If you’re tired of the endless cycle of waxing, plucking, and shaving and would like to have effortlessly smooth skin, laser hair removal could be for you. At New England Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center in Weymouth, MA, we use the latest Candela laser for safe, effective treatment.
How Long Does Laser Hair Removal Take?
It only takes about an hour at most for one laser hair removal appointment, and some areas of the body can be done much more quickly than that. If you’re only treating the underarms or the face, for instance, you can expect it to be done in just about a half hour. If you want to do the legs or address multiple areas of the body at one time, your appointment will take a bit longer.
To get the best results, most people need about six to eight treatments to accomplish their goals. It’s essential to target every hair follicle in the target area, and the laser is only able to work effectively on hair that is actively growing. Some of the follicles in your treatment area will be dormant at any given time, and we need to allow some time for those follicles to cycle into the growing stage and then be addressed at your next treatment. Treatments are usually scheduled four to six weeks apart, depending on your hair growth cycle.
FAQ About Treatment
How Much Hair Gets Removed in a Treatment?
Lasers are able to get between 15% and 30% of the hair in a treatment area in any one treatment. The precise number will depend on the contrast between your hair and skin color and the speed at which your hair grows. While it will take a few treatments to get your results, you will notice a definite difference very quickly. Consider the numbers.
Say you have 1,000 hairs in your treatment area. Your first treatment gets 25% of them, or 250. You now have only 750 hairs in the area, which is enough to notice a profound difference. In addition, some of the hair follicles that weren’t completely disabled by the first treatment will have been damaged so they grow finer, thinner hair, more slowly than before.
You have a ways to go to meet your goal, but you’ll notice the difference right away. At your next treatment, you’ll get another 25% of the remaining 750: another 187 or so. After just two treatments, nearly half the hair could easily be gone, and you’ll find it much easier and faster to shave.
How Quickly Will I Notice the Results?
You may initially think that your hair is still growing and nothing happened. This is because the now disabled follicles will shed their hairs, and this initial shedding looks a lot like growth (until the hair just falls out completely!). You can help the process along with gentle exfoliation. After a few days, you’ll notice less hair and see that the remaining hair is thinner than previously.
What Should I Do To Prepare for Treatment?
For the two weeks before you have treatment, avoid tanning your skin or having any other kind of laser treatment in the target area. You should also avoid all plucking, waxing, or tweezing. The laser needs the hair to target the follicle, so removing hair entirely is counterproductive. You can shave, however, and should shave 48 to 24 hours before your treatment. You want just enough hair for the laser energy to target, but not so much that any energy is lost along the way.
What Do I Do After Treatment?
After treatment, protect your skin from excess UV exposure by avoiding tanning beds, wearing a good SPF sunscreen when you go outside, and minimizing your time in the sun. You should also avoid steam and excess heat for the first few days, so no long hot baths, hot tubs, or steam rooms. Use a gentle manual exfoliation in the target area, and keep your skin well moisturized.
What Are the Benefits?
The main benefit, of course, is getting rid of unwanted hair! But you can get rid of hair in several ways, so what makes this one special?
Save Money
A razor is cheap. A lifetime of razors, shaving creams, and soothing aftercare creams is not. In fact, it will cost the average woman well over $10,000. Waxing appointments are less frequent than shaving, but they are expensive, as are depilatory creams. Don’t forget the expense in terms of your time wasted, either.
Experience Less Irritation
All the traditional hair removal options have the potential to cause irritation. Whether it’s a chemical burn or rash from a cream, razor burn, ingrown hairs, or even a painful waxing session that removes some skin along with the hair, laser treatments are a lot more comfortable. Plus, many people even notice their skin becoming healthier after laser treatment, with fading of dark spots and sun damage.
Get Started Today
If you’re interested in having effortlessly smooth skin, the time to get started is now. There’s no wrong time to seek laser hair removal treatment, but the sooner you get started, the sooner you can throw all those shaving products away and free up space in your bathroom, and in your schedule. Come talk to us at New England Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center in Weymouth, MA about whether this is right for you!