What to Know Before Your First Laser Hair Removal Treatment
Men and women alike are bound to have some kind of unwanted body hair in certain areas. With the help of a dermatologists at Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Institute and laser hair removal you can finally remove that stubborn body hair for good.
What is Laser Hair Removal?
If you are over shaving, tweezing and waxing then laser hair removal is the perfect option for your hair removal. Laser hair removal beams highly concentrated light into hair follicles, which absorb the light, ultimately destroying the hair. It is most commonly used to remove unwanted hair from the face, legs, chin, back, arms, underarms and bikini line. The lasers used are able to selectively target dark and coarse hair while not affecting the surrounding skin. Each pulse of the laser takes less than one second and can treat many hairs at one time. In fact, a section the size of a quarter can be treated in that one second.
Treating an upper lip can take less than one minute while the back or legs can take up to one hour. After three to seven sessions you will likely experience permanent hair loss on the treated areas. The average cost per session is $285, but varies based on the size of the area being treated and the number of treatments being required.
Preparing for Laser Hair Removal
Since laser hair removal is a medical procedure it is important it is performed by those with the required training, such as the dermatologists at Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Institute. Before the procedure, be sure to limit any kind of plucking, waxing or electrolysis for at least six weeks before treatment. The laser treats the hairs’ roots, which are usually removed by waxing or plucking. Additionally, it is important to avoid exposure to sun six weeks before and after treatment as it can make the treatment less effective and/or cause complications after treatment.
What to Expect
During the procedure, expect your body hair being treated to be trimmed to a few millimeters above the skin’s surface. Next, a topical numbing medicine will be applied to the area being treated to help with the sting of the laser pulses. Lastly, the laser will be adjusted based on the color, thickness and location of the hair being treated. Once the procedure begins you and the technician will wear eye protection from the lasers.
After the procedure a topical cooling agent will help soothe any discomfort. You can then schedule your next appointment four to six weeks later. For only one to two days after the treatment you can expect the treated skin to feel and look sunburned, but using cool compresses will help.
Laser hair removal is a great alternative to never having to shave that unwanted body hair ever again. After less than one year of treatments you can say goodbye to your unwanted body hair forever. If you are in Bloomington, Illinois or surrounding area, fill out this form to get in touch with Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Institute for your laser hair removal appointment.