All the truth about laser hair removal that no one will tell you
The first laser hair removal procedure was performed in 1996. Ruby laser was used to remove unwanted hair growth. Soon it was replaced by more perfect technology alexandrite and diode laser, the use of which allows to solve the problem in the most physiological way, without harm to health and with a guarantee of a positive result. However, the question of whether laser hair removal or not, has not lost its relevance. We will try to answer them, presenting expert information in an accessible form.
All about laser hair removal: harms, benefits, number of procedures and tips.
Brief procedure of laser hair removal:
- How the laser works: the flash heats the hair, the heat reaches the root (follicle) of the hair and destroys it. The hair dies.
- Before the treatment, the hair must be trimmed, leaving about 1 mm. After the procedure the burnt remnant of the hair is left in place of the hair, which will fall out on its own after 7-10 days. They can not be plucked and squeezed!
- After 2-4 weeks new hair grows out of the neighboring, undestroyed follicles. Once they grow back enough, a second visit is needed to destroy those hair roots. As new hair follicles awaken from dormant follicles, you need to come in for repeated sessions. Their quantity depends on the area of treatment (usually a minimum in the armpits, a maximum in the bikini zone)
- Full course of procedures. from 3 to 8 (depending on the hormonal background and the degree of the problem). After the course, you usually need one or two visits a year to maintain a “hairless” condition!
In our clinic the reduction of hair in the desired area occurs already from 1-2 sessions. For a long-term hair growth termination, 3-6 procedures are required, depending on the hair density and the treatment zone.
It is necessary to take into account that hair growth has three phases. telogen, catagen and anagen, and therefore a course of procedures should be planned on the basis of individual features of hair growth!
Laser is harmful?
Lasers for hair removal have been used officially since 1995, when this method was approved by the American FDA. The entire international medical community has subsequently confirmed the effectiveness of this method.
During all time of laser hair removal there is not a single proven fact of connection of this method of hair removal and possible diseases (for example, cancer formations).
The laser is absolutely harmless if the settings and parameters of the device are observed. The most undesirable consequences of laser hair removal. are burns, but our beauticians were trained, and in the clinic is the most modern device with the best (at the moment) cooling system. We have. No burns.
Why lasers in general? They say electric hair removal is better!
The success of electroepilation depends on the experience and precision of the specialist performing the procedure: how accurately the needle of the electrode is inserted into the follicle. If the beautician’s hand shakes. there will be no effect, but the skin micro-burn will remain.
All in all, for fans of electrical torture, we’ve prepared a special article about the difference between electro-epilation and laser hair removal. Briefly we want to note again that after hair removal with electricity can remain micro-scars!
With lasers, it’s not the beautician who aims at the right “target”, but the machine itself. The beam finds the desired “target” by itself.
Lasers, like IPL light technology, can specifically target certain “targets”. to water (present in all cells of our body), oxyhemoglobin (present in blood vessels), and melanin.
When melanin absorbs laser energy, the hairs are heated to over 100 degrees Celsius, which causes them to burn and the water in them to evaporate. Expanding steam makes hair “swell”. But the goal is not to destroy the hair, but to use it as a guide inside the skin, to destroy the hair follicle from which it grows.
The main task of epilation (as opposed to depilation) is “killing” the hair follicle (more precisely. “killing” the feeding follicular papilla and its capsule).
There are alexandrite and diode lasers. For the residents of Russia there is no fundamental difference between these devices, except for pain and comfort of the procedure.
We offer our patients the most modern Candela alexandrite laser with a dynamic cooling system, working without the viscous gel that is usually used with diode lasers.
Our alexandrite laser. The most comfortable among the effective. Want to test? 🙂
If you want to understand in more detail the principle of laser hair removal and to understand what is shown in the diagram above, read the article “The essence of laser hair removal and types of lasers”.
The biggest problem in the hair removal market is the blatant deception of consumers and patients for financial gain, behind which the interests and safety of the patient are forgotten!
