by Jeanna Marcos
Laser treatment for unwanted hair growth uses a laser beam to suppress the hair follicle’s activity with the goal of permanent hair removal. The hair follicles are a series of miniature capsules under the skin, each producing one hair. The laser device sends out a beam of light that becomes heat when it touches a color-producing pigment called melanin inside the hair shaft. The heat travels through the hair shaft down into the follicle and makes it shut down hair growth. This shutdown lasts anywhere from months to year, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient.
A laser is a medical device that emits high-energy light directed at a specific target”in this case, the pigment in the hair shaft. Laser treatment of hair growth is performed by a doctor or a nurse with special training. The lasers used in this procedure are hand-held. There are several different types of hair removal devices that use light. In addition to lasers, there are intense pulsed light (IPL) devices. IPL isnt technically laser because it uses multicolored light in microsecond bursts, while laser emits light of a single color on the spectrum. Both types of devices have advantages and disadvantages. The choice of device to use for treatment depends on the doctors assessment of the individual patient.
To be successful, the laser treatment must target the hair shaft while not heating the melanin in the surrounding skin area. An experienced treatment professional is well aware of this risk and will closely monitor the laser beam to avoid harming the patient. The precision needed for a successful treatment is the reason that laser hair removal is classified as a medical procedure.
Many factors influence whether the patient will experience any pain during laser hair removal treatment. They include:
* the body region where treatment occurs. Sensitive skin is more likely to react to laser treatment.
* the hair’s color and texture. Thicker, darker hair can transfer heat to the surround skin area.
* how many treatments the patient has had previously. Repeated treatments produce finer, thinner hair growth thats easier to treat.
* whether the patient is sensitive to pain. Most patients opt to continue treatment despite any discomfort they experience.
Most doctors recommend a minimum of three laser hair removal treatments, and four to seven sessions over a period of four months to a year is considered the norm for eliminating 80 percent of the hair from the target area. These numbers are highly dependent on the individual patient’s needs and physiology. On rare occasions, a patient may not respond to hair removal treatments at all.
Most patients need occasional maintenance treatments one or two times a year to keep the treatment effective. Patients with very thick hair or a medical condition may need maintenance more often.
Patients with darker skin are more challenging to treat than those with light skin. This is because both the skin and hair get their color from a pigment called melanin. Laser hair removal works by heating the melanin in the hair shaft without heating the melanin in the skin, so if the skin is darker than the hair, it will heat up more quickly. Patients with darker skin may still be candidates for laser treatment, and as the technology progresses, these patients will become easier to treat. Selection of an experienced treatment professional is especially important in these cases.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons lists a price of $429 as the cost of one hair treatment with laser when averaged on a national basis. This price will vary greatly depending on where you live, which clinic you go to, and which area of the body you wish to treat. Clinics are aware of the lack of insurance coverage for this procedure and will work with you to draw up a treatment and payment plan.
Jeanna Marcos Beauty Beauty, cosmetic surgery, electrolysis, excessive hair, grooming, hair removal, laser, lifestyles, unwanted hair, waxing