Laser Hair Removal: Benefits, Side Effects, and Cost

What Is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal uses concentrated light beams to remove unwanted hair from the body without surgery. The pigment (color) of the unwanted hair absorbs the laser light and damages the hair follicle, causing a reduction in hair growth.

Types of Lasers Used for Hair Removal

The type of laser you need depends on the Fitzpatrick skin scale. This scale helps doctors understand your skin color (skin phototype) and how your skin reacts to UV (ultraviolet) rays from the sun.

• Type I: Very fair skin, usually with green or blue eyes and blond or red hair. The skin always burns in the sun and never tans.

• Type II: Fair skin, usually with light-colored eyes. Skin burns easily and tans only a little.

• Type III: Light to medium skin tone. Skin may burn at first, but slowly tans over time.

• Type IV: Light brown or olive skin. Skin rarely burns and tans easily.

• Type V: Brown skin tone. Skin almost never burns and tans very easily.

• Type VI: Dark brown or black skin tone. Skin never burns and always tans deeply.

Types of lasers are:

What Is the Difference Between Laser Hair Removal and Electrolysis?

How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?

• Laser hair removal works by targeting the hair follicle, which is a tiny pocket in the skin where hair grows.

• Inside each hair is a dark pigment called melanin. When the laser shines on the hair, the melanin absorbs the laser light. The light energy then changes into heat energy.

• This heat travels down to the hair follicle and damages it. When the follicle is damaged, it becomes harder for new hair to grow.

• Because of this, hair growth slows down, and future hair becomes thinner and less noticeable over time. This is how laser hair removal reduces unwanted hair.

Why Do You Need Multiple Sessions?

Laser hair removal needs multiple sessions because hair grows in different stages, called the hair growth cycle. The laser only works well during the active growth stage, so not all hairs can be treated at the same time. Most people need 6 to 8 sessions, spaced about 4 to 8 weeks apart, to treat all the hairs properly.

For further understanding of why timing and multiple treatments are required, you need to understand the three phases of the hair cycle:

1. Anagen: This is the stage where the hair is actively growing. The laser works best during this phase because the hair shaft carries heat down to the root, helping damage the follicle and reduce future hair growth.

2. Catagen: In this stage, the hair stops growing but stays inside the follicle. The laser is less effective because the hair is no longer strongly connected to the root.

3. Telogen: This is the resting stage. The hair eventually sheds, and the follicle stays inactive for some time. There is no active hair for the laser to target during this phase.

At any given time, only about 15% to 20% of your body hair is in the anagen (active growth) phase. The remaining 80% of your hair is in the other stages. That is why multiple sessions are important; each treatment targets new hairs as they enter the active growth phase over the following weeks.

What Should You Know About the Limitations of Laser Hair Removal?

Though laser hair removal is an effective method, it has some limitations, too. These are:

• It does not remove hair permanently, but it helps reduce hair growth.

• The treatment reduces the number of unwanted hairs, and new hair usually grows back finer, lighter, and less noticeable.

• Multiple sessions are needed because the laser only works on hairs that are actively growing (anagen phase).

• Maintenance sessions may be required to keep the results, so the process can take a long time.

• People with deeper skin tones may have a higher risk of burns or dark spots because the laser can also target the skin’s melanin.

• Laser hair removal cannot stop new hair growth caused by hormonal changes.

What Are the Contraindications of Laser Hair Removal?

Absolute Contraindications:

• Pregnancy (not safe).

• People who get keloid scars (scars that grow too big and thick).

• Serious illnesses like uncontrolled diabetes, epilepsy, lupus, and cancer.

Relative Contraindications:

• Too much sun exposure can cause the skin to become very sensitive.

• Taking medicines like photosensitizing drugs.

• Skin problems like open wounds, eczema, and psoriasis.

• Recent tattoos or chemical peels (skin may still be healing).

What Are the Target Areas of Laser Hair Removal?

It can be done for the following areas:

• Armpits.

• Face.

• Upper lips.

• Chin area.

• Back.

• Chest.

• Pubic area.

• Legs.

However, eyelids, surrounding areas, and tattooed skin cannot be treated with this procedure.

Why Should You Choose Laser Hair Removal?

• Speed and Efficiency: It is also friendly when it comes to time since large areas can be treated in a short time.

• Long-Lasting Results: Very effective at reducing hair, and rarely have people reported nearly permanent hair loss.

