Everything You Need to Know About Laser Hair Removal

There are various types of lasers used, each catering to different skin types and hair colors. The laser hair removal procedures is considered safe, though some minor side effects like slight redness or discomfort can occur.

It is a technique which helps in reducing the thickness of unwanted hair follicle gradually with a number of sessions. It is also known as permanent hair reduction, it means it decreases the size of the hair follicle in social distance. This treatment helps in reducing thick hair on your body which could affect individuals anxiety level or self-perception. It is hair removal and is the process of reducing hair permanently by means of exposure to pulses of laser light which helps in destroying the hair follicle.

Laser machine selectively targets a specific chromophore with laser light & damage the basal stem cell inside the hair follicles. Laser hair removal is more effective & efficient treatment in a permanent reduction of hair. This treatment is also considered as less painful treatment & safest treatment for the unwanted hair follicle.

Let’s check the laser machine for permanent hair removal.

Diode: This laser is directly concentrated into the hair follicles and the melanin contained in them. The pigment then absorbs the concentrated beam and is destroyed which restricts future hair growth. The diode has a wavelength of 810 nm & it is suitable for all types of skin. This technique does not damage the skin but can cause slight redness.

Nd-Yag: Nd-Yag Laser has a wavelength of 1064 nm & it is suitable for mostly dark color. This laser is mostly used for tattoo removal and hyperpigmentation, but can also be used for hair removal. A lotion made out of carbon is applied on the skin which then absorbs the laser wavelength and penetrates the hair follicles. This method is slightly discomforting.

Alexandrite: Alexandrite is a laser which works in wavelength of 755 nm. It is considered to be the fastest laser for hair removal; however, it can also cause more discomfort to the patient. A large surface area can be covered in the very little amount of time by using this technique. It works best with the olive-colored skin tone.

Intense pulsed light (IPL): IPL is not considered as laser, and works with a wavelength of 650 nm & it is suitable for pale to medium skin. This technique uses the IPL laser which is comparatively less intense than its counterparts. It is mostly used for removal of facial hair, bikini line and pubic areas. As the beam is not very concentrated it does not damage the skin.

Laser hair removal is a permanent reduction of unwanted hair. One can have hair free duration for a longer duration of time unless you have any hormonal imbalance.

At home also we can remove our unwanted hairs. But it is not safe for a long period. It can create permanent marks and make your body hair thicker.

• Shaving – Cut off the hair close up to the skin.
• Waxing– Removes complete hair from the root, but then again new hair growth can be seen.
• Epilator– It is a bit painful. Only target single hair at a time & may leave hyperpigmentation mark after treatment

Laser hair removal is a permanent reduction of unwanted hair, where one can have hair free duration for a longer duration of time, until unless you will not have any hormonal imbalance.

Laser hair removal is one of the safest ways to remove unwanted hairs.

Diode Laser: It is the pain-free & fastest method of laser hair removal. It works on big spot size and it can cover a larger area. Which has a cooling tip as it is having less chance of burning. It targets thick & vellus hairs. The fastest result is seen as compared to other lasers. It has no downtime.

Laser hair removal operates through a process known as selective photothermolysis. In simple terms, the laser targets and destroys cells with a high amount of pigment, or color, by using heat. Since dark hair contains more pigment, it absorbs more heat. This heat is directed to the hair follicles, damaging them so they can no longer grow hair.

For the treatment to be effective, the hair follicle must be in the anagen phase, which is its active growth stage. Since not all follicles are in this phase simultaneously, multiple sessions are usually required to achieve the best results.

Let’s check actually the no. of sessions required for laser treatment. But it depends on the area where the treatment is performed. There is a common misconception that laser therapy is basically zapping all your unwanted hair in seconds. That’s not true. Each session removes 10% of the hair from your body. So you need multiple sessions in a year to get to your ideal look.

• Ideally, 6 to 10 sessions are required to reduce the size of a hair follicle or kill the hair follicle.
• If the size of hair follicles are reduced then they will be invisible to the naked eye.
• Ten to twelve sessions are carried out over a period of two to three years. The inactive hair follicle can be achieved unless an individual is affected by hormonal imbalances which cause changes in the pattern of hair growth.
• Women who are suffering from a health condition, such as PCOS or hyperandrogenism. They will notice an increase in the size of hair growth which is caused due to high stimulation.

Watch this video to get more information regarding laser hair removal.

Let’s check the important tips before going for laser treatment.

• Laser hair removal does not work if you have light blond or white hair. This is due to the lack of pigmentation in the hair follicle.
• If you are dark skinned you might face some discomfort as the laser targets pigmentation and not the actual hair.
• There are different types of laser which are specific to different types of skin and pigmentation.
• The laser beam is concentrated on your hair follicles to destroy them so expect a little discomfort.
• Different doctors charge differently. There is no universal rate for the procedure.

When you have decided on getting laser hair removal treatment done, then also you should know the risk factor’s involved in doing this treatment. In most extreme cases light blistering may occur. There might also be a slight change in the tone of your skin, but overall it is a minimal painless procedure with negligible or no side effects.

• Superficial burns
• Hyperpigmentation

Patients have said to experience mild tingling or a feeling of the elastic band being pinged against their skin. Unless you are really scared elastic bands you should be good.