How the laser works
When you can see how the hairs remain on the skin. The whole point is that the effect of the beam is not instantaneous. The mechanism of action of the laser beam on hair follicles and roots is based on laser penetration into deep layers of the skin (approximately 2-3 millimeters). The waves only work on the bulb, not cutting or pulling the hair itself. This has a positive effect on the epidermis, without traumatizing or making it uncomfortable. For the sensitive, delicate skin in the intimate area, this exposure is especially important because it does not cause unwanted consequences, unlike other, non-laser methods of getting rid of hair. You will not notice any subsequent heavy redness, ingrown hairs, or irritation. Each hair follicle is absorbed by the laser, causing the melanin (color pigment) inside to absorb the flashes of light. The hair is heated from the inside out, and over time, it simply breaks down and falls out, allowing your skin to become smooth and you to enjoy the aesthetic pleasure. It can take years before the root fills up with sap and allows the hair to grow back. Since the mechanism of action of the beam is aimed precisely at hair and melanin, the skin is not heated, and therefore does not get burns.
The vitality of this high-molecular pigment (this is how melanin is scientifically defined) influences the thickness, stiffness, and rich color of the hair in these areas that we hate. They stop bothering us even after the treatment. Feedback suggests that the hair falls out within two weeks. But this applies to those layers of skin that are in the active growth phase during the procedure (that is, they are on the surface and can be seen during manipulation). The laser rays are more noticeable and effective for hard and dark hair. Those hairs that have not yet appeared above the skin during the first sessions can easily be removed during the following procedures. In most cases, experts recommend from 5 to 10 sessions. Hair length for laser hair removal bikini in this case does not matter, because the doctor can his pre-shave a little hair in the treatment area, shortening them to the right size. A full course of manipulations allows you to completely get rid of hair in the intimate area for a long time.
How effective is the procedure
According to statistics, the method allows to eliminate up to 99% of unnecessary vegetation for 6 to 10 years. The duration of the effect is individual for each person, as it depends on the type of hair, its thickness and other physiological features.
The technique is based on the action of light energy on hair follicles. The beam of light penetrates the bulbs, heating them and destroying the melanin they contain. As a result the follicle is completely destroyed, and the hair itself falls out after 10-14 days.
It is worth mentioning that after the first procedure only a part of the hair is removed, on average from 10 to 30%. This is why laser hair removal is carried out during the course, because the effect of a single session will not last long. For complete removal of vegetation, many patients need only 5-8 sessions. But this figure is individual and depends on many parameters.
Can it be so that the procedure brings no effect? If the procedure is performed correctly and quality equipment is used, the result is sure to be. Of course, there are some buts. For example, the procedure is not performed on gray hair in which there is no melanin, and therefore the light beam will not have any effect on them.
Many patients who previously underwent laser hair removal in other clinics, complain that the effect was very little. Most likely it was due to low power of the laser used and incorrect technique. If the session is performed according to the technique and the right settings of the device, the positive result will be in almost 100% of cases.
Laser hair removal does not remove hair permanently?
Official medicine has noted no difference (in terms of efficiency) between laser hair removal, photo hair removal and electro hair removal. If all these procedures are carried out competently and correctly, the effectiveness of all these methods of hair removal is the same!
About the ineffective removal of hair by laser state people who do not really understand how hair removal by means of light radiation works. Note that a laser is the same as a light. Only highly concentrated, so physically laser hair removal is no different from photoepilation.
Laser hair removal. contraindications vs desire of perfectly smooth skin
Laser hair removal is a procedure that many people are interested in lately. Its popularity is quite understandable: a few sessions you can easily and painlessly get rid of unwanted hair on any part of the body: legs, bikini zone, armpit, and other areas (for example, to remove a noticeable fuzz above the upper lip, on the arms, or even in the nasal cavities). In fact, all these are quite intimate situations, which we are not ready to trust to the first person we meet. Many visitors visit different salons and clinics before they find their laser hair removal specialist. The contradiction in such searches is one: do not hesitate to communicate and ask questions to see if you are ready to trust such a delicate procedure to this person.
