Laser Hair Removal Treatment

Laser Hair Removal - Permanent solution to unwanted hair

By Anna Lynn Sibal

It really depends on who looks at it, but hair found on the face, on the back, on the chest, under the arms, on the legs and in the bikini area is generally thought to be unsightly. Such unwanted hair prevents us from wearing some types of clothes, like sleeveless tops, skirts or skimpy bikinis. It also affects our self-confidence to a certain degree.

We women really spend some time and effort into getting rid of the unwanted hair on our bodies. Shaving is the most convenient way of doing it, but also the most time consuming. Sometimes, shaving the underarms and the legs can be a daily chore, and it puts us at risk of having in-grown hair. Some women resort to plucking and waxing, but oh boy, don't they hurt. Besides, they grow back, anyway.

There is a way, however, of dealing with unwanted hair more permanently, and that is undergoing laser hair removal treatment. In laser hair removal treatment, a dermatological surgeon focuses a laser on the part of the skin that is to be treated. The laser then creates a reaction in the melanin in the hair follicles of the treated area. The reaction is supposed to make the hair strand shed and to discourage the hair follicle from producing new cells that will lead to hair growth. Laser hair removal treatment takes four to six sessions to complete, as hair enters different phases of growth.

Laser hair removal treatment, however, works best only with people who have fair skin and dark hair. The laser machine is set to react to the melanin in the skin, so dark-skinned people stand the risk of having their skin being burned by the laser. The laser focused by the machine also generally does not react to blond or red hair, because hair with such colors does not have enough melanin in the strands.

If you think you are a good candidate for laser hair removal treatment, the first thing you should do is to check out the dermatological clinics in your area. You can come up with a list from the phone directory or from the Internet. Look for a clinic where the one operating the laser machine is a real doctor specializing in dermatology or cosmetic surgery. If you are comfortable with it, you can also go for clinics where the machine is run by technicians, as long as there is a doctor supervising the session. Read reviews as you make your list, or you can ask your friends or family members who have undergone the treatment for recommendations.

Once you have picked a clinic, the next step would be to make an initial consultation with the doctor of your choice. Visit the clinic and take note of how clean the premises are and how friendly and helpful the personnel in the clinic are. When you come face to face with the doctor, ask him questions about the field he or she is in, about the machine he or she is using, and the credentials he or she has. Ask as well what form of payment the clinic accepts.

If you already feel confident with your choice, then go ahead and make a schedule for your first session. On every session, all the people involved in the treatment - the doctor, the technician and you - should be wearing eye protection. After all, it is laser you people will be handling, so it is important to keep the eyes protected on every treatment. The treatment is not really painful, but the doctor or the technician will nonetheless apply a gel on your skin to make it numb.

The parameters of the laser hair removal treatment, such as the condition of the skin on the area to be treated and the condition of the hair, will be entered into the machine. The laser will then be allowed to pulse on the skin briefly to check if the data entered on the machine is correct, and then the treatment commences.

After every session, take a couple of days off to rest if you think it is necessary. Keep the treated area clean and moisturized, and use only products that are gentle on the skin. Avoid exposing yourself to the sun, because if your skin gets darker, the effectiveness of the succeeding sessions might lessen considerably. If there is a little swelling, apply an ice pack or cover the skin with soft and clean cloths soaked in ice water to relieve the swelling.

It is possible for complications to arise after each session of the treatment. If the swelling does not go away and blistering of the skin is present, you should go and see the doctor who did the treatment on you as much as possible. They should be equipped to handle such complications.

Laser hair removal treatment is a good way of getting rid of unwanted hair permanently. However, you must remember that this treatment is not for everybody. Consider your choices carefully before going through the process.