LASER HAIR REMOVAL
A pain free way to be hair free
SUMMARY
Unwanted body and facial hair is a common problem for many men and women of all skin types. Lasers destroy the hair follicles by attacking the pigment inside the follicle, causing thermal damage. Laser hair removal treatments are a safe, effective, and convenient way to achieve permanent hair reduction with outstanding results.
WHERE
Physimed MediSpa, Montreal
ANESTHESIA
None
PAIN
Low
LENGTH OF PROCEDURE
10-60 minutes
RECOVERY TIME
0-24 hours
before & after gallery
Click here to view this before and after
INVASIVENESS
Low
Lasers destroy the hair follicles by attacking the pigment inside the follicle, creating thermal damage. Laser hair treatments are a safe, effective and convenient way to achieve permanent hair reduction. While laser hair removal will greatly reduce hair growth, it doesn’t permanently remove it in all cases; the number of treatments needed will depend on your hair growth cycle, the treatment area, and your specific genetics.
At Physimed MediSpa, we have the latest and most powerful lasers to give you the best results possible. We use the Triton platform from InMode with a combination of three lasers; an Nd Yag laser, a Diode laser and an Alexandrite laser. These lasers will give you the best possible outcome with today’s technology, with 90-95% hair reduction as opposed to 50-60% with IPLs.
Because hair grows in cycles, several treatments are necessary to achieve permanent results. You can expect anywhere from 10-25% hair reduction with each treatment, and the regrowth following treatments is usually lighter and finer. Typically, treatments are performed every 4-8 weeks. Hair is reduced with each treatment and results are observed after four to six sessions. The number of sessions will differ depending on your hair color, hair type, body area, and skin tone.
We recommend that you stop waxing, tweezing, or plucking hair you want to remove for two to six weeks before your appointment, but shaving is fine. 24 hours prior to your appointment, you should shave the area that’s being lasered using a clean, new blade. This helps the laser light locate your hair follicles.
You should also avoid UV exposure during the weeks before your treatment, including tanning beds and self-tanning lotions. This is because laser light is attracted to pigment, in either hair follicles or skin.
Each treatment may take up to an hour, depending on the size of the area being treated. Smaller areas like the upper lip, ears, and chin can be treated in less than a minute, while large areas like the back or legs can take up to an hour.
First, we will determine what kind of laser is best for your skin and hair, as well as your goals.
The laser equipment will be adjusted to your skin color and hair thickness. You’ll need to put on special eye protection so the laser light doesn’t damage your eyes. You’ll undergo a test pulse of light to the treatment area, and we will check the area over several minutes to see if you have any adverse reactions.
During the treatment, the laser emits a concentrated beam of light to damage the hair follicle and prevent regrowth. You may feel mild discomfort, like a warm pinprick or snap, as the laser passes over your skin.
When the procedure is done, you may be given ice packs to help keep swelling down and soothe any irritation.
For a day or two afterward, the treated area of your skin may look and feel like it’s sunburned, so you might need to use cool compresses or a gentle moisturizer. If your face was treated, you can safely wear makeup the next day unless your skin feels irritated.
Afterwards, you should avoid sun exposure. Any time you anticipate being out in the sun, apply sunscreen with a minimum SPF 30.
For laser hair removal, not all lasers are as efficient and some are dangerous and could burn the skin. For individuals with dark skin tones, laser hair removal can be done safely with the right laser such as an Nd-Yag and Diode lasers in combination which we use at Physimed MediSpa. For individuals with lighter skin complexions, the combination of a Diode laser with an Alexandrite laser is the ideal choice for laser hair removal. We also offer treatments with these lasers at Physimed MediSpa.
If your hair is really blond, gray, or red, you’ll want to consider electrolysis instead of laser hair removal because there is currently no laser on the market that removes blonde, grey, or red hair.
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, laser hair removal is not recommended. It’s best to wait before starting a laser hair removal treatment series.
You can treat any area of your body where there is unwanted hair, such as the face, back, chest, abdomen, arms, legs and genital areas.
Laser hair removal is very safe when using the right laser for the right skin type. When laser hair removal is performed using the proper settings for your skin type, the side effects are negligible such as some redness, similar to a temporary sunburn. Blisters are rare and usually only happen on brown or olive skin.
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, laser hair removal is not recommended. It’s best to wait before starting a laser hair removal treatment series.
After you have completed your series of treatments for laser hair removal, you may need one or two additional treatments for touch ups a year after.
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is another common alternative for hair removal. You’ll need multiple sessions (6 and up to 12 treatments) and maintenance appointments as well, since this device is less powerful and less specific than lasers.The results are usually less satisfactory than with true lasers.
For more information, ask for a free consultation with an aesthetics doctor.