Common reasons for excessive hair growth on the body or face are hormonal problems, medications and genetics. Laser hair removal is one of the most effective ways to get rid of hair for a long period. The method works essentially anywhere on the body. But laser hair removal is more suitable for some people than for others.
Preparation
Laser hair removal works best for people who have light skin and dark hair. That's because the laser targets melanin in the hair, and lighter hair has less melanin. Before you can get the treatment, you will have to let any tan fade from your skin in the area where you'll have hair removed. A tan makes it more likely you'll experience blistering or discolored skin as a side effect of the procedure. You can shave a day or two before the laser removal, but do not wax or pluck.
Types
Several lasers are in common usage for hair removal, including the alexandrite, the ruby, the diode and the intense pulsed light lasers. For darker-skinned patients, the Nd:YAG laser, with a longer wavelength, is more effective. With any of the lasers, it is likely you will need repeat treatments to get satisfactory results. Depending on your hair growth pattern and the hair's location on your body, it's common to have three or more treatments spaced four to eight weeks apart.
The Procedure
The doctor will use a hand-held device that can remove several hundred hairs at once. You will have to wear goggles to avoid accidental eye exposure to the laser. The laser will sting a bit, but the laser devices generally have features to reduce the pain, such as a water-cooled contact piece. You will smell singed hair, but the laser is not just getting rid of the hair; it is damaging the follicle, too, so that the hair does not grow immediately back. How long the procedure lasts depends on the size of the area to be treated. An upper lip area may take a few minutes, while a broad area such as the back could take more than two hours.
Risks
Laser hair removal is, overall, relatively safe when done by a medical professional. Crusting, scabbing, blistering and scarring can occur but are rare. Lightening of the skin can happen in people with dark skin, and darkening of the skin is possible in others, but permanent changes in pigmentation are not common. What does happen often is incomplete removal of hair, so that repeat treatments are needed.
Cost
How much you pay for laser hair removal depends on the doctor, or practitioner, you choose and the location and amount of the hair you need to get rid of. For a bikini line, the cost of a single treatment session averages $350 to $500, according to the Hair Removal Journal. For the back, face and neck, the average is $600 to $900. Successful laser hair removal can prevent the hair from growing back for years and, in some cases, is permanent. But most people require maintenance treatments.
Member Comments