Laser hair removal is a procedure that permanently reduces unwanted hair on just about any part of your body. You may be shaving, tweezing and waxing on a regular basis to keep your skin attractive and smooth, but this can be very time consuming and even painful. Laser hair removal will reduce unwanted hair for months and in some cases even years.
Laser hair removal is a very common cosmetic procedure in the U.S. and other parts of the world. The concentrated laser light is focused on the follicle of the hair and, when it turns to heat, it reacts with the pigment in the hair and affects the hair. In the vast majority of cases, the follicle cannot grow hair again.
Hair has three growing stages, including the growing phase, the shedding phase and the resting phase, and each hair on your body is in one of these stages. The laser light is only effective when the hair is in the growing phase. This is the main reason you will need multiple treatments to make sure each hair is treated.
Laser hair removal is very precise. It can target one hair at a time on your upper lip or eyebrows, or an area the size of a quarter for places such as the legs and back. The procedure is also very quick. Since each pulse of light takes a fraction of a second, it removes many hairs at the same time. It may take about 15 minutes to remove the hair on the upper lip and about an hour to remove the hair on the back or legs.
In the past, laser hair removal was mainly effective for people with dark hair and light skin, but with new technology, we are able to remove hair from most anyone, even if they have tanned skin from the summer. The most common places where people generally have laser hair removal are:
- Face, including the upper lip, chin and eyebrows
- Chest and back
- Bikini area
- Neck and shoulders
At Plastic and Cosmetic Center of South Texas in San Antonio, our specialist will be happy to talk to you about your options for laser hair removal. You may be asked not to pluck or wax for six weeks before treatment. However, you can shave, as this does not affect the follicle. It is a great feeling to have clean, smooth skin for months and never need to shave, tweeze or wax again. Contact our office today to schedule your appointment to learn if laser hair removal can benefit you.
