by Leave a Comment

Over the past few years, laser hair removal has become extremely popular and a growing number of people are opting for the same, because they feel that this is a permanent solution for hair removal. Most people get tired of removing hair the traditional ways, such as by hair removal creams or waxing or shaving, because these lead to the eventual regrowth of hair. However, laser hair removal ensures your skin being hair free for a much longer time, if not permanently.

Side Effects of laser-hair-removal

It is important to remember that laser hair removal devices are very specific and not all of them work well with all skin types. This is why it is imperative that you go to a reputed establishment to get the treatment done, because they will know what kind of device to use on what kind of skin.

Most Common side effects of Laser Hair Removal

Whether done properly or not, there are bound to be some side effects with laser hair removal and some of the most common ones include:

Itching

While the light of the laser is meant to burn off the pigment cells in the hair, many a times, it can damage the very cells of the skin. If the level of stimulation is too high, it could lead to skin damage and that could cause itching.

Swelling or redness

If your skin has been damaged by the light, it would cause the blood to rush to the area, which is why there would be redness or swelling.

Serious side effects of Laser Hair Removal

While these two are the most common side effects, there are some more which are a tad bit more serious, but less common. These include:

Burns

Technically, lasers are highly concentrated lights and if the same has not been applied correctly, it could lead to burns. While in most cases, the burns are only first degree, but these too should not be taken lightly.

Infections

If your skin has already been damaged, it would quite possibly be more susceptible to infections. The infection could range from mild to serious and should be treated as soon as possible.

Scabs

The appearance of scabs is actually a mechanism of the skin to protect itself and the light of the laser could often lead to damage, which would lead to formation of scabs.

Acne flare up

When the light of the laser is directed to the skin, there can often be an increase in the production of sebum. This in turn could lead to an increase of pimples and acne.

Hyperpigmentation

It is light that causes the production of more pigments, which is why in many cases, when there is laser treatment, there might be post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Hypopigmentation

The light of the laser device is meant to penetrate the skin and eventually burn away the pigment cells, present in the hair follicles. However, in many scenarios, the pigment cells of the skin also get burnt away, leading to patches of skin, which are lighter than the others.

Purpura

This is scientific term for a condition, where the skin becomes purple due to extravasation of red blood cells from the vessels, as a result of the small blood vessels getting affected.

Side effects due to Improper laser hair removal

Yet another set of side effects, which can be caused due to improper laser hair removal include:

  • If the eyes have not been protected properly, there is a chance of the eyes getting hurt or severely damaged.
  • When hair is removed from sensitive parts of the body and when the eventual regrowth starts, there tends to be an immense amount of discomfort.
  • In the days immediately after the procedure, your skin will feel extremely sensitive, which is why even the slightest itch or sting will feel much more exaggerated. In addition, certain creams or lotions could also cause irritation.
  • Because your skin would already have been exposed to a lot of light, more light, especially in the form of sunlight, will cause much damage.
  • In rare cases, people develop an allergy to the numbing cream that is used right before the laser hair removal procedure.

Precautions before Laser Hair removal

There are some precautions that can be taken, before and after the procedure, and these should help with the reduction of these above mentioned side effects. Here are the precautions you should take before you get the laser treatment:

  • Avoid anything that could irritate your skin – so this means that you should avoid plucking, waxing, tweezing or even sun tanning for a few weeks.
  • Make sure that you always apply sunscreen, when you step out. A sunburn could complicate things, which is why you need to take every step to avoid the same.
  • In case you have herpes or a history of the same, it would be wise to undergo an anti-viral treatment.
  • There are certain medications that you will have to avoid in the days before the procedure, especially photosensitive ones.
  • Ideally, you will be asked not to shave for a few weeks because the stubble will help the doctor see the hair growth.

Precautions Post Laser Hair Removal

Then there are the precautions that you need to take once the laser hair removal procedure has been completed:

  • Having a little bit of redness, or swelling is completely natural and normally the same does not last for more than a few hours. Your doctor will prescribe a clear aloe gel, which should be applied religiously for the next few days.
  • Because the skin has been treated with a strong light, there is bound to be some amount of residual heat under the skin. If the heat or warmth does not go away, you will have to ice the area.
  • For a minimum of a week, you will have to avoid creams and cosmetics, sunbathing or any activities that will lead you to sweating.
  • In addition, you need to remember not to scrub your skin while taking a bath.
  • While it might be a good idea to avoid stepping out in the sun for a few days, if you do have to go out, making sure that you slather a thick layer of the best sunscreen lotion possible.

