I’m going to let y’all in on a little secret of mine.
I come from a long line of hairy women.
Yes, we created a name for it.
Fortunately, there are several options to remove unwanted hair ranging from hair removal creams to waxing.
Shaving takes time every day and can cause razor bumps and ingrown hairs.
And waxing, tweezing, or threading is cruel and unusual punishment.
So what can a hairy gal do to get that silky smooth hairless skin?
One viable option might be laser hair removal.
The laser goes through the skin to the hair follicle to stunt future growth.
Timing matters
So it sounds simple.
You find someone to zap your hair at the root and no more hair, right?
“Hair grows in different phases.
The growing phase anagen is the time that we want to effectively target,” he says.
When hair is in the telogen phase, the laser cannot identify the hair.
Unfortunately, hair growth doesn’t occur all at once.
That’s why Dr. Konda says it’s important to space out treatment to every four to six weeks.
“For the average patient, we recommend four to six treatments at least four to six weeks apart.
That usually gets rid of the majority of hair,” he said.
Side effects can include blistering, cold sores, swelling, scarring and darkening of the skin.
Tanning and tanning spray also impact the efficacy of the hair removal process.
Women or men with lighter colored hair may not be suited for laser hair removal.
Not all blondes need to worry.
In those cases, electrolysis would be better," he says.
Dr. Konda says many physicians treat women with blonde hair on a case-by-case basis.
He explains that when discussing LHR with patients there is an ideal candidate in mind.
“An ideal candidate is a person with darker hair on a fairer complexion,” he says.
Some patients do experience breakthrough hair growth after the treatment series, Dr. Konda says.
However, Dr. Konda warns that electrolysis might not be the best option.
“Electrolysis destroys the hair follicles one by one.
It’s painful and intensive for the patient and practitioner.
That is why laser hair removal is preferred.”
Though laser hair removal isn’t permanent, studies do show it can be highly effective.
There are four common hair-removal lasers.
Dr. Konda recommends consulting a dermatologist to decide what laser would work best for your skin and hair.
For darker skin, there is theNd: YAG Laser.
It is ideal of darker skin hues because it has weaker melanin absorption.
To remove the hair, YAG sends out long wavelengths to zap the hair.
Those with an olive tone,Alexandrite Laserhas been found to be effective.
Similar to the YAG Laser, Alexandrite transmits a long wavelength.
While effective for women of varying complexions, Alexandrite has been found to cause scarring.
It uses a mix of short and long wavelengths to attack the hair follicles.
Because Diode is so new, there is little known about its long-term effects.
For very light skin, women can turn to theRuby Laser system.
It’s one of the oldest systems around.
It has a higher melanin absorption rate than other options.
However, patients report discoloration after treatment.
Of course, dermatologists like Dr. Konda recommend seeing a dermatologist.
That’s a national average.
The price varies from provider to provider.
Dermatologists and plastic surgeons aren’t the only ones offering this service.
Many laser hair removal businesses strictly use aestheticians.
“Dermatologists pioneered the field and many of the equipment.
We know the physics behind it.
Recently, home laser hair removal products have come to the market.
Though seemingly cost effective, these devices only provide minimal hair reduction,according to the Mayo Clinic.
In very rare cases, some patients experience excessive hair growth after treatment.
Dr. Konda says the reason for this hair growth is unknown.
This is because waxing or plucking removes the entire hair shaft, not just the surface hair.
Some patients experience mild pain during the procedure, which Dr. Konda likens to popping a rubber band.
