Laser hair removal in Cincinnati can make your skin unbelievably soft and smooth. Bumps, stubble, or skin irritation will no longer be a problem. You can enjoy long-term smooth skin without worrying about shaving, plucking or waxing for months and in some cases more than a year. If you spend hours each week removing unwanted body hair or have expensive spa treatments to keep your skin looking good, you will be happy to learn about laser hair removal.
What is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a cosmetic treatment that kills the hair follicle with a burst of laser light. The procedure is very quick and very precise. We can remove a single hair on your upper lip or all the hair on your legs. Treatment time ranges from 15 minutes to about an hour depending on the size of the area being treated, the rate the hair grows and the number of hairs targeted at one time. Some follicles are damaged so that they cannot grow hair again and some slightly recover and are able to grow weak, pale hair. This is why it is not called permanent hair removal but permanent hair reduction. The initial program may take from two to six laser treatments depending on the area being treated. Once the skin is smooth, only touchup sessions are required.
Unlike waxing, where you need to wait until all the hair grows back before you can remove it again, touchup laser hair removal sessions can be done any time you want. And, also unlike waxing, you can shave between sessions if you want because shaving doesn’t affect the hair follicle, which is needed to attract the laser.
There are several different lasers and lights used to remove hair. The laser is attracted to the pigment in the follicle that absorbs the light as heat and is destroyed. This is why some colors of hair respond better to laser hair removal. White and pale blond hair may not have enough pigment for the laser to be effective in damaging the follicle.
Hair grows in three main stages which are the resting stage, the growth stage and the falling-out stage. The laser is only effective during the growth stage. Since all the hairs are not at the same stage at the same time, you will require several treatments to remove all the hair.
For women, the most popular places to have the hair removed are the upper lip and chin, underarms, legs and bikini line. We even have laser hair removal for the hair between your eyebrows. This is a special treatment that does not include eyebrow shaping or sculpting. It is specifically to remove the unibrow appearance. It is especially useful for women with extra thick sideburns and other facial hair. For men, the most popular places are the back of the neck, chest and back. The laser is safe for every part of the body except around the eyes.
How to Prepare
There are a few things to do before your laser hair treatments so they will be effective. Starting about a month before the procedure, you should avoid tanning. If you need to go outdoors for any length of time, you should wear sunscreen or cover completely the area you want to be treated. For this reason, many people choose to undergo laser hair removal during the winter, when they are more likely to wear covering clothing. Since it will take several treatments, by the time the warm weather comes, you should have the smooth skin you want.
If you regularly pluck, wax or have electrolysis to remove hair, you should stop about six weeks before your treatment date. These hair-removal methods remove or damage the hair follicle, which is needed for laser hair removal to be effective. You may shave if you want because shaving doesn’t affect the follicle. We may ask you to shave the treatment area the day before the procedure.
The morning of the procedure you should wash the area to be treated with soap and water and not apply any deodorant, moisturizer or makeup. Put on clothing that will make it easy to expose the treatment area. It should be comfortable and loose-fitting.
To be the most effective, laser hair removal targets the pigment in the hair follicle. With tanned skin or darker skin tones, the pigment in the skin may also attract the laser. This is why laser hair removal is most effective on dark hair and lighter skin tones. However, we use several kinds of lasers and your treatment can be customized according to the color of your hair and skin. Pale hair and darker skin may require more treatments to get the desired results.
After the Procedure
Many people have the procedure during their lunch break and go right back to work. After a few days, it may appear that your hair is growing longer, but it is actually entering the shedding stage and will fall out. You will see a noticeable reduction of unwanted body hair after each treatment until you reach your goal. Our specialist will prescribe any cream or moisturizer that you may need to use after the treatment.
Get In Touch with Us for More Information
Laser hair removal is the number one cosmetic procedure in the country. It will save you time and money for getting rid of unwanted body hair. You will never again have to deal with nicks and cuts from shaving or ingrown hairs. Your body will be beach-ready at any time. To learn more, we warmly invite you to reach out and set up your consultation with Dermatology & Skin Care Associates. At our convenient location in West Chester near Cincinnati, our caring and knowledgeable team of professionals will be pleased to explain this option to you in full and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!