ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IPL / LASER HAIR REMOVAL

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IPL / LASER HAIR REMOVAL

1. LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Getting rid of unwanted facial or body hair can be time consuming and painful. Worse than that, if you shave or wax, in a few short weeks you're going to have to do it all over again. There are longer lasting ways to deal with unwanted hair and laser treatment is a technique which has been steadily gaining popularity.

2. HOW DOES LASER HAIR REMOVAL WORK?

Laser light is delivered to areas of unwanted hair, the light is absorbed by the pigment in hair strands and transmitted down to the follicles which are destroyed or disabled.

3. BENEFITS OF LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Unlike waxing or shaving, laser treatment offers a long-lasting hair removal solution. It can be used anywhere from the earlobes to the toes and it's suitable for use on the most intimate parts of the body. Because the equipment targets many hair follicles at a time, laser treatment is quicker than electrolysis.

4. HOW TO PREPARE FOR LASER HAIR REMOVAL

As this treatment targets hair follicles, you should avoid waxing or plucking, both of which temporarily removes them, for six weeks or so before your session. You should also avoid exposure to the sun for six weeks before laser hair removal as a tan will reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.

5. WHAT TO EXPECT DURING LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Before the laser is applied, hair is trimmed to a few millimetres. The laser is adjusted to give the best results according to the area to be treated, the colour and thickness of the hair and your skin tone. Your skin will be cooled before the laser is applied, this both increases the effect and protects the skin cells from damage during treatment .

6. IS LASER HAIR REMOVAL PAINFUL?

It's not unusual to feel a burst of heat during the course of the treatment. Some people experience more discomfort than others. To put this in perspective, laser hair removal is generally reported to be less painful than electrolysis.

The benefits of this method last for years, as opposed to the weeks of smooth skin offered by waxing which is also not a pain free treatment.

7. PROS AND CONS OF LASER HAIR REMOVAL

The treatment is safe when administered by a trained professional, less painful than many other hair removal options and it can be used on larger areas of the body, such as the back or legs. Second, only to safety, the major benefit of laser hair removal treatment is that it works, it's a recognised method of greatly reducing unwanted hair growth and in many cases eliminates it totally. On the down side, there can be some short-term side effects, itching, swelling and short-term redness are not uncommon. The effectiveness of laser treatment will depend to some extent on the skin and hair tone of the person being treated.

8. RECOVERY AND RISKS

More serious potential side effects include burning, skin discolouration or blistering. These are very rare and can generally be eliminated by choosing a trained practitioner who uses high quality laser equipment which can be precisely targeted to the hair type being treated. In the majority of cases, the skin may feel sensitive for a day or two after treatment, much like a mild case of sunburn. As with sunburn, cooling gels or moisturisers will generally ease discomfort.

9. IS LASER HAIR REMOVAL PERMANENT?

The treatment is more effective on darker hair and in the USA laser hair removal is registered as a permanent hair reduction rather than permanent hair removal technique. A high degree of hair reduction which lasts for many years can be expected. And in some cases permanent hair removal is possible.

10. HOW MUCH DOES LASER HAIR REMOVAL COST?

One salon in Notting Hill offers laser hair removal sessions starting at £55 for a single session on a small area of the body, such as the nose or toes. Single session prices for larger areas of the body increase to over £300. It's usual to need more than one session, how many will depend on the area to be treated, hair type and tone. Booking a course of treatments will generally attract a discount. When compared to the costs of many years waxing, laser hair removal is considered by many to be both cost and time effective.