Month: February 2012

Shaving can be very tedious, particularly those areas on the body that are difficult to reach or too time consuming to maintain, however although this may be a chore we all feel a lot more refreshed and sexy after a shave, but with the new hair-buster products always begin advertised and adding up the costs the idea of laser hair removal treatment with long lasting effects seem much more appealing.

Laser hair removal contains such a large popularity with it promising to be quick, painless and long lasting eliminating the need for frequent and costly maintenance. So if you are considering this procedure make sure you know all the advantages and those disadvantages of the laser hair removal procedure.

With the current popularity of people caring so much toward appearance and their images laser hair removal has plummeted and is so popular because of all of its many advantages. With the primary advantage being the removal of your unwanted hair with a chance of seeing permanent reduction in the re-appearance of hair this really is a breath of fresh air procedure.

When and if the hair does grow back, which is unfortunate they will not grow back the same as they have appeared in previous years before the treatment, it will be lighter in colour and much finer in texture alleviating any embarrassment of having unwanted hair and those with darker coarse hair are likely to receive the best results.

Laser hair removal is considered safe in al clinics if they perform the procedure correctly and in a safe environment, so do not just look for the cheapest price look for a certified clinic to undergo the procedure on you.

However with every good thing comes a few potential risks, including burns, abrasions and a possibility of discolouration of the skin especially for those with darker skin or those who have recently had a tan – as the skin absorbs the energy light.

Another disadvantage is for those of you with grey, red and blonde hair and often those with darker and tanned skin – as discussed previously, can cause burns – this does not mean it will not work but will not prove as effective and will require more than one session in order to have the full effect from the procedure.

There is also a potential risk of the treatment being completely ineffective to laser hair removal.

Always look out for those clinics that claim to be a cheap laser hair removal company, with the treatment being completely pain free and the procedure guaranteeing permanent results. Such places will not be certified and even before any treatment do your research and book a consultation before you undergo any type of procedure where you can gain a knowledge into that clinic – although this is illegal in the FDA’s assertions there are no regulations to people purchasing laser hair removal equipment, so do look into and research first before going ahead with treatment.

If you have naturally tanned skin (and not from sunbathing) laser hair removal is the easiest way to remove unwanted hair on your body.

Tanned skin ranges in tone from a light tan to a deep and dark bronze tan. Two different wavelengths may be used for your laser hair removal depending on how tanned your skin is.

The two wavelengths to treat your skin would be the Alexandrite 755nm or Nd:YAG 1064nm wavelength. Your practitioner at your consultation will decide which is most suitable for you.

On the other hand suntanned skin from sunbathing can not have laser hair removal on until the suntan fades.

Below are some factors to consider before undergoing treatment for those people with tanned skin and suntanned skin

tanned skin and laser hair removal

There are certain requirements before undergoing laser which your consultant will discuss with you. Those with lighter skin and dark hair will be the easiest type of skin to undergo laser hair removal as fewer treatments are required because you can obtain better results.

This does NOT mean that if you are tanned you can’t be treated.

Developments to this treatment and technology mean that many clinics can treat tanned skin. Each case is different, and levels of effectiveness also differ.

Clients with tanned skin were traditionally not eligible to undergo LHR treatment as they are likely to absorb the light energy which could burn them. This would require treatment with the use of a specialised laser and the cost of this treatment would have been slightly higher.

However, this is no longer always the case so speaking to the clinic, you may discover your tanned skin can be treated for the same price as everyone else- although you may need more treatments over a course of more months.

suntanned skin and sunbeds

One person who had LHR treatments said,

“I always liked to use the sun beds to make my skin darker but when I knew I wanted laser hair removal I decided to stop on the beds for a while, so I could get the best results out of my hair removal treatments. I left it a few months after having the treatment before going on the beds again. This meant my treatment was successful with no side effects.”

It is generally advised that those with tanned skin allow the tan to fade before having LHR and avoid any interaction with sunbathing . If you can avoid tanning and burning your skin, you should.

With developments with laser hair removal technology and techniques constantly improving, it allows those with problematic or unsightly hair to get this removed once and for all.

For those with tanned skin, treatment may take longer but you can generally still see some effective results.

If you want to be rid of your time consuming hair removal routine, Laser hair removal may be for you. With Laser hair removal, you can attend several sessions over a course of months to achieve smoother, silkier looking skin.

Laser hair removal is totally safe and nothing to be afraid of. The area being treated will have to be shaved and cleaned before the procedure can begin, an anaesthetic will then be applied to ensure minimal amount of pain possible during the treatment. Most people say they feel no pain at all.