Wwhatsapp Share This

by Leave a Comment

Looking good has always been important to a majority of people. In the modern age that we live in today, the process has also become more advanced. There was a time, when the only method for hair removal was either shaving or waxing, and both meant that hair would grow back again, in a matter of days or at the most weeks. Most people, especially women, started looking for more permanent solutions to avoid the hassle of having to go to salons regularly or did not want to face the nicks and cuts that are often associated with shaving.

laser hair removalThis is when laser hair removal appeared on the scene. While initially, there was a certain amount of skepticism about the methodology, today, a growing number of people are looking at it as the best way to get rid of body hair on a more permanent basis. There were a lot of people who thought that allowing a hot laser to penetrate the skin was nothing more than a modern method of torturing oneself, in order to look better. However, today a growing number of people are actually choosing laser hair removal, because not only is it highly effective, but also a more cost effective method.
In this article, we will look at the following important aspects of laser hair removal:

What is laser hair removal?

For milliseconds at a time, a specialized laser beam is directed on the skin. The beam of light gets converted into heat as it passes through the skin, causing no harm whatsoever to the skin. The heat is then absorbed by the pigment known as melanin, which is present in the hair follicle as well as shaft. This prevents new growth of hair and there is a permanent reduction in the number of hairs on multiple sittings. This is why, laser hair removal has become a popular method to remove hair from the face and pubic region.

Get Online Consultation

Who are the most suitable candidates?

There might be people who will think that laser hair removal is meant for everyone, but the fact of the matter is that it is not. There are certain specific types of people who will prove to be more ideal candidates for laser hair removal than the others.

  • For starters, people who have coarse hair, which is darker in colour, but have lighter skin will prove most ideal candidates.
  • People who have white or grey hair will not be able to benefit because there is a lack of melanin, which in turn will make the hair removal process a tad bit difficult.
  • Similarly, blonde and red hair are also difficult to remove.
  • People who have hair that is lighter than the skin colour will not be ideal candidates as will people who have blonde hair and have undergone tanning procedures.

Which all parts of the body can laser hair removal work for?

Laser hair removal can actually work quite effectively for any part of the body, because the light beam being used is very minute and accurate. The only body hair that laser hair removal cannot remove is the eyelashes. There are certain clinics, which will not use laser hair removal for the eyebrows, because the hair is too close to each other.
Laser hair removal is often most effective on body parts such as chin, neck, face, upper lip, legs, underarms and the bikini area. If people have tanning on their body, natural or artificial, they will have to wait for the same to fade out, because otherwise there could be blistering or discoloration of the skin.

What will happen before, during and after the laser hair removal procedure?

Laser hair removal proves to be most effective on hair that is short, yet visible. This is why, your doctor will ask you to shave your hair a few days before. This will allow the stubble to grow and make the task of hair removal easier. You will be asked not to wax or pluck your hair, because these tend to remove the hair from the follicle and your hair will not grow back fast enough, leading to a delay in the laser hair removal procedure.
If you are someone who does not have a high level of resistance towards pain, you can ask the doctor for anaesthesia. An ointment that contains lidocaine will be applied generously over your skin and within about 30 to 45 minutes, your skin should become numb.
The skin will be pulled to make it taut and then the laser beam will be directed, to initiate the hair removal process. In about half an hour, the area where the treatment has been done will become pink or red and there will be sensitivity. This is normal and will subside in some time. You could also smell your hair burning, which is yet again normal. The swelling and tenderness will subside over the course of time and your doctor might prescribe a lotion or ointment to be used.
In about a week or 10 days’ time, you will notice hair sprouting again, but this is not regrowth; rather it is hair that has been treated and is in the process of falling out.

How painful will the process be?

There are different descriptions of how a laser hair removal process actually feels like. The current laser hair removal methods and devices offer a virtually painless procedure.

