As the name indicates, laser hair removal treatments are used when a person wants to reduce the amount of unwanted hair on their body. This procedure is done worldwide, and patients use laser hair removal on different body parts because it is safe for usage even on the most sensitive areas of our bodies.
The Mahima Spa Bradenton is one of the most popular spa centers which offer this type of service in Florida, with high-quality equipment and experienced and knowledgeable staff, in a welcoming and warm atmosphere. Being a part of the Women’s Care of Bradenton clinic, their ultimate goal is to provide complete care for patients of all ages, and when it comes to laser hair removal, these services are truly immaculate.
What Is Laser Hair Removal?
In order to answer the question of what is laser hair removal, in today’s article, we will elaborate more on how laser hair removal work, what are some benefits and risks, what recovery looks like, and we will try to give any additional information one might need before deciding on getting this treatment.
As mentioned, laser hair removal treatments are used by patients who want to reduce excess body hair and feel more comfortable in their own skin. It is important to emphasize that this approach is considered completely non-invasive, implying that it does not require nor leave any cuts or scars before, during, or after the procedure.
The treatment is safe to be used on any body part, but the most frequent areas people use hair removal laser on are the face, their underarms, their back and legs, and the bikini area or any other area where one can find pubic hair.
Laser hair removal can be used by anyone who has issues with too much hair on their body because it is considered very safe. This is seen as a cosmetic procedure for improving self-image. Still, it is also quite convenient because the hair removal procedure also slows down hair growth, so shaving does not have to occur as frequently as before.
Some people who suffer from particular conditions or whose hair growth is conditioned by some other factors see laser hair removal treatments as a necessity rather than a simple cosmetic enhancement. These conditions and factors include:
- Hirsutism (a condition where women grow hair in the places where men have hair)
- Hypertrichosis (excess hair all over the body)
- Medications such as anabolic steroids and contraception
- Imbalance in hormones (increase in testosterone levels)
- Genetic disorders (passed down from the parents)
- PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)
- Different tumors can condition the production of hormones
Hair removal using a laser is most effective on people with light skin and dark, thick hair because of the contrast between the skin color and the hair. It is easier for the hair to absorb the heat from the laser when the skin is lighter, so people with darker skin or bright blond, white, red, or gray hair will have less effective results after treatments.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
When it comes to laser hair removal, the procedure is called selective photothermolysis. The professionals offering this service use a laser as a heat source to destroy cells with excess pigment or color. The darker the hair, the higher the amount of pigment in it, meaning that heat absorption will be much better. After the heat has been transferred to the hair follicles, they get destroyed, and hair can no longer grow from that place.
Due to the fact that hair follicles go through different development stages over a period of time, people need more than one hair removal session (six to eight). The optimal effect of the laser hair removal treatment can be visible when the hair follicles are in their growth or anagen stage.
When it comes to the preparatory steps before the treatment, it is recommended that patients avoid using tanning beds or too much sun exposure a few weeks before the procedure. As mentioned, the darker the skin, the harder it is to get effective laser hair removal results. A few days before coming to the hair removal procedure, the patients need to shave the body parts they want to treat because the treatment does not work on hairs longer than a grain of rice. After you are done with the treatment, avoid tweezing, waxing, or plucking the hair on the treated areas.
The Treatment
The treatment is done in a few stages: the provider cleans the area in question, gives you some protection glasses that need to be worn during the whole procedure due to strong laser light, and begins treating the selected area.
The laser hair removal treatment might be a bit painful, like snapping a rubber band on the skin, but it is all temporary, and for most people, it is durable. Depending on the selected area, the procedure can take from a few minutes to an hour, and it might sometimes smell like burning hair or smoke, which is quite normal, so do not be alarmed.
After the treatment, your skin might be a bit swollen, red, or painful, but you can use cold cloths to soothe the pain, which will not last longer than a day or two. Try to avoid sunlight for the first few days after the procedure, but in general, you should be able to continue your activities as usual right after the treatment.
Side Effects of Laser Hair Removal
When it comes to the side effects of laser hair removal, here are a few that patients have shared:
- Burns
- Blisters
- Herpes
- Hyperpigmentation (dark spots on the skin)
- Hypopigmentation (light spots on the skin)
- Infections
- Scarring
Although laser hair removal is considered safe and effective, it is essential that you choose an experienced provider who will perform this procedure and contact them in case you start experiencing any of the abovementioned side effects.
Make sure that you are not pregnant, that you are not taking specific medications which can be negatively influenced by laser hair removal, that you are not prone to cold sores, or that you do not have raised scars or skin cancer before starting hair removal treatments. Please share all necessary information with your chosen laser hair removal provider.
Benefits
The benefits of laser hair removal treatments include the following:
- The results last a lot longer than shaving, tweezing, waxing, or plucking hairs
- Fewer treatments than electrolysis
- Less pain than some other treatments for hair removal
- Reduced ingrown hairs
It is essential to mention that laser hair removal treatments are not permanent, but the hair which does grow back is much lighter and thinner than before, and there might be time slots of over a year where you will not be able to see any new hair growth on the treated areas.
Schedule Your Session!
Start your laser hair removal journey now and call our center! We are here for you to make this an enjoyable, pain-free experience.