http://www.hairremovalforum.com/faq.cfm
What is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a procedure by which hair is removed from the body by utilizing a long pulse laser. Lasers are developed and designed from years of research. The laser parameters are carefully defined by studying the anatomy of the hair follicle and precisely matching the laser light and pulse duration to the follicle size, depth and location to inhibit the re-growth of the hair.
Laser hair removal is performed by a specially-trained laser specialist or a doctor depending on where you go, who distributes the light of a long pulse laser onto the skin. The laser works by disabling hairs that are in their active growth cycle at the time of treatment. Since other hairs will enter their growth cycle at different times, several treatments are necessary to disable all of the follicles in a given area.
Who is a candidate for laser hair removal?
Both men and women seek laser hair removal services to have unwanted hair removed. Hair removal is commonly done on the hairline, eyebrow, top of the nose, lip, chin, ear lobe, shoulders, back, underarm, abdomen, buttocks, pubic area, bikini lines, thighs, face, neck, breast, arms, legs, hands, and toes.
Laser works best on pale skin and dark coarse hair. The closer you are to this combination (i.e. the lighter the skin and the more coarse and dark the hair), the better the results will generally be. Alexandrite long pulse and diode types of lasers work best on light-colored skin. Nd:YAG long pulse lasers are better and safer on darker skin (skin types IV and darker ? see Question #12 below to determine your skin type). Since laser works by being attracted to and targeting the dark pigment, using an alexandrite or a diode laser on darker skin can result in skin burning or loss of skin pigment (hypo-pigmentation). Long pulse Nd:YAG lasers were created to cater to dark-skinned patients, so they are safer on the skin at settings that actually affect the hair than alexandrite and diode lasers.
When choosing your hair removal options, select an environment whose main priorities are your safety, health, and results.
Is laser hair removal permanent?
The general opinion is that laser hair removal is permanent, and the Food and Drug Administration approved it as ?permanent reduction,? but doesn?t work on everyone. Generally, this means that you shouldn?t expect laser to remove every single hair from an area. Most people need to follow up with electrolysis treatments for any remaining hairs for complete clearance as hair becomes too fine for laser to target and you reach diminishing returns. Most will also need touch-up treatments 1-2 times a year after the initial set of treatments for any new growth your body develops with age.
It has also been observed that some people seem to be non-responders ? this is not confirmed and reasons are not known as not enough research has been done in this area. Keep in mind that it's also difficult to judge whether someone?s lack of results is due to the person?s potential underlying medical condition that causes continuous growth and makes it seem like laser isn?t working, whether the treatment wasn't performed properly, or whether for some people it just doesn't work and we don't know why. Basically, you can?t determine this for yourself unless you try it. In addition, results also depend on many variables involved, including the tech's experience, type of laser used and how settings are set, etc.
A set of at least 6-8 treatments at specified intervals are generally necessary to achieve substantial hair removal with laser. Factors that determine the length of treatment include the particular area to be treated, the texture of hair, frequency of treatments, history of temporary measures to remove hair (waxing, tweezing, shaving, and depilatories, etc.) etc.
Electrolysis is considered a permanent hair removal method that has been used for the past 125 years. It involves treating one hair at a time and can take a considerably long time to complete a large area, but IS an option as well. It is also the recommended method for small areas (generally, chin, upper lip, eyebrows, etc), as well as for fine and light-colored hair. The most cost-efficient treatments to completely clear an area should start with laser to remove the bulk of the hair and finish with electrolysis to remove the remaining finer sparse hair.
What are the possible risks, side effects, and complications of laser hair removal?
The possibility exists that some side effects or complications can occur given various variables, including:
Normal
Itching, during treatment
Redness for up to 3 days
Swelling (around mouth of follicle) for up to 3 days
Pain, tingling, or feeling of numbness (cold spray)
Rare
Crusting/scab formation (on ingrown hairs)
Bruising
Purpura (purple coloring of the skin) on tanned areas
Infection
Temporary pigment change (hypo-pigmentation or hyper-pigmentation)
Side effects occur infrequently and, as a rule, generally are temporary. If any of the above last for more than 3 days, make sure to contact your technician and/or doctor. There is a possibility that settings were set too high and the technician needs to know in order to adjust on your following treatment.
What are the possible causes of excessive hair growth and how can it affect my treatments?
The causes of excessive hair growth pattern are many and varied, including:
Heredity
Pregnancy
Glandular and/or hormonal imbalances (possible PCOS condition for women), including diseases causing these effects
Insulin resistance issues
Reactions to certain medications
Normal aging processes
Excessive temporary removal methods like waxing, tweezing, creams and depilatories, etc
Every laser candidate should explore a possible underlying reason of the extreme hair growth before starting laser because if there is something in the body consistently triggering hair growth, laser treatments might seem ineffective because the body will keep developing new hair. So, it will always seem like there is not reduction, when in fact it?s NEW hair your body is producing that you are seeing, not that treated by laser growing back. Women with PCOS hair growth patterns (upper lip, chin, cheeks, etc) should see an endocrinologist and have hormonal tests taken. Men can get tested for insulin resistance etc. Talk to your doctor if you suspect you might have an underlying medical condition causing excessive hair growth before starting laser hair removal. Once the condition is control through treatment/medication, laser hair removal can then be performed. Laser can affect the hair that?s currently present, but cannot prevent NEW hair from developing.
Can I just reduce the density of hair on an area instead of removing it completely?
Yes, this can be achieved with having only a few treatments instead of the complete set of 6-8 and by an experienced technician who is careful not to miss areas during treatments.
What should I expect to pay for laser hair removal?
Prices vary widely from clinic to clinic. Some also offer discounts for paying up front for multiple treatments. Although the upside is possibly paying less money overall, this also involves signing a contract which will prevent you from getting any refunds in case something goes wrong or you are not happy with the services before and/or after you are done. Remember, that laser doesn?t work on everyone also when making this decision. It?s recommended that you get 3-4 consultations before deciding on a clinic as well to compare prices and technician?s experience etc.
Here is VERY general average pricing information in the U.S for commonly treated areas. You can estimate other areas based on the size. Keep in mind that these are just estimates based on consumers reporting what they have paid for treatments on various forums:
Price per 1 treatment:
Full face - $150-300
Upper lip - $50-150
Chin - $50-150
Underarms (both) - $50-150
Regular bikini - $100-200 (definition at each clinic is different ? ask!)
Brazilian bikini - $200-300
Half legs (both) - $200-400
Half arms (both) - $200-400
Butt - $150-300
Back - $200-500
Chest - $100-300 (ask for definition)
Abdomen - $100-300 (ask for definition)
How can I find a recommended laser center in my area?
There are several things you can try. You can run a search on any of the laser hair removal forums, like the Cosmetic Enhancements Forum, using the search box for your city name to read about experiences of previous consumers at the clinics in your area. You can also try running a provider search on the laser manufacturer websites (Cutera and Candela offer this option on their sites). Finally, you can check your local Yellow Pages or citysearch.com for listings in your area.
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