When it comes to achieving hairlessness and smooth skin on areas of the body, laser for hair removal is one of the most effective procedures in the cosmetic world. Whether you want a touch-up on your legs or to achieve hairlessness in your underarm region, laser for hair removal allows you to experience silky skin on nearly all areas of the body.
Here at NuSkinnovation, we use the power of laser technology and other cosmetic practices to help you feel more confident in your own skin. In this quick read, we’ll be breaking which areas of the body you can treat with laser for hair removal and other useful information about the laser process.
Laser For Hair Removal: Understanding The Stages Of Hair Growth
Before we highlight the many areas of the body that can be addressed through laser procedures, it’s important to understand the hair growth cycle and how it affects laser for hair removal. One of the key reasons why laser treatment is so effective for semi- to permanent hair removal is its application during the stages of the hair growth cycle. Laser sessions are planned and spaced out according to these phases of our hair growth, helping to target hair follicles during the regrowth stage.
The hair growth cycle can be broken up into 3 main phases: anagen, catagen, and telogen. The Anagen phase is referred to as the active growth stage and is the best stage for you to undergo laser treatment. During this phase, new hairs begin to grow and push through the follicle, making them easier for the laser to target. The light of the laser damages the hair follicle, causing it to disrupt the Anagen phase and prevent hair regrowth.
The catagen phase, known as the transitional stage of the hair cycle, is a short period of time whereby the hair stops growing. The blood flow from the follicle is cut off, causing our hair to detach and eventually fall off. As this is the beginning of the shedding phase of the hair growth cycle, it’s advisable that you don’t undergo laser for hair removal as it won’t be able to target the hair follicles.
During the telogen phase, known also as the resting phase, hair follicles become completely inactive. As bulbs of keratin begin to form at the root of the hair, our body sheds the inactive follicles to make way for new growth. Once this stage is completed, the Anagen phase begins again.
Regions On The Body That Can Undergo Laser For Hair Removal
If you’re struggling to remove hair in those pesky areas of the body that are difficult to reach, you may want to consider laser for hair removal. Laser technology has continued to advance over the last few decades, allowing for safer procedures, more effective results, and the ability to treat most areas of the body.
Here’s a quick breakdown of a few areas of the body you can treat with laser for hair removal:
Arms
Removal of arm hair is common among men and women, especially for those of us that have blankets of hair growth on our bodies. Whether you have thick, dark, or scanty arm hair, laser for hair removal is highly effective for keeping your arms smooth and hairless for long periods of time. Instead of shaving or waxing your arm hair every other day, laser treatment offers a painless, semi-permanent solution to keeping your arms silky smooth.
Underarms
One of the most common areas of the body that people treat with laser for hair removal are the underarms. Underarm hair growth is common for everyone, ranging from teenagers to fully developed adults. While many people opt for shaving or waxing their underarm hair, this is a temporary hair removal solution that needs to be repeated regularly to maintain hairlessness.
Thankfully, laser for hair removal allows people to remove their unwanted underarm hair and have the freedom to wear sleeveless tops without having to worry about unshaved hair. Additionally, regrowth with laser treatment is barely visible, meaning you’ll only need a touch-up once a year for totally smooth underarms.
Bikini Area
While hair removal in the bikini area can be treated on anyone, it is most commonly performed on women. Many women seek out alternative hair removal methods for their bikini area, as shaving with a razor can be a painful experience, especially since the area is so sensitive. Shaving near the bikini area can result in a range of uncomfortable downsides, such as razor bumps, cuts, and ingrown hairs.
Instead of subjecting yourself to painful hair removal methods that need regular maintenance, laser treatment keeps away new growth for months, allowing you to enjoy smooth skin without any discomfort.
Legs
Want to get rid of unwanted leg hair without having to deal with painful bumps? Look no further than laser for hair removal. Whether you wax your hair or accidentally get razor cuts, hair removal can be a painful process on the legs. Rather than put yourself through the discomfort, get laser treatment so that your hairy legs can be silky smooth for good.
