Everything You Need to Know about Laser hair removal

Dr. Pervez Qureshi
May 17, 2021
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“Your crowning glory is your hair” so goes the adage, yet body hair has become a complete ‘no-no’ with people resorting to laser treatments for permanent solutions.

Does laser treatment permanently resolve the issue? Well, as with every cosmetic treatment, there are a range of factors to consider – your age, family history, skin tone, the growth cycle and quality of the hair, hair color and even medications, if any, used in the past.

Laser technology has undergone a massive makeover. Earlier, cosmetic authorities used IPL lasers. The technology involved was capable of treating only light skin tones. Today, the advancement in laser technology e.g. Nd: YAG laser enables hair removal of dark skin tones as well.

Everyone loves a smooth body tone free of hair, be it women or men and over time, people have made a preferred choice for laser treatment over shaving, waxing and threading.

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Why should you choose laser technology to remove body hair?

You want a permanent solution to hair removal.
You want to flaunt your bikini body proudly on the beach.
You are mentally fatigued with waxing and other means of hair removal which are temporary.

Let’s get ‘lasered’

For the uninitiated, a laser is a concentrated beam of light that helps remove the hair, right from its root. Low-energy laser beams are a preferred choice as they can be adjusted to the color and texture of your skin though there are many who resort to laser treatments within the comfort of their homes, each with their pros and cons.

The other types of lasers include Diode lasers, Alexandrite lasers, Ruby lasers, Nd-YAG lasers and Intense Pulsed light devices. All this may sound alien hence its always wise to first seek advice from a qualified cosmetic / plastic surgeon instead of making an impromptu decision. Once your surgeon assures you of qualifying for the procedure, you can ready yourself for the treatment.

Pre-laser hair removal countdown instructions

If a smoker, you will have to stop it six weeks prior to starting your treatment.
Pregnant ladies ‘must not and ‘will not’ be allowed to undergo laser treatment.
You will have to stop taking all types of every-day medications which could be herbal or antibiotics.
If your skin tone is more on the dark side, a bleaching cream would help facilitate the process.
The body area which is to receive laser treatment will have to be cleaned of all lotions or make-up, if any.
Twenty-four hours prior to the treatment, you will ‘have’ to manually shave (no electric razors) the area which is going to undergo laser treatment.
You will have to ensure that the said area will have been protected well from all sun exposure for four weeks prior to the treatment.
Ensure that your body is well hydrated prior and post the laser treatment.

Laser treatment activity

At the onset, the medical personnel will apply an anesthetic gel to the body parts slated for hair removal.
You will be given protective eye gear to cover your eyes
A preliminary test will be conducted with a low-energy laser beam. Once the test is proved successful, the surgeon starts the treatment.
The surgeon will activate the laser. The concentrated beam of light (laser) will pass through your skin to the hair follicles which get damaged because of the intense heat of the laser. This prevents the growth of new hair follicles.
The duration of the process depends upon the expanse of the body you want your hair to be removed from and could vary from 20 minutes to 1 hour. Some prefer removal of only facial hair while others choose legs, bikini line and arms.
On completion of the procedure, the surgeon will share anti-inflammatory creams. Ice packs, lotion and even cold water to overcome even the most minimal uneasiness.
A totally non-invasive procedure, you can return home immediately after the procedure ends.

Post laser hair removal precautions

The treated skin may experience a slight red coloring and mild itching. You don’t have to panic. This is normal and does not last for more than a day.
No exercising for24-48 hours.
Avoid all sun exposure.
Sunscreen is a must pre-/post-treatment, for a time-frame as prescribed by your surgeon.
Specific products will be prescribed for the treated areas, by the surgeon and you will have to use them dedicatedly.

Must-know facts about laser hair removal

Laser hair removal is highly effective on individuals with a light skin tone and with dark hair. However, modern technology, does offer good results on dark skin tones.
Hair follicles which are still in the growth stage are best impacted by laser treatment.
The hair on the treated area take time to fall off completely and this could range anywhere between a couple of days to a few weeks.
A lot depends on the growth of your hair and the tone of your skin. Some individuals have had no growth for years while others are free of hair for months.
Body hair eventually grows again though after a laser treatment, the hair is of a lighter shade and finer texture.
A person desiring a perennial solution to removal of hair will have to undergo multiple laser hair removal procedures followed by the right skin treatment thereafter.

Costs

The costs for laser hair removal treatment range from $100 (for an upper lip) to $2400 for a larger portion of the body.

A lot depends on the type of laser devices being used. Aesthetic surgeons using state-of-the art technology tend to charge more. In addition to the procedure costs, one has to be prepared for the post-treatment costs. This includes using the prescribed sun-screens/lotions recommended by the surgeon.

Additional costs include the consistent treatments (at least 6-8) across a gap of six weeks which also have to be taken into consideration.

The Takeaway

Laser hair removal can be your go-to solution to get rid of unwanted hair. It all depends on the right person, laser technology used, and of course, your current health.

And, when we talk about the right person, we refer to the laser hair removal experts at DripGym. Get yourself seated and talk with our physicians to discuss your laser treatment method today.