Laser hair removal may not be the only option when it comes to removing unwanted body hair in both men and women, but surely it is one of the most effective options. Regarding its operation, the laser light is transformed into heat, which penetrates the skin, eliminating the hair follicle (the hair root) and leaving the surface intact. Despite being increasingly widespread among the population, there are still many laser hair removal myths, which creates a dilemma regarding the safety and side effects of going under laser hair removal treatment. To understand the process and benefits attached to it, let’s get straight into it.
Common laser hair removal myths – Truth & Lies
1) The laser can be performed throughout the body.
Of course, it can be performed throughout the body. It is possible to apply it on any part of the body that has the appropriate hair for it, like the chin, the upper lip, the cheeks, the ears, the nose, the forehead, the neck, the armpits, the arms, the thorax, the areolas, the back, the linea alba, the groin and the legs.
2) The hair is removed forever.
False. Its growth is subject to hormonal processes, so the hair is removed almost permanently, but not definitively. Of course, with each session the growth decreases, hair becomes weaker and your skin brighter.
3) The light hair is more difficult to eliminate.
True. It is essential to correctly assess the load of melanin in the patient’s hair. The most natural hair to remove is thick and dark. Provided it is a thin and lighter hair, you can still go under laser hair removal, although it may require a higher number of sessions due to its lower melanin content. If the hair is very blond or white, you will not be able to remove hair without pigment.
4) You do not need to shave in the summer.
False. Laser hair removal can be done throughout the year; the only contraindication is tanned skin. However, this should not be a big problem, because as the intervals between sessions are usually two or three months, you can do one course before the summer and another after.
5) Once the treatment is started, you can not shave.
Partially false, partially true. You should not shave the area to be treated with traction techniques (tweezers, wax or epilating razors) since they pull the hair from the root (it is necessary that it has left for the treatment to be effective). However, you can shave with a blade.
6) The laser is painless.
False. Although it is a soft and highly tolerated treatment, there is a slight and temporary sensation of heat, which is attenuated by a cold air system. Some patients may have more sensitivity to pain; for these cases, there is a local anesthetic cream that prevents discomfort.
7) It is an expensive treatment.
False. This method of hair removal is more profitable than others if we analyze it in its entirety. The investment depends on the extension of the area to be treated, but it will surely be less than the total sum of the cost of all traditional hair removal, with the time savings that it entails.
Keep in mind that Laser Hair Removal is not the same in all centers. In recent years there have been proliferating spaces that offer treatments performed by low-qualified personnel at a meager price. In the hands of
expert dermatologists, it is a safe method that removes hair and does not damage the skin.
