Laser Hair Removal: What's the Deal?
Every man and woman has hair on their body, including their face. Some people shave, some people wax, some pluck, and others bleach. But there is a way you can get rid of that unwanted facial hair once and for all, and that's with laser hair removal. Laser hair removal is less time consuming and less painful than most other hair removal options, making it a top choice for both women and men.
How Does It Work?
Don't let the name intimidate you. Laser hair removal is a very advanced and extremely safe way to reduce and prohibit hair growth. A certified technician uses a low-energy laser that creates a beam of high-intensity light, which passes through the skin to deliver a controlled amount of targeted, therapeutic heat directly to the hair follicles. The laser beam travels down the hair shaft and is absorbed by growing hair follicles, where it then disables the follicles deep in the skin. The beam is attracted to the pigment of the hair follicles, which is why laser hair removal is not very effective on light hair, especially gray and white hair. In fact, it works best on people with light skin and dark hair.
Is It Painful?
The sensation experienced during laser hair removal is often described as a hot snap, or the snap of an elastic band on your skin. It is less painful than electrolysis, and many also say it is less painful than plucking and waxing unwanted hair. In fact, the pain is so minimal that anesthesia isn't used in most circumstances. Many people who wax four to six times a year can instead have six laser treatments and be hair free in that treatment area for the rest of their lives.
How Long Does It Take?
Typical facial laser hair removal treatments only take a couple minutes, depending on how much hair is being removed and what part of the body it is being removed from. For example, a hair removal procedure on the upper lip will be a lot quicker than if lips, chin, and cheeks are being treated. But it is important to point out that in most cases, the patient will need to have several treatments before the area is completely hair free. This is because the laser only targets growing hair, and not all hair grows at the same time.
Who Can Have Laser Hair Removal?
This procedure can be done on anyone who has unwanted body and facial hair. Talk to a medical aesthetic professional from an establishment like the Hecht Aesthetic Center about where on your body you'd like to have laser hair removal to see if you are a good candidate for the procedure.