Laser Hair Removal Guide
by Shane Ennerson

Let's imagine: You have a very important job interview in 1 hour, and while you're shaving, you nick your skin very close to your carotid artery. You end up losing the precious time you have to prepare for your interview by doing everything in your power to stop bleeding all over your new starched white shirt.

Or how about this: you want to wear that adorable little black dress to your cousin's wedding, but you're embarrassed by the bulbous red bumps all over your legs from shaving too quickly this morning in order to get out the door and to the ceremony on time. On top of all that, you have this horrible itch in a place you can't scratch in public because all the hair you removed during your bikini wax last week decided to grow back under your skin. You hate that red, bumpy, irritated feeling, and you can't stand the fact that sometimes you don't have time to do anything to get rid of that hair.

Many people face these seemingly minor problems every day, but when it becomes a repeat offender, it can throw off a person's entire schedule, inhibit their self-confidence, or create severe pain and discomfort. With the increasingly popular, rapidly improving laser hair removal technology, there is a way to permanently reduce hair growth and eliminate that skin irritation you suffer every time you shave or wax once and for all.

What is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal treatments use high-energy light wavelengths to reduce hair. The melanin pigment in the hair shaft absorbs the high-energy pulses, and then sends intense amounts of heat down the hair shaft and into the follicle, inflaming it and telling it to go into a resting phase. This phase, called the telogen phase, doesn't produce any hair. Typically used to reduce the appearance, density, coarseness, and overall production of hairs in the treated areas, laser hair removal treatments also prevents the common skin conditions associated with other forms of hair removal such as shaving and waxing, such as folliculitis, where in-grown hairs cause inflammation and infection in the hair follicles, and hyperpigmentation, where the skin around the irritated follicle darkens in color.

Licensed physicians administer laser hair removal in 3 to 5 treatments in 4-to-8 week intervals. Usually, each treatment is spaced out over a long period of time, depending on hair growth and treatment effects. Most patients see a significant reduction of hair in the treated area, and even complete disappearance.

For certain targeted areas and darker skin types, the complete disappearance of hair may be harder to achieve. So, for complete hair removal, it may be necessary to have regular maintenance treatments to remove the hair. The greater number of treatments you have, the thinner the hair will be, until you won't need any more treatments at all.

Who are the Best Candidates for Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal can be sought by almost anyone to reduce hair in a particular area. The most common areas for hair removal include bikini area, legs, underarms, unwanted facial hair, back, legs, chest, and arms. Since the laser works on pigmented hair, the best candidate for laser hair removal would be someone with light skin and dark hair. That way the hair can be "seen" by the laser without reading the skin's pigment and possibly causing damage. Laser hair removal can't be used around the eyes, or on candidates with light or blond hair.

Those with darker skin pigments have a tougher time getting treated because of the similarity of melanin pigments in the skin and the hair shaft. However, there are three different types of lasers used for hair removal , leading to more options for different types of hair and skin pigments. The commonly used laser for darker skin is the Nd:YAG, which has a longer wavelength, and reads skin pigments the least out of all three.

If you do choose to undergo laser hair removal treatment, it's important to make sure the skin is unchanged. Doctors will recommend that you don't tan, or use any other forms of hair removal treatment such as waxing, hair removal creams, or electrolysis. Wearing a strong SPF and sticking to shaving to remove the remnants of re-grown hair are two surefire ways to ensure proper care between treatments. Your physican will suggest several other ways for skin care immediately following a treatment session and in the weeks to follow as well.

What Risks are Involved?

The trickiest part of laser hair removal is targeting the hair shaft with the highest light energy possible without damaging the skin. With darker skin, this is more difficult. Melanin's purpose is to absorb light. Since a laser is high-powered light energy, melanin absorbs it. If there is a high concentration of melanin in the epidermal layer (the outermost layer of skin), it could take away from the intended target (the hair) and could possibly damage the epidermis by burning, scarring, or hyperpigmentation.

One way to avoid skin damage in darker skin is cooling the epidermis during the laser treatment. Many laser devices today have a cooling method built in to soothe the skin during the laser hair removal treatment. This can be done several ways, such as a cold gel, cooler room temperatures, or a soothing spray to alleviate any harm to the epidermis.

Laser hair removal has had a positive result in the reduced appearance, coarseness, density, and growth of hair. If done properly and with the right laser, Laser hair removal treatments minimize the annoying side effects of unsightly razor bumps, folliculitis, scarring and hyperpigmentation.

How to Get the Most out of Laser Hair Removal Treatments:

Always look for a practitioner with lots of experience. Because of the sensitivity of the laser on different skin pigments, and the accuracy needed to manipulate laser wavelengths to work on particular skin types, the more experience a practitioner has the better. It's important to look for a board-certified physician's practice that specializes in using all three lasers for hair removal.

Laser hair removal is costly, but many patients vouch that the long-term benefits are worth it. Costs of laser hair removal treatments vary on the physician, the number of treatments in a package, the cost of individual treatments, and the area being treated.

Since everyone's pattern of hair growth is different, it is best to have a consultation with a physician in order to get a better estimate. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the national average cost for one laser hair removal treatment is $429. Keeping the average cost in mind, you can better determine which package deals are the most affordable for you without cutting back on the quality of the treatment and the facility, and when you're getting swindled out of large sums of money.

It's best to remember that quality laser hair removal is important for your skin and your long-term goals. With the right information and several informative physician consultations, you can better understand how laser hair removal can benefit you in the short and long-term.

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