Laser Hair Removal

The removal of unwanted hair has been the bane of men and women since the dawn of time (or at least since the advent of the bikini). Tedious everyday shaving, plucking, and tweezing has sent many in search of a viable alternative. Until recently, these alternatives were either of poor quality (Nair), of a particularly painful nature (waxing), or unaffordable for the average consumer (electrolysis). Since 1997, however, a new leader has emerged in the fight against furriness. Laser hair removal promises to reduce unwanted hair permanently in just a few sessions. Wave goodbye to the Gillette Venus and the Epilady; there is a better way. But, you may be left wondering, just what is laser hair removal?

To understand the technique of laser hair removal, one must first grasp a couple of concepts about hair itself. Hair is typically in one of three stages: the telogen phase (resting), the catagen phase (transitional) or the anagen phase (growing). Laser hair removal is a process by which lasers are used to create inflammation in the follicles of the patient's hair, which in turn sends a signal to the follicle to go into the telogen (or resting) phase. By doing this, hair growth stops and the visible hair itself is removed.

Because of the three phases of hair growth, and due to the fact that hair grows in cycles, with different follicles being in different cycles at different times, multiple treatments are necessary to ensure the maximum results from laser hair removal. The lasers are only effective against follicles in the anagen phase. Spreading four or five treatments over four to eight week intervals is the only way to procure treatment for the majority of the follicles.

Before heading off for laser hair removal, the cautious consumer may want to consider whether or not they are an ideal candidate for the treatment. For laser hair treatment to be effective, the hair you wish to remove must be darker than the surrounding skin. This means that very tan people with very fair hair are not ideal candidates. In fact, laser treatments can be difficult or impossible for certain people with blond or red hair, regardless of skin tone. People with dark hair, light skin, and course hair are the ideal candidates.

Cost of treatment varies, but one should be cautious about accepting prices that are suspiciously low. Laser hair removal is expensive. Before committing yourself to a treatment, make sure you ask some pertinent questions concerning the quality of the establishment, including the experience of the technician with the system they typically utilize and how long they have used this system. The quality of removal is very dependant on the skill and experience of the practitioner, so it is a good idea to spend the extra money if it means getting the better treatment.