If you’ve been thinking about having laser hair removal, as with any treatment that is available on the market, it really pays to study up before hand and do your research correctly. It’s easy to be lured in by the promise of getting rid of your hair and being stubble free for good, but before you make your decision you really need to read up on the facts first to make sure that laser hair removal is the right treatment for you.
From waxing and shaving to threading and tweezing, there are a number of hair removal options that you can look at, but laser hair removal is one of the very few options that offers any permanency to hair loss. In fact, you’re able to remove up to 90% of your unwanted body hair in a targeted area for good, which is a huge difference than when it comes to shaving or waxing which needs to be done almost weekly to maintain the look.
There are a huge amount of positives to laser hair removal (beyond just the hair removal part). For example, if you’ve ever been susceptible to ingrown hairs, laser hair removal can help to eliminate these which in turn causes your skin to suffer less aggravation.
So before booking in for a laser hair removal treatment, we’ve put together a list of things you should know before taking the plunge and making a booking;
It sounds painful on paper, but actually it’s not too bad
Laser hair removal works by sending laser light through the hair shaft to ultimately destroy the follicle and the bulb. During the treatment, the laser light turns to heat and destroys the hair cells from within. In writing, that sounds like its going to be painful, but actually it’s not too bad and most people report a mild sensation as if they’ve been flicked with an elastic band.
Before a laser hair removal treatment, shave and prep the area first
It may sound stupid to remove the hair from the area first, but it’s for the best to do it as it allows the laser to penetrate the hair more effectively. You also have less chance of having to deal with the smell of singed or burning hair where the laser has reacted with the hair on the surface of the skin (which is not a very nice smell to deal with). There are a few key prep areas to bear in mind before a laser hair removal treatment which are;
- Shave the area 24 hours prior to the laser hair removal treatment
- Don’t wax, tweeze or pluck the treated area between sessions
- Make sure your skin is clean, no makeup, lotion, deodorant or sun cream on it
- Stop using tanning products a few weeks before your appointment to ensure that there is no residue on the skin
It’s a really fast treatment
Typically, laser hair removal appointments are over within 30 minutes (depending on the size of area to be treated).
Don’t go to the gym or work out at home afterwards
The heat from the laser stays within the skin for 24 hours after a laser hair removal treatment, so going to places like the gym or sauna will run the risk of creating a perfect environment for bacteria to multiply and trigger a breakout of spots.
Patience is absolutely key
You probably won’t notice a difference for a few weeks after your first laser hair removal treatment and it can take much longer for your final results to show through. This is down the different stages of hair growth and not all of your follicles will be in the same stage at the same time. This is why laser hair removal treatments are carried out as a course rather than a one-off treatment, as it ensures that all hair follicles, no matter what stage they are in at any given appointment, can be treated appropriately.
You need to start to take the sun seriously
Before and after your laser hair removal treatment, it’s really important to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun wherever it is possible. It’s even important to wait for a tan to fade back to your natural skin tone as this can affect the treatment and the results that you will achieve afterwards.
In some cases, laser treatment can actually trigger hair growth instead
Certain types of hair are actually stimulated into growing to be longer and thicker instead of being destroyed by the laser light. If your hair falls into this category then you will be informed of this before undergoing treatment.
It’s suitable for people of all skin tones
As long as your hair is long dark enough to draw the laser in, then you are absolutely an appropriate candidate for a laser hair removal treatment. Going back through a few years you would find that laser hair removal was generally only considered appropriate for lighter skin as older technology could affect the skin pigment where the skin was darker, but as technology has advanced there are now safer technologies that can effectively remove hair from anyone, no matter the tone of the skin.
You may need to go back in for a follow up treatment
The vast majority of people report permanent reduction of hair growth, but as hormones fluctuate it can actually cause the hair to grow back in some cases. This is something that is generally discussed during a consultation and recommended follow up treatments can be planned for in advance with much larger periods between them than the initial course.
So now you know a bit more about the process of laser hair removal, you should be able to make a much more informed decision on whether or not it is the right treatment for you. If waxing and shaving just isn’t cutting it anymore, book yourself in with us today for a laser hair removal treatment and get ready to say goodbye to your unwanted body hair for the final time.