Using a laser for hair removal may not be for everybody, but it very well may be for you. It has a multitude of clear benefits, from duration and efficacy to safety and short recovery periods. There are certain people who fit the bill as particularly receptive to the advantages of these treatments, with factors encompassing both biological and lifestyle traits. These aren’t rare factors either; to the contrary, they’re incredibly common. In this article, we’ll look at the ins and outs of laser for hair removal and discuss whether it’s a suitable option for you.
What Exactly Does Using A Laser For Hair Removal Mean?
Using a laser for hair removal means you’re skipping traditional methods: shaving, waxing, threading, or depilatory creams. Instead, you’re opting for a high-tech method that uses an advanced laser system to direct beams of focused light at hair follicles. The follicles absorb the laser energy, heating up from the inside and becoming damaged in the process, which prevents them from producing new hair growth.
It’s a novel yet highly effective way to achieve significant hair reduction, if not total removal. Its primary difference from more conventional methods is its duration. Unlike most hair removal methods, laser hair removal produces results that last for months rather than days. With the exception of a few infrequent touch-up sessions, laser therapy is the perfect way to enjoy lasting smooth skin and confidence with minimal input from you after the treatment is complete.
Understanding Contrast Between Skin And Hair Tone
The laser systems used for hair removal are highly precise. The goal is to destroy your hair follicles with minimal spillover to the surrounding skin and soft tissue, leaving little significant or lasting damage. Yet this isn’t entirely due to the machine’s capabilities, as your own body and the laws of physics both assist in this process.
The laser energy is attracted to melanin, a pigment that exists in your hair follicles. This pigment draws the laser energy away from the relatively pigment-poor skin and into the follicle itself, where the laser’s primary work occurs. The more pigment there is in the follicle and the less there is in the skin, the more precise this process will be.
Because of this, those with dark hair and light skin tend to see the best and safest results when using a laser for hair removal. Modern technology now allows us to perform the treatment on those with dark skin, but has not yet made it viable for those with light (pigment-free) hair.
The Benefits Of Avoiding The Sun Before Treatment
As you spend time in the sun, your skin interacts with the UV rays and produces more melanin, adding more colour. You are very likely familiar with this process, which is commonly called tanning. In moderation, sun exposure is great for us. It improves our physical wellbeing and mental health. Many healthy activities like exercise and time spent in nature take place under the sun. A life lived avoiding it would be a miserable one.
That being said, if there ever is a time to avoid the sun, it is before, during and after the time spent using a laser for hair removal. The excess melanin in the skin caused by exposure to the sun can interfere with and cause complications during the treatment, leading to compromised results and even the potential of injuries like burns. Your clinic will strongly advise you to stay out of the sun and avoid exposure to UV rays as much as possible during treatment, including tanning beds.
Laser hair removal is thus better suited to those who can afford to stay out of or protected from the sun, such as those who work indoors or can cover up well when they need to be outside.
Patience Is a Virtue
Using a laser for hair removal provides you with results that last. Not for days or even weeks, but months. Factor in the occasional maintenance session, and the smooth skin can last for years. This is incredible news for anyone tired of constantly shaving, waxing, threading, or using depilatory creams for short-term results each time.
It’s worth keeping in mind that the initial process of completing laser hair removal therapy is rather lengthy. That’s because not all of your hair in the target area can be treated at once.
The laser system specifically targets hair while it’s in the anagen phase, also known as the growth phase. That’s because, at this stage, the hair follicle has the highest concentration of pigment, making it the most susceptible to laser energy while also reducing the risk of damage to the surrounding soft tissue. The only issue is that not all hair follicles are in this stage at once.
Your clinic will set a schedule for you to follow, coming in roughly every 4-8 weeks for a laser session until they’re confident that all hair within the target area has been treated. The total number of sessions will vary based on your own hair growth patterns and the size of the target area. The ideal candidate is someone who can accept that waiting period and has the lifestyle to accommodate it.
Value For Money
Using a laser for hair removal has a higher upfront cost than more traditional methods like shaving, waxing, threading, or depilatory creams. The exact price is difficult to determine and will vary based on your choice of clinic, the size of the target area, and the number of treatments you need. You can expect to pay anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand rands per session.
