Is laser hair removal for you? Laser treatment targets a certain wavelength of light into the hair, which leads the melanin in the hair to absorb the light, convert it into heat and eventually damage the follicle so no new hair grows.
However, laser hair removal may not work perfectly for everyone: Hair that is gray or very light blond may not respond well to it because there’s not enough melanin in the hair to react with the laser’s energy. Laser hair removal can be painful; many patients compare the sensation to being flicked with a rubber band many times.
If you are going to a clinic than choose carefully. Ask about the machine used, as the type of machine used will have strong influence on results; older machines did have quite a few disadvantages. Look for a highly experienced practitioner, a clinic that uses the latest technological machines and during your initial consultation ask lots of questions; if the practitioner is not able to answer them, or does not respond in a professional manner, look elsewhere.
Things not to do, prior to any laser treatment, at home or in-clinic:
1. Avoid waxing and plucking hair from areas you wish to have treated.
2. Avoid the sun for at least six weeks before AND AFTER any procedure. Avoid using products that might irritate your skin, such as peels.
3. Avoid taking anti-inflammatory drugs that may increase any risk of bleeding.
4. If you have a skin infection, rash, or cold sore do not have laser treatmrnt
.
5. Avoid undergoing laser hair removal if you are pregnant.
6. No tanning salons!
With professional, in-clinic treatments, you will likely see the results immediately after treatment. Results, however, do vary. The colour and thickness of your hair, the area treated, the type of laser used, and colour of your skin all affect the results. You should be able to expect a 10% to 25% reduction in hair straight away.
That said, most people need 2 to 6 laser treatments. After finishing the treatments, most of us do not see any hair on the treated skin for several months or possibly even years. When the hair does regrow, there tends to be less of it. The hairs also tend to be finer and lighter in colour.
There are home use systems available. If using home systems you need patience when using them; it does take around a month before you'll see results. It works well with dark hair yet not so well on darker skin. If you have lighter hair, it can still work, but you'll need to do more treatments. Home use systems take longer as they are less strong than in-clinic machines, for rather obvious reasons an upside is that they are not as hard on your skin. We love smooth and hair-free skin!
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