Men and women often suffer from unwanted or unmanageable hair on their bodies, which can cause self consciousness or unhappiness. This hair growth and appearance is different for everyone, and can increase with hormonal changes, pregnancy, or certain medical conditions or medications. For those who wish to manage or eliminate hair on the arms, legs, backs, face bikini line or armpits often resort to waxing, shaving or plucking, which while quick and convenient, can be painful and time consuming.
These days, many people are choosing a different treatment – laser hair removal. This treatment is a non-invasive, non-surgical option for removing unwanted hair, often with permanent results.
If you are in Nassau County and are considering laser hair removal, get in touch to schedule a consultation with one of our specialists.
What is laser hair removal?
As the name suggests, laser hair removal utilizes a low-energy laser to target the hair follicles. The pigmentation (melanin) in the hair follicle absorbs that energy, and it is converted into heat, which destroys that hair follicle and prevents it from growing again. The laser is safe, FDA approved and has been specially developed to target hair follicles while not damaging the surrounding tissue.
At our offices in Nassau County, our dermatologists use several kinds of lasers in order to best treat the skin tone and individual needs of each patient, including Alexandrite lasers and Q-Switched Nd:YAG lasers.
What does laser hair removal treat?
Unwanted or unmanageable hair on the arms, legs, face, back, bikini line or armpits can be treated with laser hair removal. The treatment area can be large or small, and both men and women with thick or fine hair can see success with laser hair removal. However, those with skin conditions, very light hair, skin prone to pigmentation or are currently pregnant, may not be suitable for laser hair removal.
Laser hair removal procedure
Most laser hair removal sessions last between 30-60 minutes. Many people visit during a lunch break, and are able to get right back to work or other normal activities as laser hair removal has no downtime. At an appointment, people liken the sensation of the laser as similar to having a rubber band snapped on the skin. This is not painful but can be uncomfortable to some, so a topical ointment may be applied if there are any concerns with discomfort.
Results and recovery
Following your treatment, you may have some mild side effects similar to sunburn, such as redness or swelling. Some hair may grow back in the treated area, though it will be lighter and not as dense. For optimal results, it can take anywhere from three to seven rounds of treatment to fully eliminate all active or growing hair follicles. The exact number of treatments will vary for everyone, based on skin tone and the characteristics of the hair. However, after completing all treatments, many patients find they have permanently removed hair from the treated area.
For a customized laser hair removal quote, call the Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery in Nassau County for a consultation with one of our specialists.