Laser Hair Removal, The Options Available!
Laser hair removal is a safe and effective method of removing unwanted body hair from various places on your body with the use of a laser. There are several places people have hair removed from, the most common ones are the face, legs, chest, underarms and upper lip. It’s possible though to remove hair from pretty much anywhere on the body as long as it’s not adjacent to the eye.
About Laser Hair Removal
There are a few different types of laser used in the laser hair removal process, the main types include the “Alexandrite Laser“, “the Diode Laser“, “the IPL Laser” and the “Ndag Laser“. These types of laser are manufactured under several different brand names, so it’s important to keep that in mind when you go for any sort of laser treatment.
Any sort of laser hair removal treatment will usually be carried out in the doctors office and will involve several treatments in order to remove up to 90% of the desired hair. Depending on the location on the body will depend on how far out these treatments are spaced, for example the treatments are likely to be closer together when they’re conducted on the face, usually around 4 weeks.
Before Your Laser Hair Removal Starts
Before any treatment is started you will usually find that the physician will place some numbing cream onto the location where the treatment is to be carried out. The treatment isn’t usually painful but this cream just makes sure that you are comfortable before the treatment commences, this is especially important if someone has a very large area to treat, such as the back, or if they are very sensitive to pain.
During the laser hair removal treatment a cooling jet is usually applied to the skin, this prevents the area being treated from getting too hot or burning under the heat of the laser.
How Laser Hair Removal Works
Laser hair removal treatment works through a process called selective photothermolysis, this is where the laser works it’s way down the stem of the hair deep into the follicle, destroying the cell which actually makes the hair in the first place. The treatment is know as selective photothermolysis because it’s selective in as much as it selects the hair through it’s pigment and not the skin around it. It’s for this very reason that people who have very light colored blonde or white hair cannot have a laser treatment because the selective photothermolysis is not selective to the hair because there is not enough pigment for the laser to select from.
Laser Hair Removal Side Effects
There are usually few side effects with laser hair removal but you should always check with the person who is giving you the treatment to make sure. The side effects which can be experienced in some individuals include pigmentary changes in the skin which include darkened or lightened areas, these changes are usually temporary. Rarely some people experience blisters or burns, again it’s important that you ask your physician about this as our article is only meant as a guide.
Laser Hair Removal Clinics & Services
It’s important to select the correct setting for your laser hair removal treatment. A laser hair removal clinic should be registered with the local health authority and have specifically trained staff with all relevant qualifications undertaking treatment courses.
Laser Hair Removal Pricing
Pricing of laser hair removal will very much depend on the following:
- The town you live in
- The clinic you go to
- The location on your body that you need treatment
- The length and type of treatment you require
Generally though treatments will start from around $100 and go up to $500 for larger areas of the body. You will need to consult your local clinics for further advice. A cheaper alternative would be the user of a depilatory hair removal cream, this doesn’t last as long but it lasts longer than most conventional methods of hair removal.
