Lots of people have questions about laser hair removal. Here are some basics about the procedure.
Laser hair removal is one of the most effective ways to get rid of excess body hair that’s been discovered to date. Hair can be gorgeous unless you have too much of it in all the wrong places. This procedure became available to the public in the 1990’s.
Before that,
it was being tested and researched for a couple of decades. This treatment has become quite popular and routinely performed around the globe. Men and women are fans of this method of eradicating excess hairiness. Some of the areas that are routinely targeted include the underarms, bikini line, back, stomach, face, legs and uni-brow. Read on for some basics about the technique.
- How it’s done: Lasers are devices that damage the follicle or melanin, which is where hair growth originates. A wavelength of energy is aimed at the target but doesn’t cause damage in the surrounding tissue. The word is actually an acronym of Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Lasers target darker objects, such as melanin, which occur in the human body, to give human beings their unique coloring. There are different kinds that can be present and result in the unique complexions out there in the world. Certain lasers work better for various complexions and many are especially effective on brunette or black hair.
-How many sessions are required: Several treatments will be needed to create a nearly permanent result. An average is between six and eight sessions. This will depend on how much area is being removed, how coarse the texture of the strands are and more. Men’s beards, for example, are quite coarse and require numerous treatments.
-How long between treatments: The intervals will depend on the person and the area being targeted. An average time frame is between one to two months. The timing depends on how fast a person’s hair growth occurs, too. Not only will there need to be time for regrowth, but for falling out of the damaged strands.
-Risks: As with all medical treatments, laser removal does have some risks of complications. Changes within the pigment such as lightening or darkening can occur. Changes within the regrowth strands sometimes occur, such as curly locks becoming straight and vice versa. In some cases, scabs may form or redness and irritated patches of tissue, but this is usually temporary.
-Satisfaction rates: Most individuals are quite satisfied with the results, especially if they’ve been deeply troubled by the excess hairiness such as women who have hirsutism. Hirsutism is a malady caused by hormonal imbalance and other triggers that cause females to have unnaturally robust hair growth patterns.
Other perks: This treatment is commonly used for cosmetic reasons but it is also helpful for medical maladies such as ingrown hairs which are medically referred to as pseudofolliculitis barbae. This can occur when a man shaves. Another name for the problem is shaving bumps.
Laser hair removal is a highly satisfactory way to get rid of excess furriness. Is it for you? This would be a conversation best held with your plastic surgeon, dermatologist or other trained medical practitioner.
