Overview
During laser hair removal, the laser’s light is absorbed by the pigment in the hair, which is converted to heat that damages the tube-shaped sacs within the skin (hair follicles) that produce hairs. This damage inhibits or delays future hair growth.
About Laser Hair Removal
Although laser hair removal is used to reduce unwanted hair on the common areas such as the legs, armpits, upper lip, chin, and the bikini line; it shouldn’t be used on the eyelids or surrounding area. Skin with tattoos should not be treated either. People may get this treatment on any part of their body, but the most common areas are:
Your hair color and skin type will determine how successful your laser hair removal will be. The laser should damage only the hair follicle while avoiding damage to the skin. This means a case of contrast between hair and skin color, such as dark hair and light skin, results in the best outcome. However, the advances in laser technology have made laser hair removal an option for those with darker skin. Laser hair removal is less effective for hair colors that don't absorb light well: gray, red, blond, and white.
What is laser hair removal?
Laser hair removal is a popular non-invasive cosmetic procedure that uses a concentrated beam of light, or a laser, to remove unwanted hair. The laser emits a light that is absorbed by the pigment (melanin) in the hair. The light energy is then converted to heat, which damages the tube-shaped sacs within the skin (hair follicles) that produce hairs. This damage inhibits or delays future hair growth.
The procedure can be performed on most parts of the body, including the face, legs, arms, underarms, and bikini line. However, it’s important to note that laser hair removal can’t be performed on the eyelids or surrounding areas due to the risk of severe eye injury.
One of the main benefits of laser hair removal is its precision. The lasers can selectively target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged. Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs at the same time. Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute, and large areas, such as the back or legs, may take up to an hour.