Laser Hair Removal Introduction

Laser hair removal is an excellent option if you, like many people, are tired of the constant need to shave or wax unwanted hair. It uses a special laser light to target individual hairs. With several treatments, this hair removal process is long-lasting, unlike other methods.

Laser hair removal selectively targets the hair follicle under the surface of your skin. During the procedure, the doctor presses a special handheld laser device to the area of your skin being treated. The laser device emits pulses of laser beams. Each laser beam may sting a little, but a cooling gel will protect your skin from most of the laser beam, allowing it to pass through to the follicle. The light turns into heat once it has been absorbed by the skin, and this heat disables the follicle instantly. Because follicles are where hair growth originates, that follicle will no longer produce any regrowth.

Laser hair removal works by targeting the melanin in the hair follicles. The melanin is the pigment that turns hairs dark. Because of the way the laser targets the hair follicles, it works best on dark brown or black hairs. These colors are produced because there is more melanin in the hair follicle. A drawback of this method is that it is not usually effective on blonde hairs or fine "peach fuzz". These hairs may completely regrow after treatment because the laser beam cannot disable the hairs follicle without enough melanin.

The hairs color and skin type are two main factors influencing the effectiveness of the procedure. For laser hair removal, ideal candidates are those with light skin and dark, course hairs. While older lasers could only be used with this combination, newer lasers are also effective on medium or darker skin tones, as well as slightly lighter hairs.

Laser hair removal takes a few treatments for it to have long-lasting results. Hairs grow in cycles, and the lasers used can only target hairs that are in the active growth cycle. Several sessions, spaced about 4-6 weeks apart, are needed to catch the hairs that were dormant during the first session. This process of removing hair is long-lasting, but it is possible that there may be regrowth in the future.

Using lasers to remove hair is safe for most areas of the body, including larger areas like the legs and back as well as smaller areas like the upper lip and bikini lines. Larger areas may take up to two hours, while smaller areas may take just ten or fifteen minutes.

Laser hair removal is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures, and for good reason. As long as you choose a qualified and fully trained dermatologist, it is very safe. Other than redness and swelling, the risk of side effects is very low.

Louise Bently is the author of Home Laser homelaserhairremovalsystems.com Hair Removal Systems which has more advice about the many aspects of personal laser hair removal at home. Discover more about the advantages of homelaserhairremovalsystems.com/general-advice/home-laser-hair-removal-advantages laser hair removal at home.