Unfortunately for the majority of us, body hair is most definitely not ‘on trend’ and nor is it likely to be. There is a certain expectation for women to remain hairless on certain areas of their body, and whilst the same isn’t necessarily true for all men, an increasing number are seeking hair removal solutions for themselves. The downside is that with most hair removal solutions, the unwanted hair always grows back – sometimes much more quickly than we would like. Staying on top of unwanted hair removal can be a time-consuming and expensive process. Plucking, shaving, waxing and hair removal creams all require patience and they don’t always deliver the results that we are looking for.
Fortunately, there is another option – laser hair removal.
What is laser hair removal?
Laser hair removal is a fairly new and innovative process whereby body hair can be removed – once and for all! This cosmetic procedure uses a very powerful laser that targets melanin – the pigment that gives your hair its color. Throughout your treatment, the laser focuses a highly concentrated beam of light directly onto the hair follicle in short pulses. Over time, the follicles will become damaged and hair growth then stops.
What areas of the body can laser hair removal be performed on?
Laser hair removal can be used on virtually any part of the body including the face, legs, arms, underarms and bikini line.
How many sessions of laser hair removal will I require?
Exactly how many sessions of laser hair removal you will depend on your individual circumstances and your provider may be able to give you an indication at the time of your consultation. Nevertheless, between six and twelve sessions is usual and these are usually spaced apart to accommodate hair growth cycles.
Am I a good candidate for laser hair removal?
Before going ahead with any cosmetic procedure, it is essential to make sure that you are a good candidate, otherwise you could be disappointed with the results.
The optimal patients for laser hair removal have light skin with darker body hair. This is because black and brown pigment absorbs the most light and heat and is more easily destroyed. Also, the laser focuses in on the darker pigments in your hair. This means if you have fair skin and fair hair, or dark skin and dark hair, the laser may struggle to differentiate between skin and hair, and you could suffer from damage to the surrounding area or experience poor results.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that there are no options for hair removal for darker skin. There are some types of laser designed specifically for dark-skinned patients.
The type of body hair you have will also have an effect on your suitability for laser hair removal. This is because the lasers work best on dark, coarse hair., Those patients with very fine ‘peach fuzz’ type hair, or those with very thin hair, may be untreatable. As such, your body hair will also be assessed before you can be given approval to go ahead with the procedure.
Finally, a good candidate for laser hair removal understands that the process is long and can be painful. While everyone has different pain thresholds, many people do experience some degree of discomfort during their sessions. Some liken this to a burning or stinging sensation while others compare it to getting a tattoo. You may be able to tolerate the process fairly well, but if you have a low pain threshold, laser hair removal might not be for you.
If you would like more information about laser hair removal, or if you would like to schedule a consultation to see if you are a suitable candidate for this popular cosmetic procedure, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our offices.
