FDA approved since 1995, Laser Hair Removal has improved the quality of life of numerous people, especially female with male pattern hair growth. Removal of unwanted hair by laser is a significant advance over techniques such as electrolysis.It has brought hope to several individuals with hair growth in areas where they create embarrassment. There are important things you should know about this form of treatment. Some are listed below.



1. What is Laser Hair Removal? It is a laser beam directed at the hair follicle. The high intensity light source gives off energy in the form of heat. The laser tracts along the hair shaft, heating it and leading to thermal damage to the follicle while leaving the surrounding tissue unharmed. The level of effeciency of this treatment depends on the amount of melanin in the hair. It is more effective in dark hair, less effective in brown or ginger hair and does not work on white, grey or platinum blonde hair. As the laser travels along the hair shaft, for it be effective, there must be hair present. It is, therefore, not recommended to pluck unwanted hair before treatment. Similarly since laser hair removal works on the level of melanin, dark skin or tanned skin need special treatment.

2. Price depends on the size of the area that needs treatment. The larger the area, the greater the cost. In the USA, the average cost per session is $450 and in the UK, the cost may vary from ?45 to ?450. Treatment may be for several sessions in a year because hair will re-grow. The re-growth, however, will be slower and the hair thinner. Mr. David Gault, Plastic Surgeon, reported eighty percent reduction of upper lip hair growth after 6 months.

3. Things you should know: Make sure you know as much as you can about Laser Hair Removal. Choose a clinic that offers free initial consultation so that you can assess suitability and what is on offer. Find out before hand the total cost. Make sure you know whether a medical practitioner will be on the premises during your treatment. Check that your assigned therapist is suitably experienced and qualified.

4. How safe is Laser Hair Removal? Laser is a pure high beam light. It does not cause cancer. It only penetrates up to the dermis of the skin. It can harm the eyesight.You will probably use goggles to protect your eyes during treatment. The skin can be darkened by laser depending on the melanin concentration. Too much exposure can leave the skin with paler patches that slowly fades away. Over heating can cause blistering and on the odd occasion scarring particularly in darker skin and people with recent tans. The paler you are before treatment the safer and better the treatment. You should not have laser hair removal if you are light sensitive or have any infection on the area to be treated. You should not have treatment if you had isotretinoin for acne in the last year.

5. Is Laser Hair Removal permanent? Electrolysis is considered the only permanent hair removal treatment available. Although laser hair treatment is promoted as permanent by the industry, this is not strictly the case. It cannot stop the unwanted hair from growing again. It will, however, slow the re-growth so that it can take several months or years. The re-growth will consist of thinner hair.

6. What happens during Laser Hair Removal treatment? Depending on the types of laser equipment and the area to be treated, you may be required to wear goggles. Laser hair removal treatment can cause stinging or the area may tingle. The duration of a session depends on the size of the area and can last between 15 and 45 minutes. The area concerned will be treated approximately once a month for between two and eight months. Lasers are not all the same and outcome will vary with different systems. Before you commit to Laser hair removal, make sure you do your homework.

7. What types of Laser Hair Removal are available? There are various types available. The Ruby Laser is the oldest. It is unsuitable for dark skinned or tanned people and only covers a small area. The Alexandrite Laser is the fastest laser available. It is very effective on light to olive complexion. It is the most popular laser because it can cover large areas of the body. The Diode Laser works best for dark skin and is not as effective in lighter skin. It is fast and covers large areas during treatment. The Long Pulse Nd:Yag Laser treat all skin types. It is fast and covers large areas. Patients, however, tend to complain of more discomfort during treatment. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is not really Laser but will have the same effect as laser on the hair follicles. It is more difficult to use and needs greater skill.