Typewriters are a thing of the past.  Shouldn’t your razor be too?

Laser hair removal is an excellent way of removing unwanted hair.   This is accomplished by sending a  light beam of a specific wavelength into the skin from a laser.  The laser beam produces a high amount of heat and when directed at the hair, finds the hair follicle and damages the root.  This helps prevent the hair from growing back.

This procedure is typically not a one-time treatment.  Most individuals require an average of six treatments for effective laser hair removal.  This is due to the fact that the hair is always in three different stages of growth.  Laser Hair removal only affects the hairs in the active phase of hair growth.  So, at each treatment, only a certain number of hairs will be affected.  Treatments are typically scheduled four to six weeks apart, and there is a progressive reduction of unwanted hair after each visit.

Laser hair removal is not a good treatment option for everyone.  It is not an effective treatment for people with white, gray or very light-colored hair, due to the nature of how the lasers work.  People that have hair of these colors do not have pigments in their hair to absorb the energy from the laser.  It is not recommended that any person with an active tan, or using artificial tanning applications have the procedure performed.  For individuals with dark skin, laser hair removal may not be an appropriate treatment modality.  The pigments in dark skin will absorb laser energy. The darker the skin is, the harder it is to perform laser hair removal, and there are more risks for post treatment complications.

Although  laser hair removal is considered safe, it is important to have your treatments done by an experienced,  licensed professional.   Side effects are rare, but can include temporary rash, skin discoloration, blistering, crusting, and scabbing.  Permanent side effects are exceedingly rare, but can include things skin discoloration and scarring.

For the best results, we recommend the following pretreatment guidelines:

Shave the treatment area 1 day prior to the appointment.
Do not tan or use sunless tanner for at least 4 weeks prior to the appointment.
Do not wax, pluck, or tweeze hairs in the treatment area for at least 6 weeks prior to the appointment.
Laser Hair Removal cannot be performed if an individual has taken Accutane in the last 6 months.

For additional information on Laser Hair Removal and the highly qualified laser hair removal technicians at The Skin Spa of Newnan Dermatology, visit www.ndskinspa.com