If you’re not a fan of waxing or shaving, then laser hair removal treatment might be a perfect fit for you. The procedure involves the use of high-energy beams of light (laser) to remove (destroy) the hair follicles in the targeted region, be it the leg, arm, underarm, bikini line, face and other required body parts.
The hair follicles are small cavities or glands that form the root of the hair, and from which the hair sprouts or grows. The removal of the hair follicles allows for a more lasting effect on the treated area, thus making this procedure more effective than shaving and other similar techniques. With this method, permanent hair reduction (of the treated areas) can be achieved after 3-7 procedures, with a spacing of 3-5 weeks between successive treatments.Laser hair removal comes with a plethora of benefits. They include the following:
Laser hair removal comes with a plethora of benefits. They include the following:
It is very precise: The lasers used for this procedure are specially designed to attack the dark and coarse hairs in the target area, without damaging the surrounding skin.
It is very fast: The pulse generated from the lasers move fast and have the capacity of treating an area with the dimension size of a penny, every second. So, in less than 5 minutes, small areas like the face can be fully treated, while larger areas like the legs and the back may take as long as 60 minutes.
The results are permanent: Undergoing this procedure 3-8 times will result in the permanent hair loss in the target areas, so you can enjoy your smooth skin afterwards without ever having to shave again.
As beneficial as laser hair removal can be, it can also come with side effects if proper precautions are not put in place. Some of the common side effects observed are swelling, scarring, temporary feeling of sunburn, reddened skin, permanent change in skin colour (very rare).
To prevent some of these side effects, certain precautions have to be put in place as a means of preparation. First you must ensure that the doctor who wants to perform the procedure is well qualified to do so. This procedure involves a lot of technicality and is more than just pointing lasers at some growing hairs. So, be sure to thoroughly check the credentials, because if the procedure is done by a qualified doctor, the resulting side effects will be minimal at the most.
Secondly, you should avoid over-exposure to the sun 5-7 weeks before going for the procedure. This is because sun tanning may result in less favourable results, as the procedure works best for people with fair skin and dark hairs (this is not always the case though).
Lastly you should avoid treatments like waxing or plucking, 5-7 weeks before going for the procedure. The rationale behind this is the fact that the above-mentioned processes also impact the hair follicles, by temporarily removing them and this can have a “deceptive” effect on the laser hair removal, hence resulting in a less effective procedure.
During the procedure, the hair in the target area will first be trimmed close to the skin surface (to allow for penetration of the laser). Then the laser equipment will be calibrated based on your hair thickness and colour. Also, you may need to wear eye protection gears (which will be supplied) when treating the face, but this is unnecessary for other body parts. Once the procedure is finished, you may be offered cold water or ice packs to apply to the treated areas to prevent swelling or other forms of discomfort.
A few days after the procedure, you should wear moisturizers and sunscreen to help reduce the feeling of sunburn (which goes away after a couple of days). Within 1-3 weeks, all the hairs in the treated areas will fall off and you can wait another 3-4 weeks before your next procedure, until the hair stops growing completely.
The laser hair removal treatment shows a wide variation in terms of cost. The procedure can cost as low as $200 or as high as $1000, depending on factors such as the location of the procedure, the doctor carrying out the procedure (private or public) and of course, your financial capability.
Conclusively, the laser hair removal is definitely an option you should consider, when looking to permanently get rid of unwanted body hair.
