Posted March 31, 2014 in Laser Hair Removal
When it comes to unwanted facial hair, waxing can clog your pores, and shaving can result in beard-like stubble. Tweezing is also tedious, time-consuming, and painful. What’s more, nicks, rashes, and ingrown hairs often result when these hair removal methods are used on the body. For many men and women, these hair-raising solutions simply don’t make the cut. With hope dwindling, they turn to the Internet and ask, “Does laser hair removal really work?”
The short answer is yes; laser hair removal can permanently remove hair on any area of the body. However, there are a few caveats of which potential patients should be aware.
Candidacy
The best candidates for laser hair removal have light skin with medium to dark hair. Laser hair removal does work effectively on other skin and hair tones, especially with the advanced technology of Dr. Messa’s LightSheer® diode laser; however, the keyword for these patients is laser hair reduction. A marked improvement to the amount of hair that grows will be seen on virtually any patient after just a few treatments.
Number of Treatments
It is not possible to achieve complete hair removal to one area with only one laser hair removal treatment. This is because hair grows in phases. For the laser to detect and remove the hair, each hair must be in its active growth phase. At any given time, the hair on one area of the body will have hairs that are in the anagen (active), catagen (falling out), or the telogen (resting) phase. It typically takes at least five treatment sessions to ensure that most of the hair in the chosen area will be reduced.
Hormone Fluctuations
Interestingly, women who are in their second and third trimester of pregnancy will experience thicker, fuller hair. Because of the increase of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, the hair growth cycles synchronize so that at one given time, more hair is in its active growth phase. Although this may seem like the perfect opportunity to target more unwanted hair with one treatment, laser hair removal is not recommended for pregnant women. Hormone fluctuations such as these can cause the hair to fall out or regrow in new and unexpected places – sometimes even in areas previously treated with a laser.
Equipment and Practitioner
Not all lasers and practitioners provide the best results. A qualified practitioner like Dr. Messa or one of his knowledgeable staff will know exactly how to adjust the intensity and duration of the laser to provide the best results for each patient’s unique skin type. Dr. Messa is dedicated to treating his patients with the most advanced technologies available and has chosen to use the highly effective LightSheer® laser. With this laser system, Dr. Messa can treat all skin types (Fitzpatrick I–VI), including tanned skin, and can adjust the settings to treat nearly any hair diameter or color.
If you are considering laser hair removal in the Weston area, please schedule a consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Charles A. Messa, III by calling (954) 659-7760 today. For your convenience, you may also fill out our online contact form.