All you need to know about laser hair removal

Laser hair removal operations aim to treat hair growth, and to prevent it from returning again in areas of the body where a person does not want hair to grow, for cosmetic reasons, or out of treatment for excess hair.

In recent years, both men and women have started turning to laser treatments aimed at removing hair from several areas of the body, whether these areas are visible or hidden: chest, back, legs, underarms, face, upper thighs, and other areas.

Laser treatment prevents the growth of melanin cells in the layers of the skin and in the hair follicles again. The laser beams hit the melanin cells, absorb and break up the hair follicles, delaying or stopping the growth of new hair in the exposed area.

Sometimes, a laser hair removal procedure is called a “forever hair removal,” although this term is not always accurate. Treatment does not guarantee that hair will not grow again at all. Most treatments help to significantly reduce the amount of hair that grows back.

This treatment is performed for cosmetic purposes only, and often reduces the need to use other hair removal methods such as: waxing, shaving, and other costly time-wasting treatments.

In our modern age, there are several methods used to remove hair, whether it is by laser or other modern methods aimed at injuring the hair root and preventing its growth again, such as the use of infrared radiation and other methods.

There is a need for a pre-session with the doctor before performing the laser treatment, where the doctor agrees with the patient on the areas that will be subjected to treatment, according to the type of skin, color, hair color and thickness, in addition to the wishes of the person himself.

The doctor makes sure that there are no reasons that prevent the person from undergoing laser treatment, such as taking some medications (such as acne medications), or others. Sometimes, the doctor directs the person wishing to undergo treatment to do blood tests, checking the levels of hormones in the blood (testosterone, estrogen, and thyroid functioning), in order to make sure that the excess hair is not the result of an increase in the levels of these hormones.

Before performing a laser hair removal treatment, the hair in the area to be removed must be shaved (it is necessary to inform the person undergoing treatment not to use other hair removal methods such as plucking, waxing, threading or electrical devices).

Before laser treatment, the skin of the area to be treated is applied with a local anesthetic ointment, especially in sensitive areas such as: armpits, upper thigh, face, back, and chest. This ointment helps the laser beams to penetrate deeper layers of the skin.

In the next stage, the doctor passes the laser device on the surface of the skin in the desired area. The laser beam hits the skin, and it usually causes some discomfort or pain, even with the use of a local anesthetic ointment. The laser beam penetrates the hair cell and infects the melanin cell. The heat generated by the laser beam damages the follicles.

The laser hair removal treatment takes only a few minutes, but several sessions are needed in order to remove the majority of the hair in the area. Areas with thicker or thicker hair may call for more treatments.

After the laser hair removal treatment, the person who underwent the treatment goes home. Some sensitivity of the skin may appear for several days after the procedure, including redness of the skin, hypersensitivity to touch, swelling, or sensitivity to sunlight. For this reason, it is recommended to avoid exposure to the sun during the first days after treatment, or to wear protective clothing and apply sunscreen.

In order to obtain tangible and noticeable results, the process must be repeated several times, over the course of several sessions. It may take a few weeks to several months to complete this procedure.