Excessive hair growth and hair at unwanted places has always been an issue for both men and women. We spend a considerable amount of money and devote a considerable amount of time to remove hair from our arms and legs and different body parts. The traditional methods of hair removal like shaving, waxing, depilatories and electrolysis are time consuming, painful and expensive. Moreover shaving can cause severe dryness and excessive flakiness on the skin, and invasive methods like waxing and epilating can cause problems like in grown hair and irritation on the skin. Threading is a technique that is not a practical solution for large areas and bleaches, depilatory creams leave behind ugly patches on the skin. To avoid the hassle of investing time and money monthly in hair removal, it would be better to go for laser hair reduction that gives you a permanent solution to the body hair woes.(image 1)
Laser hair treatment has been used as a cosmetic treatment since the past decade with increasing popularity. It works well for all areas of the body like the face, chin, arms and the rest of the body. It is performed by plastic surgeons across the world and can effectively reduce unwanted hair permanently with minimal risk.
1. During laser hair removal, a laser or a concentrated beam of light is aimed at the skin. The laser or the light is attracted to the melanin of the hair follicles which heats up the hair follicle and destroys the stem that produces the hair. Thus the hair follicle is permanently destroyed.
2. The treatment is relatively safe and there is minimum disruption on the skin surface. The procedure works best on people with dark hair and light skin. It does not work on hair that is grey, white, light red, light brown or blonde. Several treatments and sessions may be needed for long term benefits and for a permanent hair removal.
3. Our skin is not adversely affected by the treatment because our skin cools down more quickly than the hair follicles. The treatment ends with the application of creams to cool down the skin and minimize the risk.
4. Hair removal treatments on face and under the arms are normally completed in abound 15 minutes. The other area of body will need at least 1 hour to complete the procedure.
Laser hair reduction is a three step procedure which involves cleaning, shaving and scanning of the area that is to be treated. During scanning, the laser energy is passed through the skin and is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle.
This laser works best for very pale skin and is not very commonly used.
This is one of the most common lasers used and is used to treat darker skinned people.
IPL is the most commonly used laser in the hair removing technique. It is most effective for pale to medium type skin tone.
1. The biggest advantage of laser hair removal is getting rid of unwanted hair growth. Hair removed at a laser clinic will take a long time to grow than by other usual means. It burns and completely disables the hair follicle and in some cases removes the hair permanently. While waxing is still the most popular method of hair removal, laser treatment is long lasting and at times permanent removal that is making laser treatment an increasingly popular method of removing hair.
2. Laser hair removal treatment is the most effective of all treatments. The majority of people who have undergone this treatment have had positive results and in some cases even permanent hair elimination.
3. Candela or Palomar, the machines used for treating laser hair removal are user friendly and can be accessed by all age groups of people.
4. Laser hair removal is suitable for removing hair from all parts of body.
5. It is much less painful than waxing, plucking, threading and electrolysis. A prickly feeling is experienced but that can be counteracted with an anaesthetic cream. The laser treatment resembles a rubber band snapping against the skin for a quick second with each pulse.
6. The procedure involved in laser treatment is fast and quick. The length of the treatment depends on the size of the area being treated. Each laser pulse will treat an area of 9×9 mm.
7. If there is hair re-growth after treatment, it will be finer and lighter in texture as compared to before.
8. Laser hair removal rarely comes with complications and even if there is some sort of complication, it is never permanent in nature. If any pain or swelling or redness is seen, it subsides quickly. The best technicians and clinics will greatly reduce the likelihood of having any of these complications.
9. With Diode laser removal, there is speed, accuracy, and most of all, it is safe and non-irritating. Compared with other epilating techniques, the diode laser is a non-evasive method. So there is less likelihood of having a bacterial infection.
10. Laser hair removal gives smooth skin and enhances the beauty of the person. It is also safe for sensitive areas near eyes and mouth.
1. The main disadvantage of laser hair removal is the cost associated with the treatment. 6 initial sessions are necessary to gain the full benefit of the treatment. You can’t get away from the treatment once you start it. You have to complete the sessions to make it work and this adds to the cost.
2. Another disadvantage of laser treatment is that it gives full results to only specific type of people. Laser is not beneficial for red, blonde and grey hair. People with dark skin have this melanin shade throughout their body, thus laser treatment is not much effective on dark skin. Even very pale toned people will also not get 100% results and at times no result at all.
3. Laser hair removal treatment is effective only on actively growing hair. It permanently removes the hair follicle that is in an active growing phase. However, the treatment does not prevent new hair follicles from growing. So it is not a permanent hair removal treatment and some re-growth is possible.
1. The area to be treated should be protected from sun tanning and sun exposure for at least 4 to 6 weeks. Apply a high SPF sunscreen on the area. Avoid exposure to the sun during the course of treatment as this can cause sun burn.
2. Avoid bleaching, plucking, waxing the area for 4 to 6 weeks prior to the treatment.
3. If you have a history of herpes, prophylactic, go for anti-viral therapy before and after the treatment.
4. Do not take any photo sensitive drugs or herbals for 24 hours before the treatment.
5. Do not shave for 3 to 8 days before the treatment. For further treatments, do not shave for 1 to 2 weeks so that the doctor can see the stubble growth on the day of treatment. Use a sunscreen throughout the course of treatment.
1. There are possibilities of redness and swelling on the treated area which will not last longer than two hours. A clear aloe Vera gel is recommended on the treated area for 2 to 4 days. Patients with darker skin may have more discomfort, so it is advisable to use the aloe Vera gel for a longer time.
2. If the area feels warm to touch even after 24 hours of treatment, apply ice to reduce the swelling and tenderness and promote healing.
3. Avoid using cosmetics and creams over the treated skin as this can lead to skin irritations. Avoid scratch or picking the treated area
4. Avoid internal or external heat i.e. sauna, hot tub, hot oven, steam or heavy exercises that may cause perspiration, for 2 days as they may stimulate melanocytes leading to hyper pigmentation. Do not wash the treated area forcefully as the skin is still tender.
The cost of laser hair removal treatment depends on various factors which include:
The area which the patient wants to treat is the most important factor in determining the final cost. Larger areas of the body are charged higher than small patches. The primary reason behind this price discrepancy is that the procedure is precise and takes a long time. Larger areas take longer time as compared to smaller portions.
The cost of the entire treatment is divided into a number of sessions which is priced differently. So it is important for patients to take a note of the number of sessions which they would need to complete the treatment. In order to complete the treatment, most patients would require at least 6 additional sessions which increases the overall cost of the treatment.
The density, thickness and length of the hair plays an important role in determining the overall the cost of the treatment.
The total cost of the treatment also depends on the standard and quality of the clinic you visit to get the treatment. There are different types of clinics and hospitals that provide laser treatment and cost of the treatment varies from clinic to clinic. These clinics are determined on the level of luxury and service they provide and the overall standard of health care.
Most Indian clinics charge around 3000 to 10,000 per session. It is important to confirm the number of sessions before commencing the removal.
Most people who undergo this treatment are required to sit for at least 6 sessions. So the final cost of the entire session can be somewhere between Rs.18,000 to Rs.60,000.
Some clinics and health care also offer a complete package and are competitively priced to attract the customers. The cost of such packages begins at Rs 25,000.
When going for a laser hair removal treatment always choose a skilled doctor who has proper experience in this field. This minimizes the chance of injury and burning during the treatment and guarantees the best result. Never compromise on the quality to save some money as it damages the body which if you are unlucky can be permanent.
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