• Minimal Downtime: It does not take a long time to heal, and people can go back to their normal activities immediately.

• Convenience: The hair on the skin does not grow as fast as it used to, and therefore, one does not have to shave, wax, or pluck as often as before.

• Skin Care: Lasers have become safer to use for different skin types due to enhancements in the use of lasers for skin treatment.

How to Prepare for Laser Hair Removal?

As this is a medical procedure and not a regular salon procedure, a thorough medical evaluation is required before this procedure. The evaluation includes:

• Current medications.

• Drug allergies.

• History of any surgical procedures done in the past.

• Alcohol and tobacco use.

In addition, some instructions are given to the patients before this procedure. These are:

• Shave the area 12 to 24 hours before your appointment.

• Don’t pluck, tweeze, wax, or epilate the hair for 4 to 6 weeks before treatment.

• Stay out of the strong sun for 2 to 4 weeks, or always use sunscreen (SPF 30+).

• Do not use self-tanning creams or beds for at least 2 weeks before your appointment.

• Avoid hard chemical products.

• Do not get any deep exfoliation or chemical peels for at least 4 weeks before the treatment.

• Consult the doctor before taking any medication on the day of or before the procedure.

Laser Hair Removal Procedure: Step-by-Step (What to Expect)

Below are the procedure steps of laser hair removal:

• The hair on the target area is trimmed first.

• If your skin is sensitive, numbing cream may be given. 20 to 30 minutes before the procedure. However, this is optional, and many clinics use cooling alone.

• The laser machine is set according to the skin color, location, thickness, and color of the hair in the target area.

• Protective eyewear is given to the patient to protect them from laser beams.

• The laser machine is activated, and laser beams are directed to the hair follicles of the target area.

• The laser produces heat that damages the hair follicles in the targeted area, which leads to slower hair growth.

• Slight discomfort might be experienced during the procedure.

• After the procedure, anti-inflammatory medicines, lotions, and ice packs are given.

• There might be a gap of six weeks between the first and second sitting of the procedure.

• Procedure duration depends on the target area. The duration is usually a few minutes for small areas like the upper lip.

• For larger areas like the leg, back, etc., it takes around one hour or more.

• The patient is scheduled for the next sitting.

• On average, 6 to 8 sittings are required to achieve the desired results.

At-Home Devices:

At-home lasers and IPL devices are easy tools you can use at home to help reduce unwanted hair. They use light to target the hair roots and slow down hair growth over time.

IPL stands for intense pulsed light. It gives gentle flashes of light that go into the hair follicle. The dark color in the hair absorbs the light, turns it into heat, and helps stop the hair from growing back.

Important Things to Know:

• IPL is usually safe when used correctly.

• You should know your skin type before using it.

• You need regular treatments to see good results.

• Always do a small patch test first to make sure your skin does not react badly.

What to Expect After the Procedure?

• After the procedure, redness and swelling will initially occur in the target area, lasting for a few hours.

• Temporary skin irritation may occur, which can change the skin texture and cause scarring and crusting of the skin.

• Patients with darker skin color may experience pigment changes, but these are temporary.

• After the procedure, the patient is advised to avoid sun exposure and to use sunscreen daily.

• Some allergic reactions may occur in very few patients, which can be managed with medications. Therefore, it is advisable to contact the concerned doctor in these cases.

• Some patients might develop blisters, but this is very rare.

• The skin may give the appearance of sunburn, which lasts for one to two days.

When Can One Start Seeing the Results?

The results are not visible immediately. After a few weeks of the procedure, the hair on the target area falls out. There is a periodic cycle for hair loss and growth, and this procedure works effectively on new hair follicles. Due to this reason, the procedure requires multiple sittings.

Most people need 6 to 8 laser hair removal sessions to get the best results. Some people may need more or less. It depends on their hair color, skin color, and which part of the body is being treated.

Results vary from person to person. It may last from months to years. Once the patient gets desirable results, additional sessions are required to maintain the results. However, it cannot remove unwanted hair permanently.

Conclusion:

A laser hair removal procedure is a very common procedure for removing unwanted hair. It is safe and effective with minimal side effects. Both men and women can undergo this procedure. It has long-lasting effects as the laser beam works directly on the unwanted hair follicle and damages it to slow down new hair growth. It is the best alternative to traditional waxing and plucking procedures.

If you want to know more about what is best for your skin type, you can talk to a skin doctor. They can help you with the right information and advice.