we advise clients to have multiple treatments per area for optimal results. Hair grows in a cycle and at any given time can be in one of 3 phases. Laser hair removal only targets hair in the growth stage and any number of hairs may be in this or a different stage. Because of this, multiple treatments are necessary to target all hairs.

The ideal candidate for laser hair removal is someone with light skin and dark, course hair. These candidates respond faster to the laser technology. This is not to say that someone with darker pigment will not benefit from the laser, the results may just take longer to achieve. Choosing a clinic with the appropriate laser for your skin type is vital for optimal outcomes.

Call us today to find out if laser hair removal would work for your hair concerns.