There are many ways to remove unwanted hair including shaving, plucking, electronic tweezers, waxing, depilatories, electrolysis, and lasers. Lasers offer the only method for permanent hair reduction.
A few key points you should know about laser hair removal include:
• How it works—Lasers send a low-energy beam through the skin that is absorbed by dark pigment (melanin) present in the shaft of hair follicles. Since hair cycles as it grows, repeated treatments are necessary to destroy about 80 percent of the hairs. Different types of lasers may be used. Inverness Dermatology & Laser offers treatments with both alexandrite and Nd:YAG lasers. The Nd:YAG laser has a longer wavelength which is safe to use in darker skin types.
• Laser Treatment — On the day of treatment, the area should be clean and free of cosmetics. In general, four or more treatments are required at each site to achieve permanent hair growth reduction. Darker hair responds best to the laser, while lighter hair (white, gray, or red) is less responsive. The laser pulses feel like the snapping of a rubber band or warm pinkpricks against the skin. Ideally, the immediate response is vaporization of the hair shaft. Slight swelling and redness around the hair follicles appear within a few minutes. Patients are instructed to avoid sun-exposure and to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and containing zinc oxide after laser treatments.
• Laser Hair Efficacy — The percentage of hairs removed per session varies in different body locations, with areas of thin skin (bikini and armpits) generally showing a better response than areas of thick skin (back and chin). Approximately 20-25 percent reduction in hair growth can be expected with each treatment.
Patients interested in laser hair removal will be evaluated by a provider prior to treatment.
A few key points you should know about laser hair removal include:
• How it works—Lasers send a low-energy beam through the skin that is absorbed by dark pigment (melanin) present in the shaft of hair follicles. Since hair cycles as it grows, repeated treatments are necessary to destroy about 80 percent of the hairs. Different types of lasers may be used. Inverness Dermatology & Laser offers treatments with both alexandrite and Nd:YAG lasers. The Nd:YAG laser has a longer wavelength which is safe to use in darker skin types.
• Laser Treatment — On the day of treatment, the area should be clean and free of cosmetics. In general, four or more treatments are required at each site to achieve permanent hair growth reduction. Darker hair responds best to the laser, while lighter hair (white, gray, or red) is less responsive. The laser pulses feel like the snapping of a rubber band or warm pinkpricks against the skin. Ideally, the immediate response is vaporization of the hair shaft. Slight swelling and redness around the hair follicles appear within a few minutes. Patients are instructed to avoid sun-exposure and to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and containing zinc oxide after laser treatments.
• Laser Hair Efficacy — The percentage of hairs removed per session varies in different body locations, with areas of thin skin (bikini and armpits) generally showing a better response than areas of thick skin (back and chin). Approximately 20-25 percent reduction in hair growth can be expected with each treatment.
Patients interested in laser hair removal will be evaluated by a provider prior to treatment.