While results may not be immediate, simply attend the correct number of sessions as prescribed by your laser specialist, and you’ll be waking up to smooth, hairless legs every day.
Chest
A common part of the body that many men treat with laser for hair removal is the chest area, especially for those that tend to grow thick chest hair in large volumes. If you want to get rid of the chest hair poking out of your tops and collared shirts, laser treatment is a great way to keep the chest area free of unwanted hair.
Whether you want a smooth, hairless chest for swimming with ease or frequenting your local beach with newfound confidence, laser for hair removal is the perfect procedure for getting rid of excessive hair growth effectively and comfortably.
Stomach
Excessive hair growth near the navel area is common for men and women. Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are especially likely to have hair growth around the abdominal area due to the hormonal imbalance of their condition. While this excessive hair growth is completely normal, many prefer to be totally clean-shaven to be totally comfortable in their bodies.
Instead of risking razor cuts or painful waxing treatments on the stomach, laser treatment can leave the navel flawlessly smooth for months at a time. Additionally, laser allows you to permanently remove excessive hair growth on the stomach by attending just a few sessions.
Am I A Good Candidate For Laser For Hair Removal?
Now that you’re aware of the many areas of the body that can be treated with laser, it’s important to know if you’re a good candidate for laser for hair removal. As common as laser treatment has become over the last few decades, many people are still hesitant to undergo the procedure as they are unsure whether their skin type is eligible for treatment.
If you’re considering getting laser treatment but don’t know if you meet the criteria for undergoing the procedure, here are 4 factors to consider that make you an eligible candidate for laser hair removal:
Hair Colour & Skin Tone
While laser treatment can be performed on a range of skin types and textures, hair removal works best on those that have darker hair. This is because the laser targets the pigment of hair follicles to destroy them, which is easier to do on dark hair as it absorbs more energy than light hair. If you have dark hair, you’re more likely to see results faster and achieve smooth skin quicker.
Initially, laser treatment worked best on those with fairer skin and darker hair. Thankfully, the evolution of laser technology has allowed for people of all skin tones to undergo laser treatment without any hiccups.
Timeline Goals
Whether you want totally hairless skin or a reduction in the volume of body hair, your laser specialist needs to know exactly what your goals are for undergoing laser treatment. Depending on what you want to get out of the procedure, your specialist will create the best laser schedule according to your needs.
All bodies react differently to laser for hair removal, with some people seeing results immediately and others needing extra sessions. So long as you commit to the treatment and follow the laser schedule prescribed to you, you’ll make a great candidate for laser hair removal.
Stage Of Hair Growth
Now that you’ve been clued in on the different stages of the hair growth cycle, you’ll know that you should only ever undergo laser treatment during the active growth phase. If you choose to receive laser treatment during the resting or transitional phase of the hair growth cycle, your procedure will be ineffective.
Your laser specialist will be able to draw up a schedule of laser sessions attuned to your hair growth cycle, often resulting in multiple sessions spaced out over a period of time. To target all the unwanted hairs on your body, you’ll need to come back for more treatments when the hair has entered the active growth phase again.
Commitment To The Procedure
One of the most important factors that determines whether you’re a good candidate for laser treatment or not is your commitment to the procedure. Unlike shaving or waxing, laser for hair removal requires clients to follow specific pre- and post-treatment steps to ensure the effectiveness of their procedure. While laser treatment is a semi- or fully permanent solution to hair removal, it is not a quick one.
Make sure that you follow all the steps provided by your laser specialists and that you look after your skin after your laser sessions. The better you care for your skin, the more flawless results you’ll achieve.
In Conclusion
As we conclude our quick breakdown of areas of the body that can be treated with laser, hopefully you know more about how the treatment works and the many places it covers on the body.
If you’re interested in achieving smooth, silky skin, look no further than NuSkinnovation. Our laser specialists are expertly trained to provide you with exceptional treatments using top-of-the-line laser technology. So, why wait? Book a consultation with one of our professionals via our website or visit one of our branches across South Africa’s major cities.