Deciding to have laser hair removal can be a lot like taking a blind dive into a swimming pool. Taking that plunge can seem scary, until you understand the size of the pool. In the world of laser treatments, you have to understand exactly what you’re getting into, too.
Laser Machines Are Not Miracle Treatments
The first thing you need to know is that lasers can’t perform miracles. If you have heard that one laser procedure will get rid of your unwanted hair forever, someone has lied to you. The reason that lasers seem to perform miracles at first is that they can destroy an entire hair right down to its root. It takes a long time to regrow after that. When you shave hair off, the razor blade only removes a small part of the hair. The rest is lurking right below the surface and pokes back through quickly.
Nevertheless, hair removal machines that use laser beams don’t produce permanent results. Most of the hair will grow back, but it may take a couple weeks. Even so, it can save you a lot of the time and trouble you would be spending when shaving the hair or waxing it on your own.
he Difference Between Lasers and Other Light Treatments
There is a big difference between hair removal treatments that simply involve light and those that specifically involve laser light. Intense pulsed light (IPL) procedures use pulses of “cool” light on a different spectrum. Lasers use heat-producing, focused, consistent light beams to do the job. Both methods can help you to get rid of unwanted hair, but they differ quite a bit.
IPL treatments are much more mild than laser treatments. They also don’t always have the level of accuracy that lasers have. That means that you may need more IPL appointments to achieve the same results that you might get from fewer laser procedures.
You should also be aware that there are at-home kits for both IPL and laser treatments. However, they at-home kits are not very strong. They also lack the consistency and professional results that you could get from a treatment in a clinic.
Lasers Themselves Also Vary in Strength and Purpose
Even if you choose lasers over IPL devices, you still have more work to do. Next you have to choose the specific type of laser. YAG lasers are some of the most intense and accurate. There are also some YAG lasers that are capable of treating any skin tone. Other laser devices may not work well on those with dark complexions.
Just be sure to verify that the clinic is actually using YAG lasers, if you choose a YAG treatment. Some clinics wrongfully advertise YAG treatments when they are actually using weaker machines. Check the reputation and references of the clinic to verify that you will be getting what you pay for.
Going in for Laser Hair Removal Appointments
Finally, if you’re going to take the laser hair removal plunge, remember to get ready for your appointment by following all of the clinic’s pre-procedure instructions. For instance, any clinic with a good reputation should tell you not to use creams, lotions, or sprays on your skin before you go in. Any added moisture can cause burns. But as long as you follow those instructions you should have a successful session.
