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The lowdown on laser hair removal

Considering laser hair removal? We take a look at the procedure and weigh up the pros and cons

Unsightly, excess body hair can make you feel uncomfortable, may be difficult to remove, and often grows back quickly, no matter what method of hair removal you use. Laser hair removal can offer an effective, long lasting, less painful hair removal treatment. For women, it can be used on several areas; face, neck, bikini line, underarms, arms and legs. Men are more suited to the face, neck, ears, back and chest areas.

Laser technology

Modern laser hair removal technology is sensitive, extremely precise, and effective for all areas of the body, from large to small areas. It is a fast procedure with little or no pain, leaving you with fabulously smooth hair-free skin.

Basic biology

Hair grows in cycles. These cycles are known as anagen (growing), catagen (resting) and telegen (dying). In order for the most effective treatment, hairs need to be in the anagen stage. Not all of our hairs will be in the anagen cycle at one-time. All three cycles are occurring every day. This is why multiple treatments are recommended, so that all hairs are treated during the anagen cycle for the most effective results.

Suitability

It is recommended that you have a patch test done before you start a treatment programme in order to determine skin response.

The best results are obtained when there is a large difference between the colour of the hair, and the colour of the skin i.e. black hair on fair skins. For this type of person, the laser can be used very bright, with little risk of harming the skin. Brown hair gives less effective results, with red hair responding poorly. Blonde or white hairs are the least effective.

Mediterranean, and far eastern skin types can be treated with extra care. The darker the skin type, the larger skin pigmentation is and therefore absorbs too much laser light, potentially causing unwanted damage to skin.

Safety

It's essential that you attend a registered clinic, and have a consultation prior to treatment by a registered practitioner so that a tailored treatment programme can be designed for you. They should discuss your options in detail, and should take into account your needs and desired results.

Goggles should be worn by you during treatments, as the laser light is extremely bright and could cause damage to the delicate eye sensors.

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