Sometimes, getting rid of unwanted hair can feel like a battle. When you are at war with unwanted body hair, your traditional tools include razors, wax and tweezers. But what happens when those tools just do not seem to do the job efficiently? It may be time to expand your arsenal of hair removal treatments by visiting your local spa or skincare clinic. There, you will find other methods of hair removal. Among the most popular is clinical laser hair removal treatment.
Laser Hair Removal Versus Other Hair Removal Options
Laser hair removal is different from many other hair removal methods for several reasons. First, the laser targets melanin in each hair shaft and follicle (root). Other body hair removal methods are not as thorough. For example, shaving cuts hairs in half, leaving the lower halves of the hairs intact. They lurk under the skin ready to pop back through its surface almost right away. By weakening each hair from tip to root, lasers accomplish the real goal of total hair removal.
Despite being total hair removal tools, lasers are not always permanent hair removal tools. The reason hair removal laser equipment has a reputation for permanent hair removal is the hair often disappears for a long period of time. Not having to treat unwanted hair for weeks or months after laser hair removal is what makes it so appealing. Those results, though variable from person to person, are always considerably better than the results of shaving or waxing undesirable body hair.
Other Laser Hair Removal Procedure Benefits
Laser hair removal also has many other benefits. For example, a laser is a precise tool capable of targeting any area with total accuracy. For that reason, it can be used to treat almost any portion of your body. Commonly treated areas include bikini lines, underarms, legs and arms. Lasers can also be used to treat facial hair, but during many treatments you must wear protective eye coverings to prevent the lasers from damaging your vision. Lasers are also beneficial because they work quickly. Multiple hairs can be treated with a single laser burst. That burst lasts for less than one second. As a result, it can take less than a minute to treat small areas. Larger areas rarely take more than one hour to treat.
What Lasers Cannot Do for You
There are certain things lasers cannot do. For example, they cannot remove hairs instantly. It typically takes around four to six treatment sessions to weaken the hairs in the treatment area enough to remove them for an extended period. Some body parts take longer than others to treat because different types of human hair grow at different rates.
Lasers also cannot remove hair permanently every time, even if you complete a full round of treatment. Some hairs may be gone for good, but others can regrow. Those that do may simply take weeks, or sometimes months, to do so. Any hairs that do return are often lighter and finer than the original hairs. Since each person responds differently to treatment, there is no way to predict your results with total accuracy. However, you can have additional laser treatments for maintenance purposes, if they are needed at a future time.
What Happens During Laser Hair Removal
During a laser hair removal procedure, one of the first things your clinician will do is trim the hair in the treatment area. It has to be a certain length for optimal laser procedure results. Then the technician will assess the thickness and color of your hair and the color of your skin. The laser can be calibrated based on that information to give you the best possible results. During the procedure, you may experience a heating or zapping sensation on your skin.