Sick Of Razors? It's Time To Laser

The promise of smooth skin without the hassles of tweezing or shaving ever again. It’s hard to imagine that anyone would say no to that. Perhaps it’s the name of the treatment that can deliver on that promise – Laser Hair Removal – that makes people pause long enough to think, “Maybe I’ll just keep on shaving.” After all, what does Laser Hair Removal actually mean? They’re not actually going to be shooting lasers at my skin, and especially not at my face…are they?

The truth is, Laser Hair Removal is one of the safest and gentlest – not to mention most effective – processes you’ll find. It works by selectively concentrating light energy in the hair follicle itself, and leaves the surrounding skin unchanged. It’s a comfortable procedure can be done in as little as 15 to 30 minutes, and you can get back to your regular activity as soon as you’re done. One of the great things about Laser Hair Removal is that it can be performed on any area of your body or face, wherever you’ve got unwanted hair. And it works equally well for both men and women. A person who opts for Laser Hair Removal is provided with a series of treatments every 4 to 8 weeks, until they achieve their ultimate goals.

Sounds like an ideal solution, right? And it can be. But it’s important that you do your homework, too. For example, did you know there are a number of different hair removal lasers, each of which is F.D.A.-approved? Or that your best results might come from a combination of several lasers during your treatment series? And that some types of lasers are better suited to your skin type than others? The good news is, with today’s variety of advanced-technology laser hair removal systems, patients of all skin types can receive treatment and expect fantastic results. Here’s just a quick overview of a few cutting-edge hair removal systems:

Gentlelase This laser emits a gentle beam of light that passes through the skin, which is protected during treatment by a revolutionary dynamic cooling device. It’s used on patients with lighter skin types, on all areas of the face or body, and is considered by many to be the safest and most effective hair removal laser used today.

GentleYag This is the most advanced laser used to treat people with darker skin, or who have any kind of tan. People of Indian, Asian, Latin American, East Asian and African American heritage have had wonderful results with this specialized GentleYag laser.

The Starlux This laser features the most advanced Intense Pulsed Light System available today for hair removal, and uses targeted flashes of light to block the re-growth potential of hair follicles. Each treatment pulse covers a large number of hair follicles, making the procedure quick and effective. Best of all, The Starlux has several hand pieces which can be tailored to a patient's skin type, no matter how light or dark.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With so many types of technology out there, the most important part of your homework comes down to finding a practitioner to trust with your skin. Hair color, hair density and thickness, skin type and recent sun exposure all determine what type of laser will be the safest and work best for you. So it’s more important than ever to find a skilled laser hair removal practitioner with both expertise and a range of advanced devices and lasers, since one laser certainly doesn’t fit all.

Need a couple helpful hints? Avoid practitioners with older hair removal lasers that don’t have an integrated way of cooling and protecting the skin, and thus have a higher rate of side effects. Make sure your practitioner actually owns the lasers he or she is using, since rental lasers tend to be poorly calibrated and can lead to poorer outcomes.

Finding the right practitioner can be a little tricky, especially since most states have very lax regulations when it comes to who can perform laser hair removal. But there are some general rules to help guide your search: Look for practitioners who use lasers for other specialty procedures like skin rejuvenation, skin tightening and vascular treatments. This suggests they have a commitment to the field, and are generally more experienced in laser hair treatments. Along those lines, you should probably avoid seeking treatment from physicians whose primary focus is in another field of medicine, such as Gynecology or Internal Medicine. Laser therapy is likely to occupy just a small portion of their time, which is a red flag. You want a practitioner focused on laser hair therapy and who’s invested in the scope and quality of technology he or she will need to help you achieve the best outcome. Once you find that practitioner, you’re one step closer to the gentle, safe and lasting hair removal you’ve been waiting for.