What Is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a procedure that uses a 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.
How to Prepare for Laser Hair Removal
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-inflammatory 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 will absorb a light beam from a laser. The light will be converted to heat and damage that hair follicle. Because of that damage, the hair will stop growing. This is done over two to six sessions.
Before laser hair removal
Just before the procedure, thehair that will be undergoing treatment will be trimmed to a few millimeters above the skin surface. 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 technician will need to wear appropriate eye protection. They’ll also apply a cold gel or use a special cooling device to prodct the outer layers of your skin and help the laser light get into it.
During laser hair removal
The technician will give the treatment area a pulse of light. They’ll watch for several minutes to make sure they used the best settings and that you aren’t having a bad reaction.
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.
After laser hair removal
The technician may give you ice packs, anti-inflammatory creams or lotions, or cold water to ease any discomfort. You’ll need to wait 4-6 weeks for the next appointment. You’ll get treatments until hair stops growing.
