Laser Hair Removal
Unwanted hair is a common problem, for both men and women. Frequent hair removal tasks including shaving, depilatories, plucking, and waxing can be time-consuming, inconvenient and often painful. At best, these methods offer only temporary results – for some only a few hours, then hair regrowth starts again. Free yourself from the constant need to shave and wax unwanted facial and body hair and feel your best.
According to The Aesthetic Society, laser hair removal is the 3rd most performed non-surgical cosmetic treatment in the US. If you no longer want to worry about shaving, we can help you to get to the root of the problem with our state-of-the-art laser system.
What is laser hair removal?
Laser technology has brought us a permanent solution to remove unwanted hair, leaving skin feeling smooth and healthy, this is laser hair removal. Laser hair removal gives you effective, permanent hair reduction anywhere on your body including the face, legs, back, underarms or bikini line. Treatments are quick and easy letting you get back to your everyday activities.
How laser hair removal works
During laser hair removal, a laser device emits light energy that travels through the skin and is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle and hair shaft. Pigments are the substances that give skin and hair its color. This energy damages the hair follicle, which impairs its ability to grow. Hair follicles that are in the anagen, or active growth phase, have more pigment and absorb more energy, and typically respond best to treatments. For this reason, it takes multiple treatments to achieve the best results – it’s important to “catch” your hair in this active growth phase when you are receiving treatments.
Shannon O’Brien, Medical Esthetician
Medical esthetician Shannon O’Brien has nearly 20 years of experience offering luxury medical spa services. Whether you need a relaxing facial or expert help with skin concerns like acne or wrinkles, she is here to help you achieve your best skin ever with treatments like chemical peels, microneedling, and laser skin resurfacing.
What areas can laser hair removal treat?
The Laser can remove hair from many areas including the face, back, chest, arm, underarm, bikini, and legs.
Laser hair removal procedure
During the procedure, the provider will guide the device over the treatment area. The Laser will emit gentle pulses of energy that are delivered into your skin and hair follicles. The hair follicles that absorb the energy from the laser will be damaged. Hairs that were present in the follicles at the time of treatment will fall out over the next couple of weeks and future hair growth will be impaired. Since not all hairs are actively growing at the same time, a single procedure will not treat all of the hair follicles in the area. As the follicles in the transitional and resting periods return to the active growth phase, you may notice some hair regrowth but not as thick as it was before the treatment. This regrowth will become thinner and lighter with each subsequent treatment until there is little, to no hair at all.
- Key Benefits
- Glossary
- Long-Term Hair Reduction: Laser hair removal significantly reduces hair growth, leading to smoother skin for extended periods.
- Precision: The laser targets dark, coarse hairs without damaging surrounding skin, providing precise hair removal.
- Speed: Each laser pulse lasts a fraction of a second, treating many hairs simultaneously, which means even large areas can be treated quickly.
- Cost-Effective: Despite the upfront cost, savings over time on razors, waxing, or other hair removal products and services accumulate.
- Minimized Discomfort: Although some pain or discomfort may be felt, it’s typically less painful than waxing.
Ablative Laser: A laser that removes the outer layer of skin.
Alexandrite Laser: A type of laser used in hair removal that emits red light, effective for lighter skin tones.
Diode Laser: A type of laser that is more effective for darker skin tones.
Epidermis: The outer layer of the skin.
Fluence: The energy density of the laser beam, measured in joules per square centimeter.
Hair Follicle: The skin organ that produces hair.
Hirsutism: Excessive hair growth in areas where men typically grow hair.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL): A technology used in hair removal and skincare.
Laser: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Device that emits light through a process of optical amplification.
Melanin: The pigment that gives human skin, hair, and eyes their color.
Nd:YAG Laser: A laser used for hair removal on darker skin types.
Non-ablative Laser: A laser that works beneath the skin without damaging the surface.
Photothermolysis: The use of light to heat and destroy hair follicles.
Pulse Duration: The amount of time each laser pulse lasts.
Pulsed Dye Laser: A type of laser that produces yellow light.
Radiofrequency: A type of energy that is used in various cosmetic procedures.
Ruby Laser: The first successful optical laser, often used in tattoo and hair removal.
What to expect on the day of treatment
We suggest shaving prior to your consultation and minimizing sun exposure if you would like to get started the same day as your consultation. Typically, there is little to no downtime after laser hair removal treatments and is so quick and easy patients can come on their lunch breaks. Before the laser is used, a gel is applied to your skin where you will receive treatment. The treatment will begin with the provider guiding the Laser handpiece over the treatment area. You will feel cooling while the handpiece is gliding over the treatment area to provide a comfortable session. You may also feel a slight rubberband like snapping when the energy is being delivered into your skin and hair follicles.
The discomfort is over almost immediately, and treatments take just a few minutes depending on the size of the area. After the treatment, the gel will be removed and a cooling gel may be applied to your skin. Bandages and ointments are not necessary after laser hair removal due to the nature of the treatments being so minimally invasive. For a few days after your treatment, you may feel like you have a mild sunburn but can resume all your normal day to day activities immediately following treatment.
If you are a laser hair removal patient, please be aware of the following:
- Shave the area being treated prior to your appointment.
- Discontinue all waxing, plucking, and tweezing on the areas receiving treatment 6 weeks before and during your sessions.
- Discontinue excessive UV exposure, tanning and tanning beds and tanning creams on the areas receiving treatment, 4 weeks prior to your appointment.
Post-treatment instructions for laser hair removal:
- Immediately after the treatment, there may be redness around the treatment site, which may last up to a couple of days but usually subsides within the first few hours. It is normal for the treated area to feel like a mild sunburn for the first few days.
- Avoid sun exposure on the treated area and use a sunscreen SPF 45 or greater at all times throughout the course of treatment.
- Anywhere from 7-30 days after treatment, shedding of the hair may occur and this may appear as new hair growth. This is not all new hair growth, but mostly dead hair pushing its way out of the follicle.
Am I a good candidate for laser hair removal?
The Laser can be safely used on all skin types from very light skin to very dark skin. It is best if the hair is black or brown, however, your provider will determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure based on a variety of factors.
FAQs about laser hair removalIf you are interested in Laser Hair Removal in Philadelphia, Bryn Mawr, Main Line or the surrounding areas, call (610) 527-4833 to schedule a consultation with Main Line Top Doctor, Dr. Brannon Claytor; expert physician assistant, Julie Holesh; or our medical esthetician, Shannon O’Brien.
References »
Casey AS, Goldberg D. Guidelines for laser hair removal. Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy. 2008 Mar;10(1):24-33. doi: 10.1080/14764170701817049.
Thomas MM, Houreld NN. The “in’s and outs” of laser hair removal: a mini review. Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy. 2019;21(6):316-322. doi: 10.1080/14764172.2019.1605449. Epub 2019 Apr 24.
Kang CN, Shah M, Lynde C, Fleming P. Hair Removal Practices: A Literature Review. Skin Therapy Lett. 2021 Sep;26(5):6-11.
Ross EV, Domankevitz Y. Hair Removal With Blended 755/1064 nm Laser Energy. Lasers Surg Med. 2021 Oct;53(8):1020-1025. doi: 10.1002/lsm.23381.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. R. Brannon Claytor — Updated on Oct 22, 2024
