Beginning in the 1990’s, physicians and medical professionals begin to see the potential of the laser in permanent hair removal. The advent of the laser allowed practitioners to overcome previous obstacles to hair removal, namely pain and re-growth. In fact, it also eliminates the problems of ingrown hairs, razor burn and those dreaded nicks.

The Rise of Laser Hair Removal

Beginning in the 1990’s, physicians and medical professionals begin to see the potential of the laser in permanent hair removal. The advent of the laser allowed practitioners to overcome previous obstacles to hair removal, namely pain and re-growth. In fact, it also eliminates the problems of ingrown hairs, razor burn and those dreaded nicks.

Laser hair removal actually destroys hair at the follicle. The hair falls out and the pore closes up, leaving the patient with smooth skin. The procedure is relatively painless, partially because it covers many follicles at once, unlike electrolysis. In fact, depending on the desired are of treatment, laser hair removal can be performed during a few quick lunch breaks and yet the results last a lifetime. Of course, a MD oversees all treatments but the actual process is done by highly trained medical professionals on the team, right in the doctor’s office.

What to Remove

Throughout time, everyone has had different opinions on what hair to remove and from whom. Today is no different. In fact, it really is a personal decision. Clients, both men and women, have removed hair from any number of areas, including:

• Armpit –Shaving your armpits is quick and easy, but, of course, it’s that one time that you forget

• Forearm – Some people just naturally have darker hair than others, which can be a bit of a personal embarrassment for them. Laser hair removal can leave you with soft, smooth and hair-free arms in just a few treatments.

• Legs–For women, shaving legs is just a chore. It hurts, but they put up with the pain because no one wants to be caught with stubble. Laser hair removal can end all the needless nicks, cuts and endless hours in the shower over one’s lifetime.

• Bikini area – Just like waxing, there are many styles and techniques to hair removal in the bikini area and, yes, it’s for men and women.

• Eyebrow – Plucking one’s eyebrows is painful, and more importantly, over-plucking one’s eyebrows can lead to permanent hair loss in all the wrong areas.

• Upper Lip – Both men and women can have unwanted hair growth on their upper lip, from peach fuzz to 5 o’clock shadow, and it can be removed easily and painlessly.

• Facial- Unwanted facial hair can be daily drudgery for men and a social embarrassment for women. A few laser hair removal treatments will have you throwing out your razor and sporting a big smile on your face instead.

Other Points to Consider

Many cosmetic procedures are limited in their effectiveness on darker skin tones. Laser hair removal, however, is perfectly safe to use on those patients. In fact, there is a very specific laser used just for this situation that emits a longer wavelength to make hair removal safe and effective.

Lasers actually work best on darker hair colors, as they absorb the light’s energy more readily during treatment. For this reason, laser hair removal works best on darker hair and may be less effective on those with very light blonde, red and gray hair. Speak with your hair removal specialist for more details.