You are planning a holiday on the beach and you want skin that is not only hair free, but also smooth and glowing. You are about to get married and you want to have the type of skin, off of which, satin will just glide of. You are tired of spending time and money on hair removal gadgets and products and want some solution that will leave you free of unwanted hair permanently. No matter which of these is the scenario that sits right for you, the answer is the same – laser hair removal.
For years, people, particularly women, have spent a lot of time and money on hair removal methods such as shaving, hair removal creams and waxing; but the problem with all these methods is the same – the hair will grow back over time, something which will vary from procedure to procedure. This means that the same amount of time and effort needs to be spent repeatedly; but with the desire to look great, most people will keep repeating the same every few days.
Welcome to the world of laser hair reduction,where with a lot lesser investment of time and money, you can enjoy skin that is not only free of unwanted hair, but also smooth and has a certain glow to it. You will have to spend a few minutes per session and depending on your hair growth and hair texture, you will need to visit the technician for a few sessions, but once you are done with the same, you will be able to bid farewell to all traditional methods of hair removal.
Here are some of the important things that you need to know about laser hair removal:
- The procedure works on the tenet that it stops the follicles from producing hair, leading to an almost permanent removal of unwanted hair.
- It’s actually not as complicated as it might sound – the pigment in the hair picks up the laser energy and ends up destroying the root of the hair, ensuring there is no more growth.
- There is no standard procedure, no one process fits all methodology with laser hair removal – the procedure will be tailor made for each person, because each person’s hair and skin is different.
- The number of sessions and the duration of each session will also be dependent on such factors.
- Laser hair removal will not work for everyone – as matter of fact, laser is not able to detect hair that is white, blonde, grey or even red.
- Your skin color will also have an important role to play – while laser works on almost all skin colors, it is best that you talk to your technician, because laser tends to affect each skin color slightly differently.
- While there are no cuts or nicks in this process, people have described a certain amount of discomfort – like a rubber band snapping against your skin. There can be a little irritation or redness, but that should disappear in a matter of hours.
- Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of laser hair removal is that you can get rid of ingrown hair forever – because the procedure leaves the follicles ineffective, there is no possibility of the pores becoming clogged.
- Once the prescribed sessions have been completed, you will have little to worry about – all you have to do it care about the precautions mentioned and you should be able to wear whatever you want, whenever you want!
Let’s move onto some of the other aspects of laser hair removal that you need to understand better before signing on any dotted lines:
- There are three main types of lasers which are most commonly used – the Diode laser is known to be quite effective on light as well as dark skin. The Alexandrite laser is perhaps the fastest and works really well when large parts of the body need to be covered. The Nd:YAG can be used on all types of skin, including those which have been tanned.
- Although laser hair removal can be done on all skin and hair types, it works the best for people who have hair that is dark, thick and coarse. However, it is also important to remember that thicker hair might need more sessions, because they can be slightly more resistant.
- Laser hair reductioncan be done on any part of the body, but it will work best on four major parts of the body – underarms, lips, chin and bikini area. However, you can done laser done for the length of your arms, legs and chest too.
- One of the reasons why you need to make sure that you get your treatment done from a reputed clinic and under the supervision of a professional is that you need to be well informed about the dos and donts. For instance, there are certain medications that you need to stop taking before the procedure, particularly ones that are photosensitive. In case you are on any antibiotics, you might want to reschedule your procedure, because certain antibiotics can react with the procedure. You might also be asked to stop using any skin care products that have retinoids or alfa hydroxyl acids as these can make your skin vulnerable to irritation during the treatment.
- It is imperative that you attend every session that has been suggested to you, because your session plan will have been decided based on your hair. Each person’s skin and hair situation is different and the session plans are normally designed patient specifically – so if you want to see the best results, it is important that you keep your appointments diligently. Most people need anywhere between five to ten sessions, and you should be able to see the results after the 5th session or so.
- Many women are worried that when they are in the middle of their menstrual cycle, they can go for their treatments – but you need not cancel your appointments, even if your periods are going on. As long as you are not getting your bikini area treated, you have nothing to worry about and in case you are getting that area worked on, simply wear a tampon.