The idea of not having to deal with other manipulations to make your skin smooth and velvety, is very attractive. You come to the cosmetology clinic, you are told about the miraculous perfect result which you and your specialist will achieve during several meetings, or you communicate with your friend who is fascinated by the results of several laser hair removal procedures. What effect! You think and realize that you want the same. Are you already tired of waxing and shugaring, because they must be done at least once a month to maintain the effect. Are you tired of that week before hair removal, when you have to let it grow out visibly for a productive wax removal.
During this period you avoid short dresses and naked body parts. How familiar it is, many of us have experienced it. We are ashamed, embarrassed and think how we would like to get rid of this hair, given to us by nature, in strictly defined places. Each of us is looking for an effective way to solve this aesthetic problem, and sooner or later you ask yourself: what if we try hair removal with laser?? That’s why we all are more and more worried about the influence of laser hair removal on women’s and men’s bodies. And there is nothing strange that the strong sex also resorts to such an opportunity. They often choose to hair their armpits, the bottom of cheeks, neck and sideburns zone, so that the growing beard or mustache have distinct growth lines, it makes them neat, and the procedure of regular moustache and beard trimming less jewelry.
It is becoming evident that these days more and more people are resorting to more innovative methods of hair removal. To some extent, we can be called hostages of our desires. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with working on your looks and trying to do better. We are stimulated by our own attractiveness and the possibilities we have to work on our body and face. But is laser hair removal dangerous?? To set the record straight, let’s talk about the laser hair treatment and its contraindications.
Pigmentation after laser hair removal
The method of removing unwanted facial and body hair with laser is the leader in efficiency and duration of the result. The procedure, in most cases, passes without any side effects. However it is impossible to exclude completely the negative consequences.
The pigmentation after laser hair removal, as a rule, appears in the following cases.
- The procedure was performed on dark skin.
- The patient had been sunbathing or using a tanning bed for the first few days after the session.
- The cause of the problem may be another type of complication. burns, or rather improper skin care after the burn.
HOW TO FIX HYPERPIGMENTATION FAST: MY AT HOME LASER HAIR REMOVAL HORROR STORY.
Myths about laser hair removal
The fashionable and effective hair removal procedure has quickly become surrounded by myths that have nothing to do with reality. This is due to machinations of competitors and the low level of literacy of popular bloggers, commentators on major women’s forums.
Among the most common legends about laser hair removal:
- Infertility. the procedure cannot cause infertility in women, for the reason that the energy beam penetrates to a depth of 1-4 mm. The ovaries are located farther away in the pelvic cavity and are protected by tissue. Despite these obvious safety conditions of the procedure, studies have been conducted on the effects of the laser on fertility. Scientists have determined that the procedure is completely safe for a woman’s health;
- The laser affects the pregnancy during pregnancy. it is not recommended during pregnancy, but not because of the negative effect on the fetus. Pregnant woman has a highly altered hormonal background. Skin tissue in this situation reacts differently to exposure to the energy beam. Increases the risk of pigmentation, unpredictable opening of dormant follicles, increases sensitivity. These side effects are the reason why pregnant women refuse laser hair removal;
- Radiation exposure. the laser beam is not source of harsh gamma radiation. Irradiation in medicine is used to destroy cancer cells, to solve complex aesthetic problems, to obtain scans of the bone apparatus. The laser energy beam is more like the light flux from a regular light bulb than an x-ray. During epilation, the follicle is heated. the targeted destruction of only a certain structure of the human body. The beam has a stimulating effect on the skin, initiates cell regeneration, improves metabolism;
- Risk of malignancy. the laser beam does not provoke tissue remodeling, but it can be considered an external effect that can affect potential malignant neoplasms. Just as the sun’s ultraviolet light, chemical reagents or trauma affect pigmented nevi, a beam of light can accelerate the rebirth. Consult a dermatologist. A specialist will assess the structure of birthmarks and skin thickenings and give approval for the procedure.
Effects of electroepilation
⚡Electricity has been used in cosmetology for a long time and a whole set of procedures are indeed useful and safe. microcurrent therapy, electroporation. However, the two procedures. Vascular electroepilation and electrocoagulation. morally and technically outdated.
Progress is moving forward, with lasers replacing electricity: laser procedures are faster, more effective, more painless. However, quite a few of the fair sex still “torture” themselves with electricity.
