Maybe you’re frustrated with razor bumps on your legs after you shave or you’re done with painful, time-consuming hair removal options like waxing. You want fast, long-lasting hair removal options that don’t add to your time in the shower and can eliminate unwanted hair all over your body. If you’re ready to save time and money, laser hair removal could be for you. Proudly offered at Pinnacle Dermatology in Pinnacle, MI, laser hair removal is the most effective way to get rid of body hair and achieve results that leave you looking and feeling your best.
What Is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a treatment that targets the melanin pigment in your hair follicles to destroy the follicle’s ability to produce new hair growth, ultimately leaving your skin smooth and hair-free. Using a high-energy laser that emits a concentrated beam of light, your doctor can treat virtually any area of your body and zap away hair at its root.
Benefits
This treatment is one of the best ways to attain long-lasting or permanent hair removal. It’s virtually pain-free, making it preferable to waxing and threading, and it can save you time you’d spend shaving while giving much better results. You’ll be able to focus on the important things in life without worrying about unwanted hair on any part of your body, boosting your overall confidence.
Appropriate for your entire body, this treatment is most commonly used on the legs, face (minus the brows and eye area to protect your eyes), bikini area, underarms, chest, and back. Both men and women can benefit from this treatment as they target areas of insecurity. This treatment has no associated downtime, letting you return to your daily routine with a quick and easy recovery time and results that appear quickly.
How Does It Work?
Your doctor activates a handheld high-energy laser that focuses on the melanin in your hair, disabling the attached follicle in the process through heat. This laser is used to target individual follicles across your entire targeted area. Since our hair grows in cycles, with some follicles remaining dormant while others produce hair, you’ll likely have a treatment plan that lasts over several months to ensure all the follicles are disabled.
Preparation
You should plan to limit your sun exposure in the week leading up to your first session. You should also avoid tanning beds or self-tanning treatments, as darkened pigment in your skin can increase your risk of burns. Don’t wax, pluck, or thread your hair for 6 weeks before treatment. The laser needs something to target, and removing the hair completely removes the very target you wish to treat.
Avoid irritating your skin with harsh exfoliants or new products and make sure that you shave the area to be treated completely the night before your session to reduce the risk of the laser burning the surrounding skin as it targets longer hairs. If your target area is your face, you should make sure it’s clean and makeup-free before you go to your appointment.
Treatment
Your doctor will offer you a numbing cream that can be applied for your optimal comfort, although most patients find the laser completely painless. You’ll wear protective goggles to shield your eyes for the duration of the appointment. Depending on the size of your target area, your session could last anywhere from 5 minutes for your upper lip to over an hour for your legs or back.
Results
You may experience some redness and mild irritation after your appointment, which is completely normal. Over the next few days, you’ll likely notice your hair shedding, which you can accelerate with gentle exfoliation in the shower. The final results of each session should be visible 1-2 weeks later.
Most patients have a schedule of 6-8 sessions approximately 4 weeks apart to target all follicles and each growth cycle. You should talk to your doctor about a good treatment schedule for your specific ideal results.
Once your treatment plan is finished, you’ll be able to see how long your overall results will last. Many patients experience total hair loss; others notice hair growing back lighter and thinner about 6-12 months later, which means it’s time to schedule a maintenance appointment to maintain results. Individual results differ from patient to patient, but you can always expect to see a marked reduction in hair once your treatment plan is completed.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate?
Laser hair removal is ideal for both men and women of all ages who want an easy solution to unwanted hair all over their bodies. It’s effective on all skin types and tones. This treatment is not recommended for pregnant and nursing women, however. In addition, those with lighter hair colors (blonde, red, or grey) may not experience ideal results due to a lack of melanin in the hair to be targeted by the laser. You should talk to your doctor about whether this treatment is ideal for you if you have any questions.
Conclusion
If you’re tired of spending your time and money getting rid of hair, laser hair removal can become your new best friend and deliver results that you’ll love. You’ll achieve the silky smooth skin you’re always wanted in just a few sessions and, best of all, your results may be permanent! To learn more, contact the experts at Pinnacle Dermatology in Pinnacle, MI to schedule an initial consultation. We look forward to serving you!
