Laser Hair Removal Media, PA
Unwanted facial and body hair can create anxiety and embarrassment. Worse, it can affect your confidence and even lead you to avoid certain social and professional scenarios.
There are at-home treatments available, but they’re often tedious and require constant maintenance. In particular, waxing and chemical removal creams are challenging to self-administer and may do more harm than good.
While excessive hair can feel like an unsolvable problem, trained estheticians can help. Laser hair removal provides consistent and long-lasting results and can alleviate frustration for patients discouraged by at-home treatments.
Still, laser hair removal is a medical procedure, so it’s important to understand how it eliminates hair, what kinds of results it produces, and what to expect with the procedure before undergoing it.
What is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a minimally-invasive procedure that removes unwanted body hair using medical-grade diode laser technology. It’s a precise technique that offers more permanent results than other hair removal methods.
During the process, the laser heats the individual strands of hair in the treatment area, safely damaging the follicles and preventing (or at least delaying) further hair growth. The procedure itself is brief, poses minimal health risks, and generally only involves mild side effects.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Hair is one of the most misunderstood and unpredictable parts of the human body.
Age and genetics determine its color, coarseness, density, and where hair grows on the body, and individual strands emerge from hair follicles just below the skin. Follicles in the same part of the body can grow at different rates, and health and stress can even influence follicle activity.
Laser hair removal targets areas of your body where you want to remove unwanted hair. The laser delivers intensely focused light that affects the strands’ melanin, which is the compound that determines their color.
The device is engineered to target melanin, leaving the surrounding skin and tissue unharmed. As the laser heats the strands of hair, it damages the follicles.
After treatment, the follicles either won’t be able to regrow the strands of hair or their growth rate will be significantly reduced. Your provider can predict laser hair removal’s effectiveness on your body, but the follicles’ underlying resilience will dictate how many treatments are necessary to achieve your hair removal goals.
Laser Hair Removal Treatment Areas
Laser hair removal can remove unwanted hair for both men and women, and it can be performed on the following areas:
- Upper lip and chin
- Neck
- Shoulders and arms
- Underarms
- Chest and back
- Bikini area/bikini line
- Legs
What to Expect During Laser Hair Removal
To optimize and preserve your results, you must avoid direct sun exposure, skin irritants, lotions, waxing, tweezing, and NSAIDs in the weeks leading up to your procedure. Proper preparation protects the skin and ensures that the laser will effectively disrupt your follicles’ growth cycle.
The provider will begin your session by trimming your hair so that it’s only a few millimeters long. They’ll then administer a topical numbing agent. The laser will be calibrated according to your skin tone and your hair’s color, thickness, and location.
The aesthetician will then start administering the laser treatment to the targeted area(s). You may feel a slight sting, but the numbing medication often makes the procedure painless.
Once the session is completed, the provider may recommend ice packs or anti-inflammatory creams to manage post-procedure discomfort.
You’ll be sent home, and you can book your next procedure in four to eight weeks to treat hair regrowth.
Why Choose Michelle Esthetics?
Laser hair removal is a medical procedure, which means a skilled and experienced medical spa practitioner must perform the treatment to ensure that it’s done safely. Michelle Esthetics prioritizes comprehensive client consultations and cooperative treatment planning.
Your aesthetic goals, medical history, and expectations dictate the treatment plan we create for you. At Michelle Esthetics, our dermatologists have the clinical insight and experience necessary to provide effective hair reduction treatments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a good candidate for laser hair removal?
Generally speaking, any male or female adult can safely undergo laser hair removal. That being said, patients with lighter skin types and dark hair typically see better results than those with darker skin or lighter hair.
Patients with active infections or a history of bleeding disorders should not undergo laser hair removal.
Are there any side effects?
As with any medical procedure, side effects are possible. Treatment site swelling, redness, discomfort, and skin irritation are the most common post-procedure side effects. It may feel like you have a mild sunburn for a few days.
In rare cases, scars, burns, blisters, infections, and irreversible changes to skin color are possible. However, these usually occur when unskilled and untrained technicians administer laser hair removal treatments. That’s why it’s vital that you visit an experienced dermatology provider like Michelle Esthetics.
How much does laser hair removal cost?
Your total cost will depend on your treatment site(s), the density of the hair you want to remove, and the number of treatment sessions you’ll need to remove it.
On average, one session of laser hair removal costs $389.
How many treatment sessions will I need?
Genetics dictate hair growth and density. In addition, hair grows in cycles. Certain follicles are active while others lie dormant, then reactivate. As a result, total hair removal usually requires two to six sessions.
The longevity of your results depends on your body type. Some individuals require maintenance sessions to maintain their hair-free appearance, while others don’t.
How long will it take to see my results?
Hair loss will begin several days after your procedure, and your results should materialize within one month.