What is laser hair removal?
Laser hair removal is a process that helps to reduce hair growth and increase the manageability of excess hair in the long-term. Laser energy is used to selectively target and disrupt hair follicles whilst leaving the skin unaffected. It has been used since the 1990's for this reason, and can help reduce unwanted hair that is usually removed by plucking, shaving or waxing, and make hair management an easier task.
How does it work?
Laser hair removal works by using a laser or light source to target and selectively heat the hair follicle. The laser is attracted to the melanin in the hair follicle where it is converted to heat energy that can destroy the stem cell in the hair follicle and prevent its future growth. The skin also takes up part of the laser energy, but it has the ability to lose heat quicker than the hair follicle, and is left intact. Hair also has a larger amount of melanin than skin, therefore it attracts the laser energy more readily than skin. Therefore, as a rule, people with darker hair and lighter skin are easier to treat as there is a greater differential between the amount of melanin in the skin and hair.
Laser hair removal works best on the hairs that are in their anagen or active growth phase. The laser head is placed on the skin, and systematically fired over the areas to be treated. A small 'prick' is felt with each laser shot, and this discomfort is usually tolerated well. We may also use skin cooling to reduce the heat and discomfort of the laser on the skin, and this can be built into the laser head, or be a separate cooling unit that blows cold air onto the skin.
How many treatments do I need and how often?
Generally, 3 to 8 sessions are required at 4 to 8 weekly intervals (depending on the area treated) in order to achieve a 60 to 80% reduction in hair growth. The reason why 3 to 8 treatments are required is that laser hair removal works best on the hairs that are in their anagen or active growth phase. Therefore, in order to reduce the amount of hair growth, multiple treatments are required to capture more hair follicles in their anagen phase of growth. The interval between each session is decreased in areas such as the face which has a shorter hair cycle.
The permanence of laser hair removal has always been a debatable topic. In many cases, hair reduction can be achieved for a significant period of time, sometimes years. Although laser hair removal is able to permanently remove existing hairs, this does not prevent the growth of new hairs - this is the case with any laser or IPL system used. Instead laser hair removal allows for easier management of hair, decreasing the need for plucking, waxing, and shaving of hairs.
What is the difference between the lasers/IPL for hair removal?
IPL or intense pulsed light is the most common machine used for hair removal. It is technically not a laser as it emits a broad-band of light frequencies rather than a single wavelength. IPL systems are effective for hair removal, but as there are a broad-band of light frequencies emitted, it tends to be less selectively attracted to the hair follicle in relation to the skin.
Therefore, the probability of blistering and skin pigmentation problems after treatment is higher than some other laser systems. True lasers only emit one single frequency at a time, which allows them to target a particular hair type on a particular skin type. This means that, if you have chosen the correct laser and wavelength, you will have a safer and more effective result for your skin type and hair type. IPL is akin to a pocket knife, with lots of different functions, but none that it truly does well, and lasers are akin to a set of chef knives, each one made for an individual purpose and is highly specialised to that task.
What do I need to do before treatment?
Hair should not be plucked or waxed at least 6 weeks before treatment. The principle behind this is to leave just the follicle of the hair intact. Plucking/waxing will remove the follicle, whereas shaving will not. You will need to shave the area to be treated the day before or the morning of the procedure.
Do not tan the area to be treated if possible. This means avoidance of solariums, direct sun exposure, spray tans, and use of sunscreen daily on the areas to be treated. Do not apply cosmetics or creams to the treatment area on the day of treatment. If you have a history of cold sores and and you are planning to have your upper lip hairs or chin hairs treated you will need to inform your treating physician so that you can be put on appropriate anti-viral therapy beforehand.
What does laser hair removal feel like?
Generally, there is a small amount of discomfort associated with laser hair removal. It feels like a rubber band snapping on the skin associated with the feeling of heat. Any discomfort is reduced by the contact cooling tip of the laser, but will increase with an increase in the size and density of the hair follicle, the darkness of the skin, and the laser energy used.
What are the risks of laser hair removal?
Sun avoidance is important after laser treatments, and sunscreen should be used on the treated area (if exposed to sunlight) on a daily basis. This is important to reduce pigmentation problems after the treatment (either gain or loss of pigmentation of the treated area).
Although uncommon, any blisters or scabs resulting from laser hair removal should not be scratched or picked at. This can result in permanent scarring (very rare) if these blisters or scabs become irritated or infected. The skin may appear mildly red and swollen after treatment and aloe vera gel can also be used for any skin irritation from laser treatment.
Uncommonly, laser hair removal on the upper lip may also reactivate cold sores, and if this occurs you should inform your treating physician as soon as possible. There is no relationship between laser hair removal and skin cancers. It is the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum that causes skin cancers and the laser wavelengths used for hair removal are not close to the UV spectrum.