Thread: About Laser Hair Removal

History:

Laser Hair Removal, when first introduced in the late 1990?s, was limited to light skinned individuals with dark hair. Efficient Laser Hair Removal was produced by Alexandrite and Diode lasers. Dark skinned individuals could not use these lasers for effective hair removal because early generation lasers were unable to distinguish between skin pigment and hair follicles, which led to the burning of those with darker skin. Today this has all changed. The advent of the new laser line, the YAG, and the re-invention of the IPL system has afforded excellent results for individuals with dark skin and dark hair.

Today:

The lasers on the market today come in all shapes and sizes. There are also different lasers that use different wavelengths of light. Some utilize a cooling device and some do not. All laser systems emit a gentle beam of light that passes through the skin to the hair follicle where it is absorbed by the hair. The laser energy is then transformed into heat that can disable the follicle. Today individuals with white or dark/tan skin can utilize lasers to remove their unwanted hair with positive results. Lasers that utilize a cooling device will help protect the skin by cooling the upper layers providing the patient with increased comfort. This cooling selectivity helps to protect the skin while effectively treating the unwanted hair.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are Laser Hair Removal Systems and How Do they Work?

The lasers on the market today come in all shapes and sizes. Different lasers use different wavelengths of light; some utilize a cooling device and some do not. All laser systems emit a gentle beam of light that passes through the skin to the hair follicle where it is absorbed by the hair. The laser energy is then transformed into heat which disables the follicle. Today, individuals with white or dark/tan skin can utilize lasers to remove their unwanted hair with positive results. Lasers that utilize a cooling device will help provide the patient with increased comfort and protection by cooling the upper layers of skin. This cooling selectivity helps to protect the skin while effectively treating the unwanted hair.


How long will the procedure take

The length of the procedure depends on the area being treated. An entire back can be done in 1 to 1 1/2 hours; underarms can be done in 1-2 minutes and an upper lip in less than 10 seconds. These are just a few examples.

How many treatments?

Every individual will need at least 3-6 laser treatments, but some might need up to 8 in order to maximize results. Skin tone, hair coloring and coarseness of hair are all contributing factors to how many treatments will be needed.



Is it safe?

Yes, the procedure is completely safe. After the procedure, patients may experience slight pink or red skin in the treated area. The color will most likely fade within a few minutes to a few hours, and in rare cases, a few days. When cold packs are used, the skin will return to normal much more quickly. The lasers utilize energy wavelengths of light that pass directly through the skin into the hair follicles. Lasers that do not pass through the skin leave residuals. For example, X-rays taken at the hospital leave a residual in the body. If too many are taken in a certain time period, the residuals can become a health risk. The lasers used for laser hair removal are passive, they leave no residuals; therefore, they are completely safe.


What does it feel like?

The feel of the laser on the skin has been described in many different ways. Some say it feels like a pinch on the skin and others say it feels cool or it feels like a mild rubber band snap. For those who feel discomfort, most clinics do provide mild anesthetics.


This information has been provided by http://www.laserhairremoval.com

Does anyone know the price ranges for these treatments?

I know that they will all vary depending on state and the aesthetician. I am currently having this done, but am getting it in exchange for the web site for their office. I cannot remember exactly what the prices are, but I can tell you it is not cheap depending on where you want it done. Legs are pretty expensive. I think it is something like $500 to $600 for your legs, one time. You have to get 4 to 6 treatments before all your hair is gone forever. I do know that getting your bikini line, lip, or underarms is MUCH cheaper because they are smaller areas. I would say call around and ask. Here is the place I go to and they are doing a great job. http://buckeyedermatology.com I only have 2 or 3 more treatments left. Results are instant and AMAZING!!

I guess that's really not that bad seeing that you never would need to shave again.

Originally Posted by eleni125

Does anyone know the price ranges for these treatments?

a frind had corse black hair on her legs, after having 4 sesions she has small patches of fine hair, price up till now $750

I am still getting my treatments. I stopped for a while, but am on my 4th treatment for certain areas. I must say that this really does work, but the person doing it has to be very thourough and you MUST get all of your treatments in order to get all of the hair. Remember that your hair grows in stages so the laser cannot get all of the hair at once. They also cannot do too much treatment on you at a time for risk of damaging your skin. Another factor is that the lasers have different settings. The higher the setting, the better your results. But... the higher the setting, the more painful too. So it's a matter of what you can tolerate. If you find that you do not feel much of anything when getting the treatment, ask them to turn the laser to a higher setting. If you can't feel anything at all, then it is not high enough and you are wasting your money. You should feel a slight annoying pain. Plus, the higher setting you are at, the less times you will have to come back.

I have a tattoo on my leg which cannot be treated with the laser. The laser will burn my skin because of the pigment. So the rest of my leg was treated and you can clearly feel and see the difference in the areas. It's amazing! I think I only have about one or two more treatments on my legs and I will be done forever. I only have a few random hairs that grow on my legs now.

One more thing, this should be treated like a medical procedure in the fact that you MUST research the person you are going to. It is not that hard for bad people to offer these services. So it is possible that if you go to the cheapest guy around, you are going to get a bad treatment and you will get ripped off. Not only that, but they can seriously burn your skin if they don't know what they are doing. My doc is a certified Aesthetician and her services are NOT cheap. One treatment on the legs is about $640. So four treatments on the legs for a total of $750 does not sound right. Especially if she has dark coarse hair because those people get the best results. Then again, four times is usually not enough for someone with coarse hair. She probably needs to go at least another two times.

Contact me if you have any questions!