How does laser hair removal work?
Laser hair removal directs energy to your skin that penetrates the outer layer of your dermis to affect the pigment-containing hair follicles beneath. When these follicles absorb the light energy, they heat up and can no longer produce hair.
Because it’s the pigment in the follicles that absorbs the heat energy, laser hair removal is most effective on dark hair. White hair doesn’t respond to laser hair removal. Red or blonde hair is less receptive to laser removal as well.
What areas can be treated with laser hair removal?
The Laser Center of Milford does not offer full-body laser hair removal. After all, every body is different. Some people don't need their full back done, some won't need their legs done, the list goes on and on. However we can treat most areas of the body, excluding any orifices (inside the ear canal, inside the nostril, etc).
For a list of areas, please visit our booking site: https://www.vagaro.com/lasercenterofmilford/services
The areas that can't/shouldn't be treated are:
- If you tattoos in the area, the laser can affect the ink.
- If the hair color is grey, white, red, or blonde. The laser gets affected by the melanin of the hair follicle, these colors have fewer or no melanin and have a harder time if at all getting affected by the laser.
- If you are under the age of 14 or have not started puberty.
How many treatments do I need?
The number of treatments depends on how your hair and skin respond as well as the area treated. We generally recommend 8-12 sessions spaced out every 4 weeks, however these numbers vary depending on additional factors such as age, hormones, ethnicity, and more. Hair grows in cycles, so multiple sessions ensure you get all hair when it’s in the growth period.
Most people feel warmth and prickling during laser hair removal, but tolerate the treatment well. Ice packs are provided after treatment to soothe treated areas.
How do I prepare for laser hair removal?
You must have the hair follicles intact to benefit from laser hair removal, so avoid plucking, tweezing, nair or depilatory creams, or waxing for about six weeks prior to treatment. Shaving is OK because it leaves the hair follicle in place.
- Plucking, tweezing, depilatory creams or waxing removes the hair from the root. Even if there is new hair growth as early as later that day or the following day, the roots have not fully formed to be effective against the laser. If there is no hair root, the energy from the laser will go instead to the skin which can cause complications.
- You may feel that shaving makes the hair grow thicker in place after but it does not. Imagine a Christmas tree as the hair follicle. If you cut the tree in half you have two parts of the tree: the thinner top half and the thicker bottom half. When you shave, you are cutting the hair follicle at the thinner top half leaving the thicker bottom half. That bottom thicker half will not grow thicker, it's already thick.
- You should shave the appointment 2 days before your appointment. 2 days of hair growth lets us know how much hair growth is in the active growth cycle.
You should limit/avoid sun exposure before and after treatment! The laser is concentrated light.
- Sun exposure before treatment makes you charged with energy like a battery in the sun. Applying a laser to that can cause complications such as burns or hyperpigmentation.
- Sun exposure after treatment can make the treated area charged with extra energy. It can cause complications such as burns or hyperpigmentation to the affected area.
Let the office know if you are on any antibiotics or steroid medications.
- Some antibiotics or steroids have light sensitive side effects. The laser being concentrated light should be avoided while on these medications. Once you have finished, you may need to wait an additional 10-14 days to make sure it is fully cleared from your skin.
If you have any open sores or skin infections in the treatment area, please reschedule.
If you are on your menstrual cycle and getting laser hair removal in the bikini/brazilian area:
- You may experience more sensitivity during this time.
- If you are actively bleeding and getting the half brazilian or full brazilian, you need to reschedule.
If you become pregnant, you should reschedule. It's not a danger to the baby to have laser treatment, however your hair follicles are controlled by your hormones. Once you are pregnant, your body is in baby caring mode rather than optimized hair treatment.
Is downtime needed after laser hair removal?
There is little to no downtime. The redness or folliculitis that some patients have is downtime following treatment. It doesn’t affect everyone, and it doesn’t happen every time. It varies person to person. They only need to avoid sun exposure for about 10 days following laser treatment. Avoid sun exposure for several weeks following laser hair removal; your skin is temporarily more sensitive to UV rays.
If you experience any lingering side effects to the treatment, let the office know as soon as possible.
For more information about laser hair removal and if you’re a good candidate, call the office of Laser Center of Milford today.
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