How many sessions will be required?

The hair growth and removal will be a staggered process, which is why you will need multiple sessions. Anywhere between four to ten sessions might be required for proper hair removal and each session could last between a few minutes to hours, depending on the size of the area that needs to be cleaned.


Wwhatsapp Share This

by Leave a Comment

Hair is important in several places on the body, but in many places it is often considered unnecessary. This is a more common thought in women, because they prefer to see their arms, legs and underarms, smooth and hairless. There are several methods of hair removal and even though shaving is the easiest and most common one, there are other methods that are coming to the forefront of late.laser hair removal

While many people think that laser hair removal is a recent development, the fact of the matter is that the procedure has been around for a really long time. It was in the 1960s that lasers started capturing the attention of not only scientists, but also the general people. It was around the same time that lasers started enticing people from the hair removal industry, because they saw an opportunity. They realized that lasers could effectively remove hair and that too for a long time.

Get Online Consultation

The growth of lasers in the hair removal industry came in various stages, and the important ones are being looked at in the following sections:

  • Stage 1: The 1960s

    • The very first lasers that were used in the 1960s were ones that emitted a wave that was constant and continuous. This, however, was not suitable for the purpose of hair removal, mainly because there were greater chances of the skin getting damaged. Since the wave was continuous, it was very difficult to control it properly, which is why there would be hair loss, but also skin damage. It was towards the end of the decade that the Q-switch was invented, and this allowed for a better control of the pulses.

  • Stage 2: The 1970s

    • The earliest of laser related devices were designed to target individual follicles of hair and this was done by delivering the laser’s energy via a probe. This probe was of a fibre optic nature and was created using a thin wire. The only problem that happened with this method was that the device was brought into the markets, without it being tested properly. The device was sold across the globe as being painless and truly effective, however, when the FDA stepped in, the product was taken back. The main setbacks of these devices were that they were actually very difficult to use and the probes were hard to maintain. In addition, the hair removal was not permanent, which effectively defeated the purpose.

  • Stage 3: The 1980s

    • The initial data that was published on hair removal using lasers was based around the successful treatment of ingrown eyelashes. It was these studies that lead to greater and more in-depth research in creating a device that could be sold commercially for hair removal. Yet again, the device that was created was not tested sufficiently, which is why it had to be pulled back. This device too was not effective enough and was not only difficult to use but also ineffective.
    However, this paved the way for further research and testing, which led to the creation of laser enabled machines, which were used for a range of dermatological procedures, including removal of tattoos.

  • Stage 4: The Early 1990s

    • It was in the year 1997, almost after an entire century of the discovery of x-rays, that the FDA first allowed the release of a laser device for hair removal, in the markets. This device used a lotion that was carbon based as the chromophore. The lotion would be first applied all over the skin and then the skin would be waxed. The idea was that the lotion would penetrate the hair follicles and when the laser heated the carbon, the shockwave created would remove hair permanently. However, the device was not successful, because not only was it difficult to use, but also did not affect the naturally affecting chromophores in the body.
    The device had been sold to several cosmetic clinics and affluent people were willingly becoming guinea pigs. However, by the time the inefficacy of the product was noticed, people had started noticing a regrowth of hair. So, the companies behind these devices, quickly relabelled the device from one being the answer to permanent hair removal to one that could assist in managing unwanted hair. But people saw through the marketing strategies and within no time, the device had to be pulled back from the stores.

  • Stage 5: Late 1990s to present day

In the late 1990s, FDA started clearing a range of devices, which could be used to target the naturally occurring melanin in the hair. These devices were better designed and could be used quite easily at home too. In addition, these devices were such that produced minimal side effects. Even today, studies are being conducted in this field and newer devices are being introduced every other week.
There are still debates how effective each product is and while there are some which are working well, there are others which are proving totally ineffective. Ideally, if you are looking to reduce your hair permanently, or at least for a long period of time, it is best that you head to a reputed clinic. When you get the treatment done in a professional manner, you can be assured of lesser side effects and definitely lesser chances of anything going wrong. While complete and permanent hair removal is still a few years away, there has been progress and the future does seem bright!


Wwhatsapp Share This