Hey there, you have come across this blog post to learn everything there is to know about laser hair removal. Maybe you are interested in booking your own appointment and you wanted to learn more before doing so! We hope this will answer any questions you have, and we hope after reading this you feel prepared for your laser Treat•ment and ready to book. We also hope this provides you with more knowledge so that you truly feel comfortable and educated about the procedure of laser hair removal! Both Alicia and Danielle have had experience with laser hair removal by having their own successful Treat•ments as well as operating the laser machine and working with clients!
How Does Laser Work? The laser used during this procedure is a laser specifically designed to treat unwanted hair. The laser is a strong light emitting diode; this means the light is attracted to the melanin in the hair. So once the laser can detect the melanin in the hair shaft, it will singe that hair follicle. The pigment in the hair absorbs the light, once this process happens the light is what damages the cell that re-creates hair. Therefore, after a few Treat•ments the damaged hair follicles will be lighter, thinner or even non-existent. The FDA defines permanent reduction as hair that does not regrow after 2 growth cycles. This is how and why laser hair removal is known as a permanent reduction option. I use a very reliable, effective and impressive machine called the Diolaze from Inmode!
Is Laser Hair Removal Safe?
It absolutely is safe as long as you are going to someone professional and certified. Please (always) do your research. However, just to make you feel more comfortable with laser being a safe procedure, the light that penetrates the hair shaft can only go 2-6 millimeters deep. The reason why this is important information is because this means it does not go deep enough to damage any organs. In addition to this I have many years in the business and two laser certifications. I also welcome any questions you may have.
How Many Treatments will I Need?
Unfortunately there is no absolute or concrete answer to this common question. I can provide an estimate or a generally educated assessment but nothing infinite. This is because everyone responds to the laser differently. Everyone has different skin types and skin tones; and everyone has different hair, whether it is thin, course, sparse, congested, light, dark etc. It also varies because it depends on the area being treated. However, a general estimate to guide you better is 4-6 Treat•ments for fair skin individuals and on average 7-10 for those individuals with darker skin. After you are happy with your results, you can stop with your scheduled Treat•ments . If you find later down the road you have some hairs that are growing in, the occasional touch up is the best option. Just an FYI: Male backs are the hardest area to treat, and bikini/brazilian responds the best. I do not offer package deals for every area being treated. I have a few package deals for some areas. I do this because, my prices are already very competitive for the education I provide and the machine I use. In addition, this is because I can never promise the exact number of Treat•ments required. This MAY change in the future, but at this time only some areas come with a package. You can find all prices listed below and or on my service page of my website, you will see that my prices are very reasonable, especially if you have been shopping around.
What Could Cause my Hair to Grow Back After or during my Laser Treatments? Hormonal changes are one of the main influencers that could trigger spontaneous hair growth. This includes puberty, pregnancy, menopause and any hormonal supplements/medications. Excessive Stress is another factor that could lead to hair growth. This is because hair growth is also influenced by hormonal changes. However, it is important to note that IF you hair does grow back for the listed reasons, it is highly likely that the regrown hair will not be as course or dark as it originally once was. So having a few touch up treatments likely will be very beneficial. I have seen great success with a few touch ups and hair being treated once again. Individuals with PCOS will also notice more hair growth in between and after Treat•ments, as this is stubborn to work with.
How often should I come for a Treat•ment? If you are treating facial hair, each session should be 4-6 weeks apart. If you are treating body hair, each session should be 6-8 weeks apart.
What do I need to do to Prep for My Laser Treatment? Prepping for your laser treatment is very simple. First things first, make sure you have not waxed, sugared or threaded the area (shaving is fine) for at least 4-6 weeks. In order to have your laser treatments effective the hair bulb needs to be present, this is why waxing for example is not okay and shaving is. You want to shave the area being treated 12-24 hours prior to appointment. Make sure the area being treated has been free from sun exposure. Laser over tanned or dark skin can be dangerous if laser technician is not careful. This is because the laser picks up the melanin in the hair shaft and the laser wont know the difference between the melanin in the hair or the pigmentation in the skin.Do not apply self tanner for 1-2 weeks prior to your appointment as again, the laser scopes out melanin in the skin and this can cause the laser to tattoo the self tanner to the skin (No, this does not mean a permanent tan forever, this will be burnt, damaged skin) Feel free to book a consultation beforehand to ensure your skin and hair would see beneficial results.
What do I Need to do/know for After My Laser Treatment?
After your laser treatment you want to avoid anything that will cause heat or friction, such as, working out, hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, baths, sexual intercourse etc. If the area is still warm or irritated after a treatment apply Aloe Vera and or cold compress, that should take away some of the irritation (if any). Do not shave the treated area for at least one to two weeks. This is because you want the treated hair to completely shed out of the hair follicle. If you are finding some hair in places you don’t want it, you can gently exfoliate them using a loofa and they should gently fall out. Avoid the sun for 1-2 weeks after your laser Treat•ment. Do not apply retinols, deodorants or creams to the areas being treated for 24-48 hours.
Is there a Healing Process After My Laser Treatment?
No! Not typically. If you follow all of the after care instruction everything should be perfectly fine. I have heard from many clients that they are fine after their treatment, and if they were red or warm (feels like a sunburn) that sensation goes away after a few hours. If you are more sensitive you might have the symptoms for longer, you might even notice the hair follicles are inflamed almost like bee stings. This is normal. If you have folliculitis you can still get laser hair removal. The only thing I would note would be that potentially your hair follicle will hold the heat longer and potentially have a slower healing time since there is already edema in the hair follicle. This is not for certain, but a potential if you do experience folliculitis.
What Should I Expect After My Laser Hair Removal Treatment? After your treatment your skin may feel like it has a sunburn and may be irritated, and red as if you truly were sun burnt, this is normal. Don’t freak out, but your skin may be bumpy and lightly scab, again this is completely normal and bumps and scabs will subside. However, I will tell you, as I tell all my clients. If there is ever a reaction that you are unsure about, contacting me is always an option!
What Does LASER Mean? We really hope this question has come to mind for you, because it's really important. LASER is actually an acronym. Bet you didn’t know that! Therefore when laser is advertised as LAZER I cannot promise that it will deliver the same results as LASER (spelt with an S). LASER stands for L-light A-amplification by S-stimulated E-emission of R-radiation. This is a very important tid-bit of information!
Additional Resources
Let's talk prices, the famous question. "HOW MUCH?" The prices are prices PER Treat•ment. Please visit the page listing all the services as the prices will be listed there. If you are interested in package pricing, that will also be listed on the Treat•ment page.
Thank you for reading and we hope you feel confident in our knowledge and professionalism. This all being said we can NEVER promise results, as everyone is different and will have a different experience. However, we are very confident in the technique, and the machine that is used. We also cannot provide information on why your laser results were not as effective as you would like, if our clinic did not do the procedure or previous treatments. There are different technicians, different machines and different treatment plans. We do feel bad for those who spend the money and are un happy with their results… unfortunately it does happen, and luckily for our clients they have been very happy when they have found us!
If after reading this you still want more information feel free to browse our Instagram or listen to our podcast episode! We even have a results page here to show you what we achieve in clinic! We take pride in having multiple resources for you!
You are more than welcome to book your appointment here!