Summer is in high gear and one of the many things to maintain during this time is hair. Don't let unwanted hair in the bikini area, legs and lower back hinder you from wearing a bikini - laser hair removal may be just the thing you've been looking for. Offering permanent hair reduction, laser hair removal can make shaving, waxing and threading a thing of the past.
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An ideal candidate for laser hair removal is a patient that has dark hair and light skin. Because the laser works by actively searching for chormophore, (which is responsible for pigment in the hair follicle) laser hair removal is not recommended for people with blonde or red hair. Once the follicle is located, the laser destroys the hair and the patient is left with smooth, hairless skin.
One of the main concerns about laser hair removal is the pain factor. There are many devices on the market for laser hair removal and newer models have built-in cooling agents and wider pattern sizes to offer more comfort for the patient and less pain. However, several treatments are still necessary for the best results.
According to Denver laser hair removal provider Dr. Tahl Humes, "Studies have shown that after 5-10 treatments, laser hair removal yields up to 90% hair reduction. Permanent hair removal isn't possible because you can have hair growth return during pregnancy or even when your body experiences hormonal changes. Patients with fairer skin and darker hair will often times see results closer to 5 treatments, whereas darker skinned/darker hair patients may need a few more."
Newer devices also allow for treatment of patients with darker skin.
"The Cutera Cool Glide is a long pulse YAG laser combined with contact cooling so we can treat patients who have up to Fitzpatrick 6 skin color," says Dr. Humes. Previous models could only treat patients who were up to Fitzpatrick 2 or 3 due to excessive pigmentation and weaker technology.
For more information on different laser hair removal devices, leading industry experts have reviewed several in American Health and Beauty's Beauty Tech Review on Laser Hair Removal.
