Hair Removal Questions | Laser Hair Removal

2. How many sessions are needed?

The number of sessions will vary for each individual. During the initial visit, the laser disables those follicles in the Anagen "active" phase of the growth cycle. Follicles in the Telogen "resting or dormant" phase will not be affected. This is why sessions are scheduled between four to six weeks apart giving the dormant follicles time to become active.

While some areas of the body are more sensitive than others, most patients report little or no discomfort. The advanced cooling device of our laser is all you need to minimize any discomfort. For more sensitive patients, anesthetic creams can be applied prior to treatment.

Cautions and side effects are always an issue and will be discussed at your FREE consultation. Avoiding direct sun 2 - 4 weeks before and after your treatment. Also you must avoid bleaching, tweezing or waxing 2 - 4 weeks prior to your treatment for best results. Shaving is okay, but it is best to have a slight growth of hair for the technician to see where the growth pattern is.

No. Once a hair follicle is destroyed it is said to be sterile, it can never produce a hair again. But with some medications, hormonal changes, stress etc., dormant hair follicles can be stimulated and begin growing hair.

Lasers target the pigment in the hair (melanin) in an effort to destroy the hair follicle. The laser is absorbed by the pigmented hair shaft and transferred to the surrounding follicle, thus destroying it. Laser only kills hair that is in the growing stage.

The application of laser to the skin results in a pink color. Discomforts similar to slight sunburn and/or swelling may be noted over the next 72-hour period. In certain instances, especially in darker skin toned individuals, temporary pigmentation changes may be noted. You may also notice hair within the follicles for the first few days after treatment, however, these will fall out leaving you with "Bare, Beautiful Skin".

Compared to a lifetime of waxing, shaving or purchasing depilatory creams, laser hair removal is very affordable. Price is based on the size of the area to be treated.

All areas can be treated including:

Abdomen
Back
Beard with Throat
Breast (Areola)
Buttocks
Cheeks
Chest
Chin
Ears

Eyebrows
Feet
Forehead
Full Legs w/Bikini Line
Genitals
Hairline
Half Arms
Hands

Head
Lower Back
Lower Leg
Neck
Nostrils
Shoulders
Thighs
Underarms

Hair growth in each hair follicle occurs in a cycle. There are three main phases of the hair growth cycle: anagen, catagen and telogen. Anagen (active) is the growing phase or when the hair fiber is produced.Catagen (club hair) is the period of controlled regression of the hair follicle. This phase is when the lower part of the hair stops growing, but does not shed, and the follicle is reabsorbed.Telogen (tired) is the last of the hair growth cycle. In this resting phase, the old hair falls out in preparation for the development of a new anagen hair.Normally this cycle of hair production will continue for the duration of the individual's life. However, various factors can influence, promote and inhibit hair production. Laser affects hairs when it’s in its anagen phase of growth. Thus, patients need multiple treatments in order to disable each batch of hair as it enters the anagen phase of growth. Hair cycle length varies depending on body part. Face usually requires more frequent treatments (about 8 weeks apart) whereas legs and back need less frequent treatments (closer to 12 weeks apart). Spacing treatments 8-12 weeks apart allows adequate time to target hair on most body areas.

12. How does laser hair removal work?
Lasers designed for permanent hair reduction emit wavelengths of light that are absorbed by the pigment in the hair (melanin). If the surrounding skin is lighter than the color of the hair, the energy of the laser is concentrated in the hair shaft, effectively destroying it without affecting the skin or the follicle. Since lasers target pigment, treatments are most effective on coarse hair because it has a lot of pigment and can absorb a lot of heat. Fine hair cannot absorb much heat. The ability of the laser device to produce a very narrow bandwidth on a consistent basis is the key to a safe efficient treatment. While the laser emits a beam that only heats the hair shaft, heat is transmitted from the hair shaft to the surrounding tissue for several milliseconds after the laser pulse. Several lasers possess cooling attachments which cool the surrounding skin to fully absorb any heat transmitted from the destroyed hair shafts. Intense Pulse Light (IPL) machines are not lasers. These machines use a highly concentrated beam of traditional incoherent light, often in conjunction with a cream or gel, to burn the hair shaft. A serious flaw with these systems is that they lack the laser's ability to produce a selective bandwidth of light that will only affect the hair shaft (selective photothermolysis). IPLs produce a wide bandwidth of light that can heat up all of the surrounding tissue, making it less effective in disabling hair and putting the patient at a higher risk for burns, especially on darker skin. IPL devices are generally cheaper than laser devices, which is why many clinics choose to use them. Generally, true hair removal lasers (i.e. alexandrite, diode, and ND:Yag types) tend to achieve better and faster results than IPLs.

13. Is laser hair removal permanent?
Laser hair removal lasers have been in use since 1997 and the Food and Drug Administration approved them for “permanent reduction.” They disable hair permanently as long as the right type of hair is treated with an appropriate type of laser at effective settings. However, it is called a “reduction” because, no matter what some clinics may claim, hair removal lasers cannot and do not remove 100% of the hair in an area. With proper treatments, laser can remove the majority of the coarse hair on a body area, but they cannot remove finer hair. Be cautious of clinics making claims that seem too good to be true. In order to achieve 100% clearance of hair in any one area, most people need to follow up laser treatments with electrolysis treatments to remove any remaining finer hairs. Laser can only remove coarse hair. Generally, a patient can tell how much reduction was achieved from a course of treatments after waiting 6-12 months from their last treatment. Any hair that grows in after the 12-month period is new hair that the body can develop due to numerous factors such as age, diet, hormonal changes, and medical conditions such as PCOS. Patients who experience new growth later in life can get touchup treatments.

14. Am I a candidate for laser hair removal?
Both men and women seek laser hair removal to remove unwanted hair. Hair removal is commonly done on underarm, pubic area, legs, abdomen, lip, chin, back, buttocks, thighs, face, neck, chest, arms, and toes. Laser technology works by targeting dark pigment. Therefore, it works best on pale skin and dark coarse hair. The lighter the skin and the darker and more coarse the hair, the better are the results. The best candidates are patients treating areas with dark coarse dense hair growth.
15. What are the side effects or risks of laser hair removal?
Some people may experience the following potential temporary side effects:

The following rare side effects are indicative of inappropriate laser type and/or settings:

Laser Hair Removal - FAQs