How Many Sessions Are Needed for Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal can be an effective, easy, and virtually painless way to get the smooth skin that you crave. With the help of our professional team at Southwest Michigan Plastic and Hand Surgery in Portage, Michigan, you can look and feel your best for years to come. Many people are turning to this type of treatment to remove their unwanted hair and look beach-ready any time of the year, and it’s easy to understand the appeal. It works, and the results can last for years.
This type of treatment is best done in a series of sessions. Each person is different, so it’s difficult to tell exactly how many sessions will be needed without an initial consultation. Generally, people need between six and eight sessions to remove the hair fully. That’s because our hair goes through different growth phases. The bodily location where you want the hair removed also factors in. Our expert team will assess your specific situation and give you a timeline of what you can expect.
If you’re having hair removed from your face, you can schedule appointments once every four weeks. If you want to remove hair from your body, aim for every month and a half. We will work with you to craft a treatment schedule that works for you and your body and takes your existing appointments into account.
How Can I Make the Treatment Go Smoother?
If you want your treatment to go as smoothly as possible, make sure that your skin is freshly shaved but not waxed, bleached, or plucked before your appointment. Shaved skin makes it easier for the laser to penetrate and target active hairs. It’s a good idea to avoid the sun or any spray tans before your appointment, and you should avoid using lotion, deodorant, or makeup on the day of your appointment. Your skin should be fresh, clean, and free of any products.
Retin-A, which is found in many anti-aging products and acne medications, can cause complications during the treatment, so stop using these products for a few days before your appointment. Generally, people can resume product usage about five days after their laser session. Still, since everyone is different, it’s a good idea to talk to us before you start using the products again. You can check your products for Retin-A by simply reading the active ingredients or going online. When in doubt, cut it out. Your skin will thank you.
How Long Will I Have to Wait to See Results?
Many people see a thinning of their hair right after the treatment, although everyone is different, and the results will depend on how your body reacts to the laser and what kind of hair you have. Since it takes several sessions to eradicate hair in a specific area completely, you should expect that your hair will grow back a little bit. Generally speaking, the new hair is a lot finer and lighter than the removed hair.
Your existing hair should start to shed after the treatment. The best way to get rid of it is to wipe it away with a warm washcloth gently. Resist the urge to scrub too hard because you might irritate the skin.
Is There Any Downtime?
One of the biggest perks of this treatment is that there’s really no downtime and the sessions themselves are virtually pain-free. Most people find this treatment preferable to other options, such as waxing, which tends to be rougher on the skin.
What to Expect During a Session
The targeted area will be treated to several laser pulses that will seek out the hair root and follicle. The lasers kill the follicle, so they can’t produce additional hair. Since hair grows at different times, the treatment must be done in a few different sessions to fully address all of the follicles in any given area. Most people find the treatment to be fairly pain-free.
What Happens After Your Treatment
After you get laser hair removal, try to stay out of the sun and avoid waxing or picking at your skin right after the treatment. You should also avoid putting any scented products or Retinol creams on the skin. Keep it clean and use a bit of baby powder to keep the area cool and dry. After the treatment, many people notice that their hair starts to slough off, and the skin underneath is luminous, smooth, and lovely.
Common Reasons People Get This Treatment
There are plenty of reasons why people prefer laser hair removal to other types of treatments. It’s a great investment in the long run, and it’s certainly far less painful than other alternatives.
Saves Time and Money
Think about all of the time you spend shaving and all of the money you put into razors, shaving creams, and other parts of your shaving or waxing kit. Lasers get rid of your unwanted hair for good, saving you lots of time and money in the long run.
Minimize Ingrown Hairs
Ingrown hairs can be unsightly and also lead to infections if they’re plucked. Lasers minimize or even eliminate unwanted ingrown hairs, and many people who get these treatments done to find that they no longer have to deal with them again.