That initial cost is offset by the fact that it’s effectively a one-time purchase, giving you smooth skin for the following months or even years. Compared to this, any of the aforementioned short-term fixes will require continuous repurchases as they deplete, slowly adding up in cost. In that sense, laser hair removal may even be cheaper in the long run than conventional methods, especially if you’re relying on professional waxing sessions to get the job done.
More than just saving you money, you’ll also save yourself loads of effort and time throughout the period during which laser therapy’s results endure. How many repeated shaving or waxing sessions will you have rendered obsolete with that one decision to get laser treatment? Getting laser treatment means you no longer have to spend countless hours to address hair removal.
The Perfect Alternative to Shaving
Shaving is a millennia-old method of hair removal, having well proven itself as highly effective. It is also very likely the most common form of hair removal used worldwide by men and women alike. Since its inception, a consistent issue has been the skin irritation it causes.
Folliculitis, also known as inflamed hair follicles, razor burn, and ingrown hairs, are all common side effects of shaving. None of these are particularly dangerous or harmful to one’s health, but they can be unsightly and painful, and in the worst cases can lead to infection. Anyone can experience these after shaving, but some people with sensitive skin types are more likely to experience them than others, making shaving a much-dreaded process.
Using a laser for hair removal might just be one of the best workarounds for this common issue. It allows those with sensitive skin to undergo a single intensive process for lasting smooth skin. You’re going to be able to enjoy the benefits of shaving without having to undergo all the suffering you’ve long associated with the practice.
Laser For Hair Removal Encourages a Fast-Paced Lifestyle
Some of us choose to live fast-paced lifestyles while others find themselves unwittingly caught up. No matter how you’ve been caught up in the rush, it’s doubtless that you can relate to the gripe of simply not having enough time in the day. The thought of regularly having to pause your day and halt your schedule to accommodate a lengthy shaving process likely sounds utterly non-viable.
Laser hair removal gives you the option to totally forgo that whole effort, waking up every day for months or years with smooth skin ready to go and leap into action. However, that’s not the only reason that using a laser for hair removal works so well for those with fast paced lifestyles.
The recovery time between sessions is remarkably short, owing to the minimal damage caused to surrounding skin and tissue by the highly-precise laser system. This means that you won’t have to pay for efficacy with a lengthy recovery period. Soon after your laser treatment, you’ll be up and ready to head out and resume your normal schedule.
Why Choose NuSkinnovation?
NuSkinnovation is one of the leading names in all things related to healthy skin and hair. With over a decade of experience and a team full of qualified, internationally trained aestheticians, we have a proven track record of performing safe and effective laser treatments for all sorts of clients.
We use Fotona laser systems, which means our treatments are among the most effective and safe in all of skincare. Treatments are non-invasive and offer long-lasting results that can be life changing for many people. With branches all over South Africa, we’ve built a reputation for being reliable, professional and well-versed at all things related to skincare and hair.
No matter the type of laser treatment you’re looking for, we can more than likely assist. Our consultations are also free, and you are not obligated to commit to treatment afterwards. Our experts are more than happy to offer guidance and prepare a treatment plan in line with your goals.
Conclusion: The Ideal Candidate For Laser For Hair Removal
In conclusion, using a laser for hair removal is a treatment that offers ordinary people a whole new approach to hair removal. Rather than relying on short-term fixes, you can make an upfront investment in months or years of smooth skin with just a single procedure.
We’ve also made it clear that this high-tech strategy works better for some individuals than for others. Some of those reasons are related to biology, such as dark hair and light skin, which are more receptive to laser energy, or to sensitivity to shaving.
Other factors are more related to lifestyle, such as the ability to be patient and avoid the sun, the willingness to play the long game, or a preference for a higher upfront investment rather than multiple smaller purchases over time. Fortunately, the ideal laser hair removal candidate is both broad and common, making this treatment a fantastic solution for a large segment of the population.
If you feel that you could benefit from laser hair removal, visit your nearest NuSkinnovation laser clinic and book a consultation today.