Women tend to spend a lot of time and money on getting rid of unwanted hairs. There is a vast array of hair-removal creams, shaving blades, and waxing strips designed to remove annoying hairs. However, after using these, women find these hairs growing all over again in two weeks or sometimes even less.

For a permanent and effective hair-removal solution, many women instead choose to opt for cutting-edge laser hair removal.

What Is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is a non-invasive cosmetic procedure in which laser energy is used to target hair follicles. This energy damages the follicles’ ability to grow new hairs. Lasers can be used to remove hair from a number of different parts of the body, such as the backs of the hands, the legs, the underarms, and the back.

The use of laser technology results in precise hair removal without damaging any of the surrounding skin cells. It can be used to remove very coarse hairs without any effort. In addition, most candidates who opt to have laser hair removal have experienced a permanent and complete reduction in unwanted body hair after a couple of sessions.

How Is Laser Hair Removal Performed?

Laser hair removal is performed in our office and can take minutes or hours depending on the size and number of areas to be treated. Regions like the upper lip can take less than a minute, while larger areas like the legs can take longer.

Prior to the procedure, the body hair is trimmed to just above the surface of the skin. The hair is not plucked, because this would remove the root of the hair. The pigment in the root of the hair is what is targeted by the laser, and trimming hairs leaves the roots intact.

Remember, during the weeks leading up to the procedure, you should not wax, pluck, or thread your body hair, as this will interfere with the laser hair-removal process.

The type of laser is selected based on your skin color, texture of hair, and the extent of the hair to be removed. Since the procedure uses laser energy, you and the technician will be required to wear eye protection.

The technician will then apply a cooling gel on your skin to enable the laser to penetrate well into the skin without causing harm to the skin. Finally, the technician will use short pulses of laser energy to target areas where the hair removal is required.

What Should I Expect After Laser Hair Removal?

Immediately after the procedure, you are likely to notice some slight bruising and redness around the areas that have been treated. These are temporary side-effects of the procedure and will subside gradually. You can use ice packs to help alleviate the swelling.

During the first couple of days after a treatment, exercise some caution before stepping out into the sun. Use a sunscreen with a high SPF to protect your skin. If your skin is blistering, do not pick or scratch it. Instead, apply a moisturizer over the blisters and wait for it to heal. You will be able to resume your normal routine within a few days.

Contact Us to Learn More

Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Charles Wallace will be happy to tell you more about laser hair removal and our other aesthetic services during a consultation at our office. Contact us today to get started.