You would be a good candidate for Laser hair removal if you have dark hair and light skin. Don’t go into your consultation with a tan – this is a laser’s worst nightmare! This is because the laser could end up burning the skin because it thinks it is hair. The laser works by differentiating between hair and skin, light and dark. Dark hair and light skin is always the best combination. However, other skin and hair types can be treated too. You need to book a consultation to find out whether you would be able to see the benefits of Laser hair removal.

Treatment time is very quick;

–        It take less than a minute to have the upper lip treated by Laser hair removal

–        For the underarms Laser hair removal will take 1-2 minutes long.

–        It will take 2-3 minutes for the chin to be done by Laser hair removal.

–        The laser hair removal bikini line will take 8-10 minutes long.

–        It will take a little longer for the legs and back to be done taking approximately 1½-3 hours long for both. This is because the area of skin is so much greater and the Laser hair removal process will need more time.

To be a good candidate your diet should also be changed if you are on a beta-carotene diet. This means you eat a lot of vitamin A, squash, carrots and some other vegetables. The beta-carotene stays in the body for a few months and it creates a yellowy orange look to the skin. This is not ideal for Laser hair removal.

How is laser hair removal done and what is it?

In order to have laser hair removal completed, you will have to have the area being treated shaved and cleaned before the procedure begins. During this time you would have had an anaesthetic cream applied beforehand.

Laser hair removal machines emit a gentle beam of highly concentrated light which passes through the skin to the hair follicle, absorbing it. The energy from the laser is transformed into heat and damages the hair follicle. This stops it from growing back, giving an effective and longer lasting hair removal treatment.

How does it compare with electrolysis?

Electrolysis can be a painful process which destroys each hair follicle one at a time and can sometimes require re-treatment over the years. Laser hair removal treats hundreds of hair follicles simultaneously so it is a much quicker and more effective process.

Is it for anyone?

There is now a flexibility to treat all skin types, especially darker coloured skin and those people that are tanned. Ordinarily, those people would not expect good results from laser treatment but with the addition of a CoolGlide device, fitted with a longer wavelength, all skin types and tones can receive at least a consultation.

Some machines are not fitted with this latest technology. For those people, a certain skin and hair type would be required. This is for people with light skin and dark hair, so the laser can easily differentiate between the two.

Lightly coloured hair, like blonde and red hair, are very difficult to treat and a person would require multiple sessions for laser removal treatment with varied results.

How long is treatment?

The treatment time will depend on how large the area is being treated, along with the type of skin being treated. This means that there are varied times and an approximate guide is shown below;

• 10-20 minutes – Shoulders
• 1½ -3 hours  – Back
• 8-10 minutes – Bikini Line
• 1-2 minutes – Underarms
• 2-3 minutes  – Chin
• 1½ -3 hours – Legs
• less than 1 minute – Upper lip

There will be a requirement of at least 2 or 3 treatments.

Repeated sessions?

Anagen is one of the growth stages of hair, and laser hair treatment best works when hair is at the anagen stage.

Although you may think that one session would be plenty, repeated treatments are essential if you want the best possible results, in order to catch all the hairs and remove them.

Is it Painful?

Pain will vary from person to person depending on their sensitivity; some describe only a feeling of a tingling sensation while others don’t feel anything at all. However some do say they feel a pinch or a stinging sensation, dependent on your pain threshold.

Is it Safe?

There is no residual left in the body after the treatment, unlike x-rays, therefore this treatment is safe.

Although the skin may appear red and swollen after treatment, this will all disappear within a matter of days and in some cases minutes. These are also very normal reactions but if you would like to speed up the healing process then cold packs on the treated area will help the recovery time.

What are the Results?

Hair will gradually fall out over a period time which is usually 2-3 months after the first treatment and repeated sessions are required if you want all the other hairs to be removed during their stages of  growth.

What about my diet?

Anyone who is on a diet before treatment will need to change their eating habits if they want the best possible results. Especially those on a high beta-carotene diet. Beta-carotene is found in carrots, squash and other vegetables with vitamin A and it produces a yellow looking skin which is absorbed by the laser energy. This means that an interference may occur when reaching the hair follicles. You should adjust your diet well in advance of laser hair removal treatment in order to receive optimum results.

Cost?

Again this will all be dependent on the size of the area being treated. All treatments start from £100 and then go up from there; you can always have a consultation session with your technician to see how much a certain area would cost with no obligation to go for it.

Guaranteed results?

This will again depend on how many sessions you attend but many people see long lasting and good results, saying it is one of the easiest and most effective methods of hair removal on the market.