With spring right around the corner, you may not be looking forward to resuming your usual ritual of shaving, waxing, sugaring or sanding to remove leg hair. It’s time-consuming, expensive and can also be painful. If you’re ready to have your leg hair removed once and for all, laser hair reduction is an ideal option.
How Does Laser Hair Reduction Work?
The process works because the light of the laser seeks out the contrast between the color of your complexion and the color of the hair. For example, if you are fair skinned and your leg hair grows in brown or black, the laser will target the hairs and heat them down to the root.
This damages the hair follicles so they will no longer produce hair. The laser can be calibrated to work on nearly any combination of hair and complexion colors.
Is Laser Hair Reduction Painful?
Some patients compare the sensation of the treatments to being snapped with a rubber band. Others experience more of a stinging sensation.
Numbing gel or over-the-counter pain reliever can help with any discomfort you experience during treatments. Some patients also like to use an ice pack afterwards to soothe any residual irritation.
Who Shouldn’t Receive Treatments?
Laser hair reduction can only be used on clear, unbroken skin. If you’re suffering an outbreak of acne or herpes on the treatment area, you’ll need to wait until it clears up before treatment can continue.
Those with vitiligo or psoriasis should also not get laser treatments because these conditions are often irritated and made worse by treatments.
Those with a compromised immune system should speak to the provider about laser before undergoing treatments. If you are reasonably healthy and have good skin, you’re likely a good candidate.
Will Laser Get Rid of All the Unwanted Hair?
Our hair grows in cycles. Follicles go through periods where they are not producing hair. For laser treatment to work, there needs to be a hair in the follicle. This is why repeated treatments are necessary.
Over time, you will see fewer hairs growing on the treatment area. Of course, if your goal is to simply reduce hair, you can stop treatment whenever you are satisfied with the results.
Can I Have Laser Hair Reduction Done Elsewhere on My Body?
Yes. Laser is safe to use on nearly any unwanted hair, including on the chest, back, arms, face and even the pubic region.
If you have unwanted body hair, laser hair reduction is an effective method for getting rid of it once and for all. If you’d like to discuss this option, contact Rao Dermatology today to schedule a consultation.