Look Great All Summer Long
You can look great all winter long as well, but the summers are when we tend to show off more skin. Since hair doesn’t grow back on laser-treated skin, you won’t have to worry about missing a spot shaving or waxing. You can go to the beach with the full confidence that you look totally hairless and bathing suit ready. This assurance can raise your confidence and make you feel better about your body.
Permanent Solution
Unlike other hair removal techniques, lasers are a permanent solution to unwanted hair. Once the follicle and root are destroyed, the hair is gone forever. This makes the treatment an excellent option for those who are looking to get rid of hair for good.
Smooth, Luxurious Skin
Hairless skin is smooth, luxurious skin. Imagine having soft, hairless skin that feels freshly waxed or shaved without going through the trouble of waxing or shaving? That’s how people who get laser hair removal feel every day. There’s no stubble or unwanted, patchy hair.
Everyone experiences different benefits of laser hair removal. Talk to us about what your objectives are, and we should be able to tell you what to expect and what excellent benefits you can expect after your hair removal sessions.
Where Can I Get This Treatment Done?
You can get this treatment done virtually anywhere on your body. Many people opt for the face, specifically areas of your eyebrows, upper lip, and nose, or underarms, bikini line, legs, chest, and arms. You can certainly get it done on more than one body part, and many people who have experienced laser hair removal firsthand like to continue treating other areas of their bodies.
Alternatives to This Treatment
Those who don’t opt for laser removal have several different options when it comes to getting rid of unwanted hair. Unfortunately, these alternatives are simply not as effective as lasers and are generally considered to be temporary fixes.
Tweezing
Tweezing is a way of ripping out single or small bunches of hair with tweezers. It’s a good way to sculpt eyebrows or deal with one or two unwanted hairs. It’s not a permanent solution to hair removal, and realistically it can only be done in small areas of the body.
Topical Hair Removal Lotions
You can buy topical hair removal lotions or creams over the counter. Many of them are specifically designed for a particular part of the body, and you shouldn’t attempt to apply them in a different area. Although these creams tend to work, many of them are loaded with chemicals and can cause adverse reactions. If you opt for this hair removal system, test a small area of your body first to make sure that you’re not allergic.
One of the biggest benefits of laser removal treatments is that there’s virtually no chance of an allergic reaction.
Shaving
Shaving is one of the most common ways to get rid of unwanted hair. Although it’s relatively painless and you can shave anywhere on your body, shaving will not remove hair in the long run. Many people also miss spots shaving, which can lead to embarrassing situations. Razors can also become quite dull over time, and need to be replaced, making shaving costly in the long run. Although it’s an easy fix for body hair, shaving just doesn’t make a ton of sense if you have to do it every day.
Additionally, many razors are disposable and can cause major environmental headaches if they’re not recycled. Lasers are a more environmentally friendly, easier, effective, and less costly way to deal with unwanted body hair.
Wax
Waxing is highly effective, but most people find it to be exceptionally painful. Although you can wax at home, many people go to salons to have it done professionally. While wax rips the hair out at the root, it doesn’t permanently prevent the follicle from producing more hairs, and most people have to go back to the salon to get re-waxed after a few months. Wax can also cause burns or infections if you don’t go to a reputable place.
Ultimately, most people who try laser hair treatments wind up finding it to be a pain-free, permanent alternative to a lot of other options.
Get Smooth, Hairless Skin Today
If you want to have smooth, hairless skin without the constant need to shave, or the pain of having your hair waxed, we can help. Our team works with men and women just like you who want to look their best in an affordable and practical manner. We prioritize your care, treat you like the individual that you are, and make sure that you are handled with kindness and total transparency every step of the way. Our goal is to help you look and feel your very best through personalized consultation and an effective treatment plan.
If you’re ready to enjoy gorgeous, hairless skin today, get in touch with our team. We can explain exactly what laser hair removal entails and see if it’s right for you. Contact Southwest Michigan Plastic and Hand Surgery in Portage, Michigan for a pressure-free consultation today.
