LASER HAIR REMOVAL
Virtually everyone, at one point in their lives has suffered from unwanted hair. Whether it is on your legs, face, back, bikini line, or anywhere else on your body chances are, you’ve tweezed, plucked, shaved and waxed. Laser hair removal has revolutionized how people can have a more permanent solution to unwanted hair, and at Physicians Laser Center, we make people feel better about themselves. With different lasers to tailor the procedure for individual skin and hair types PLC of Faifax offers our patients the most effective solution for unwanted hair anywhere on your body. Because the laser targets melanin, or pigment, in the hair follicle, several treatments will be needed, since melanin is only produced during the growth phase of the hair. These treatments will be staggered out over the course of 10 weeks. And best of all, with PLC's advanced laser technology you will not have to grow the hair out during treatment.
Hair color is the key to successful laser hair removal. Although laser hair removal can be performed on virtually any skin color, the hair color will have the greatest influence on the degree of long term efficacy or reduction. The light emitted from the laser is attracted to the melanin, or dark pigment, in the hair follicle. This means that dark hair is treated most effectively. Laser treatments performed on red, blonde, and gray hair are not generally effective.
How it works
The laser light is specifically designed to be absorbed by what is known as a "target chromophore" or more commonly in hair removal - melanin or pigment - contained in the hair follicle itself. The absorption of the laser light thereby results in the "heating" at the very base of the follicle which causes injury to the follicle. The injured follicle is then "shed" by your body's own natural process resulting in that follicle being disabled for an extended period of time.
What to expect
Generally, the laser treatment itself is described as a ”snap“ of a rubber band snap against the skin. Compared to waxing and electrolysis, the treatment has very little discomfort. After each treatment the skin will be red and slightly swollen, this typically subsides in a few hours but can last longer in some cases. Some people do require a topical anesthetic to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If you feel you require the topical anesthetic, the physician on staff at Physicians Laser Centers can prescribe a topical cream that will numb the skin prior to treatment. Typically, our patients see a permanent reduction in the amount and density of hair growth after 4 to 6 treatments.
What are the most popular areas for laser hair removal?
The most popular areas are female facial hair, underarm and bikini hair and men’s back hair. How long has laser hair removal technology been in use? Lasers have been used in medicine for a variety of conditions for nearly 25 years. Although laser hair has been available since 1995, effective laser hair removal has only been available for about the past four years.
What is the difference between pulsed light and lasers?
Many facilities advertise laser hair removal but use a pulsed light device. Pulsed light is not laser and treatments for hair removal using a pulsed light device in our experience are generally considered less effective when compared to laser hair removal. Pulsed light treatments are effective however when used for skin rejuvenation and is one of the other laser and light based technologies available at Physicians Laser Center. How is laser hair removal different from Electrolysis? Electrolysis is the process of treating individual hairs one at a time, is just as expensive in the long term and much more painful when compared to laser hair removal.
Are there risks from laser hair removal?
When performed by a trained practitioner, laser hair removal is considered a safe –non -invasive procedure. There is no recovery time and does not require any lifestyle change. Patients can apply make-up and return to work or play immediately. As with all laser procedures performed at Physicians Laser Center, an informed consent explains all the possible risks and is available at your complimentary consultation. Are there age requirements for laser hair removal? Generally, any patient under the age of consent (18) will require the consent of their parent or guardian. Although we have treated people as young as 12 for medical reasons, most people tend to wait until the age of 16 or 17 to start laser hair removal. Older people who develop white or gray hair will generally not respond effectively to the laser.
Is it painful?
Pain is very subjective and everyone’s pain tolerance is different. Generally, the laser treatment is described as a ”snap“ of a rubber band snap against the skin. Compared to waxing and electrolysis, the treatment has very little discomfort. Some people do require a topical anesthetic to numb the skin prior to the treatment. If you feel you require the topical anesthetic, Dr. Tavallali can prescribe a topical cream that will numb the skin prior to treatment. Our experience suggests that the topical cream is necessary for men’s beards and occasionally areas where the hair is dark and course.