Laser hair removal is such an effective procedure that it’s become standard for celebrities who no longer want to go through the hassle of weekly shaves and monthly waxes. It’s used to remove unwanted hair from the arms, armpits, neckline, back, lower abdomen and even intimate areas.
Alma Lasers Australia, a certified provider of professional laser hair removal machines for sale in Australia, has seen an increase in the general public’s interest in laser hair removal, which has resulted in significant growth in the industry. However, there are also many questions about the procedure, the most common of which are: is it permanent, and is it safe?
Must-Knows About Laser Hair Removal
A professional laser hair removal machine is designed to target the skin’s problem areas with a specific laser strength and wavelength. The light from the laser targets melanin beneath the skin. The melanin absorbs the light, and the light becomes heat.
It’s this heat that targets the hair follicles. It creates just enough damage to the follicles to prevent or delay hair regrowth. If it’s performed correctly and the patient follows recommended aftercare, laser hair removal results can last a long time.
While a damaged or destroyed hair follicle will no longer grow hair, patients can expect some hair to grow back in the treated area. This is addressed by having the area treated again. Even if hair does grow back, the hair will be finer, lighter, and less noticeable than before.
Though laser hair removal works well on all skin types and tones, it’s considered most effective on individuals with light skin and dark hair.
Safety Procedures and Effectiveness
People unfamiliar with how the procedure is performed may not be aware that laser hair removal is not instantaneous.
Some cosmetic treatments like microdermabrasion and laser glow treatments are referred to as lunchtime cosmetic procedures. They take less than an hour and can be done during your lunch break, and since there is no downtime, you can go right back to work after.
Meanwhile, laser hair removal treatment takes longer to perform. Also, more than one treatment is needed to ensure that the hair follicles are fully damaged to the point that they won’t regrow hair.
This is done for safety reasons: it ensures that your skin won’t be damaged by the laser’s intensity each time you receive the laser treatment. There’s only enough laser strength to damage your hair follicles and nothing else. This keeps the rest of your skin cells as safe as possible.
Furthermore, you can give your skin time to rest in between procedures. You’ll be prescribed cold packs, soothing gels, or medication for discomfort if needed. Your skin gets to rest recover, and after a few weeks, the specialist will instruct you to return for the next session.
This repeats in several cycles until the hair follicles have been completely disabled from regrowth. There is still the potential, years later, for hair to regrow if the follicles recover. It depends on each person’s unique growth cycle.
Because there’s the chance of regrowth and it may take many sessions, many cosmetic surgeons prefer to refer to laser hair removal as “long-term” rather than permanent.
Important Factors
Different factors affect the effectiveness of the procedure. These factors will affect whether or not hair grows back.
Skin Tone and Hair Color
Laser hair treatment is highly effective in people with lighter complexions and dark hair. Because of the pigment contrast between their skin and hair, it is easier for the laser to target follicles.
If you have darker skin or lighter hair, you may need more laser sessions than others. The wavelength of the laser may also have to be adjusted. Ensure that you have a thorough consultation with your specialist before any procedure, so the right strength and wavelength can be determined.
Hormones
Hormones affect hair growth and thus affect your laser hair removal treatment results. The higher your hormone levels are, the faster or thicker the regrowth. Suppose you have exceptionally high hormones, perhaps due to an underlying condition such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, which affects the hormones. In that case, you might need a few more sessions for your treatment.
You’ll also have to discuss this with your specialist in a consultation so you and your specialist can map out your treatment plan.
Growth Cycles
It isn’t easy to pinpoint where your hair growth cycle is at any given moment, but you have to adjust your expectations of the laser’s effectiveness. Even the best laser hair removal procedures can’t eliminate every single follicle every pass.
The best way to ensure that as many hair follicles as possible are targeted is to wait four to six weeks between treatment, allowing any other hair follicles to grow out and get targeted in your next session.
Hair Removal Products
Hair removal products are not a permanent solution, but if you’ve used them previously, they may have caused your hair to thin out. This makes laser hair removal treatment more effective because the thinner hair is weaker, and the follicles may already have some damage. Be sure also to mention this during your consultation.
Approach Licensed, Certified Professionals
You get the best results and the safest possible procedure when a certified specialist performs your hair removal treatment. Their experience and knowledge, especially of the different types of lasers and their wavelengths, can provide you with various options for strength and effectiveness.
Alma Lasers is one of Australia’s trusted and certified providers of laser skincare machines and treatments. Our specialists are trained to perform different laser hair removal and skincare treatments. Book a consultation with us today to discuss all your options for laser hair removal, or read more about the services we offer.
