There are a few things more torturous than sitting through a session of waxing or shaving your legs every morning to get rid of your body hair. If you’re sick and tired of these painful and short-lived hair removal methods, then we recommend a new method— laser hair removal.

Laser hair removal is a method that is gaining a lot of traction these days. It’s effective, painless, and has long-lasting results. Now before you start searching for ‘laser hair removal near me’, there are a few things you need to know.

Here’s everything you need to know about laser hair removal.

How It Works

Unlike waxing or tweezing, where you pull the hair out by the follicle, or shaving, which cuts the hair by the skin, laser hair removal targets the very hair follicle itself. It involves using a laser that emits highly concentrated pulses of light on the area with unwanted hair.

The hair follicles contain pigment or melanin that absorbs this light. The light energy then turns into heat, which damages hair follicles, inhibiting, or delaying their ability to produce hair again. While it’s a pretty simple and straightforward process, it does carry some risks.

If not done correctly, it can cause burns and hyperpigmentation. So, your best bet is to go for certified and experienced dermatologists who know what they’re doing. Rather than searching for ‘laser hair removal near me’ and choosing the first option that pops up, do a bit of research on the dermatologist or their practice.

Besides that, laser light may look cool, but it can be dangerous as well. So, you should avoid getting extensive laser hair removal sessions at a time. The laser can also be extremely harmful to the eyes, so remember to protect them with adequate eye protection.

Types of Laser Treatments

Again, unlike waxing and shaving, which is pretty must the same across people of different colors and hair types, laser treatments can vary for different people. Since the laser actually targets the pigment of the hair follicle, people who have very light-colored hair or dark skin can find the usual laser treatments to be ineffective at times.

That’s why for people who have fairer skin, dermatologists tend to use laser lights with a shorter wavelength, while darker-skinned people can benefit more from longer wavelength lasers.

Furthermore, some lasers do tend to have some cooling mechanism that can burn darker-skinned people, so make sure your doctor is using the right kind of laser treatment according to your skin and hair type.

How Long It Takes

How long a session takes depends on the area you’re targeting. For instance, laser hair removal on the lips might not take more than ten minutes. However, when covering a larger area, such as the legs, it could take up to a couple of hours.

This is because laser hair removal is quite a precise process. It targets around a quarter of an inch of skin at a time and burns all the hair follicles. That’s why the time each session takes depends on the area being covered. Besides that, the entire treatment itself can last about six months or four to six sessions.

It’s Not Entirely Painless

One of the most important questions when it comes to laser hair removal is whether it is painless. The answer is that it is, and it isn’t. Of course, if you compare it to the pain from waxing or the razor burns from shaving, laser hair removal is somewhat painless.

However, it is not entirely painless. You will feel some discomfort when the laser zaps your follicles. The good part is that most dermatologists use some cooling spray or mist to counter that discomfort, and overall, the experience is not too painful.

Results

The key to seeing good results from laser hair removal is consistency. You might not notice any jaw-dropping results after the first session, but if you keep at it, you will eventually see a significant drop in the growth of your hair. At the very least, you will need three sessions to see any remarkable results.

Cost

Laser hair removal is definitely expensive. The larger the area, the more it costs to treat it with laser, and when you multiply it by the number of sessions, it can cost a lot. However, you need to think of laser hair removal as an investment. It might cost you a lot right now but think of all the money you would save by not going for waxing sessions, buying razors or shaving creams, etc., in the future.

How to Prepare for a Laser Hair Removal Session

A laser hair removal session also requires some preparation beforehand. Here’s what you need to know:

• You need to shave the area before going for the session so that the laser can easily target the follicle.
• Avoid waxing or tweezing before the session, as it will pull out the follicle and make the laser ineffective.
• When opting for laser treatment on your face, make sure to remove all your makeup, or else it can interfere with the treatment or even cause burns and spots.
• Avoid the sun, tanning beds, or tanning lotions before the session, as it can make it hard to differentiate between your normal skin and the hair follicle.
• Inform your doctor beforehand if you are taking any medications as certain antibiotics are sensitive to light and can react to the laser treatment.
• Make sure to do a patch test first to check for any reactions.

Final Thoughts

While it is entirely okay to let your natural body hair grow, if you are the type of person who prefers smooth and hairless skin, laser hair removal is an excellent option.

Moreover, now that you know everything you need to know about laser hair removal, making the decision shouldn’t be too hard. Just remember to prepare for the session beforehand and consult an experienced dermatologist for ‘laser hair removal near me’.

SunCoast Skin Solutions Dermatology offices are located in Tampa / Hillsborough, St. Pete / Pinellas County, Brandon, Lutz, Winter Haven, Largo, Riverview, Brooksville, Ocala, and Daytona Beach, Sarasota, Punta Gorda, Seminole, Florida. Contact us at 1-844-786-3376 or click here.