Laser hair removal is the non-invasive removal
of unwanted facial and body hair with the assistance
of a laser or intense pulsed light source.
The procedure is done in the office with topical
cream for anesthesia. The dark color of the hair
(melanin) absorbs the light energy deactivating
the hair follicle's ability to grow.After the
treatment, your skin will be sensitive, slightly
red and possibly swollen. This reaction subsides
within hours and your skin returns to normal.
You may also experience a slight burning sensation
of the skin, comparable with a sunburn. Most of
the time no special after care is necessary. If
you wish, ice packs or a gentle soothing lotion,
like Aloe Vera, can be applied to the area. On
rare occasions, blistering and/or scabbing may
occur. If these reactions occur, the healing will
take longer and will require more intensive after
care.
Avoid sun exposure or tanning for at least 2 months
after treatment. Exposure to the sun may cause
temporary skin changes and "browning".
A sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher should be applied.
Within 2 or 3 weeks after the treatment you will
notice 'regrowth' or stubble. Some of this is
dead hair being expelled by the skin, and some
is growing hair that will require additional treatments.
The laser only treats hairs that are in their
active growth phase. The number of active follicles
and their cycle time will vary with each area
of the body. Follicles that are in a dormant phase
(at least two-thirds) are not affected. Additional
treatments are performed as hairs that were dormant
become active and begin to grow. The number of
sessions will vary with each patient and body
area. It's important to realize that multiple
treatments are certainly required.
Unlike traditional methods such as shaving, plucking
and waxing, laser hair removal is intended to
provide long lasting or permanent reduction in
hair.
The laser targets the pigment within the hair
follicle (melanin), disabling the follicle. The
laser is designed to selectively target the follicle
without damaging the surrounding skin.
For women, the lip and chin are the most common
areas we treat followed by the bikini line, legs
and axilla (armpits). For men the back, shoulder
and upper arms are the most popular areas. It
is possible to treat most areas of the body.
Laser hair removal is performed as an in office
procedure without the need for anesthesia and
with immediate return to sedentary activities.
Most people experience only a slight stinging
or feel nothing at all as the laser pulses are
applied. Ms. Burns personally evaluates each patient
for hair color, texture, skin type and other medical
factors prior to laser hair removal and personally
performs the actual hair removal process.
As with any medical or surgical procedure there
are risks although with laser hair removal they
are minimal. Ms. Burns will review all potential
risks with you at the time of your consultation
prior to laser hair removal.
Yes. Any amount of suntan will make the laser
treatment less effective and increase the chances
for an adverse effect such as blisters or burning.
Therefore sun bathing and tanning are to be avoided
prior to the procedure. Additionally, as the follicle
beneath the skin contains the melanin that the
laser targets waxing, plucking and electrolysis
should be avoided for several weeks prior to the
procedure. Additionally, the laser should be avoided
in cases of active outbreaks of cold sores or
Herpes Simplex virus.
Costs for laser hair removal vary depending upon
the area of the body treated, and we will be happy
to quote you prices by phone. Laser hair removal
is one of the least expensive procedures in plastic
surgery and is affordable for nearly everyone.
With electrolysis each hair must be individually
treated with an electric current with risk of
electric shock, infection and scarring. Electrolysis
can take months or even years to complete. The
laser non-invasively treats an area with many
hairs at one time. For example, it typically takes
about thirty seconds to treat the upper lip.
The ideal candidate has dark hair and light skin.
Dark hairs absorb more of the laser light and
lighter skin allows more transmission of the laser
light into the follicle.
The ideal candidate has dark hair and light skin.
Dark hairs absorb more of the laser light and
lighter skin allows more transmission of the laser
light into the follicle.
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Clinics that are reluctant to
fully discuss the price over the phone |
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Clinics that base the treatment
price on skin color or hair type |
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Clinics that will not tell you
who will be performing your laser procedure |
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Beware of clinics
that are not supervised by a full-time physician |
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