What is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is a medical procedure that uses a concentrated beam of light (laser) to remove unwanted hair. During laser hair removal, a laser emits a light that is absorbed by the pigment (melanin) in the hair. The light energy is converted to heat, which damages the tube-shaped sacs within the skin (hair follicles) that produce hairs. This damage inhibits or delays future hair growth.
If you're not happy with shaving, tweezing, or waxing to remove unwanted hair, Laser Hair Removal may be an option worth considering. Common treatment areas include legs, armpits, upper lip, chin, bikini & bikini line. However, it's possible to treat unwanted hair in nearly any area, except the eyelid or surrounding area. Skin with tattoos should not be treated either.
    If you're not happy with shaving, tweezing, or waxing to remove unwanted hair, Laser Hair Removal may be an option worth considering. Common treatment areas include legs, armpits, upper lip, chin, bikini & bikini line. However, it's possible to treat unwanted hair in nearly any area, except the eyelid or surrounding area. Skin with tattoos should not be treated either.

Benefits of Laser Hair Removal

• Precision - Lasers can selectively target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged.
• Speed - Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs at the same time. Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute, and large areas, such as the back or legs, may take up to an hour or more depending on area.
• Predictability - Majority of patients have long term hair removal after an average of 6 to 8 sessions. Number of sessions required will vary from person to person and body parts
• Gentle to the skin - Frequent hair removal by waxing. Shaving or hair removal creams can damage your skin (especially on face, underarm and other sensitive areas) which can be prevented by Laser Hair Removal.

How to Prepare for Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is more than just ''zapping'' unwanted hair. It is a medical procedure that requires training to perform and carries potential risks. If you're interested in laser hair removal, choose a qualified Dermatologist who has experience with laser hair removal on all skin type. If done by Laser therapist, make sure a doctor supervises and is available on-site during the treatments. Be cautious about spas, salons or other facilities that allow nonmedical personnel to do laser hair removal. Before laser hair removal, schedule a consultation with the doctor to determine if this is an appropriate treatment option for you. The doctor will also offer specific instructions to prepare for laser hair removal. These might include:

• Staying out of the sun - avoid sun exposure before and after treatment. Whenever you go out, apply a broad-spectrum, SPF30 sunscreen.
• Lightening your skin - Avoid any sunless skin creams that darken your skin. Your doctor might also prescribe a skin lightening cream if you have a recent tan or darker skin.
• Avoiding other hair removal methods - Plucking, waxing and electrolysis can disturb the hair follicle and should be avoided at least few weeks before treatment. That's because the laser targets the hairs' roots, which are temporarily removed by waxing or plucking
• Shaving treatment area - Trimming and shaving is done before laser treatment. It removes hair above the skin that can result in surface skin damage from burnt hairs, but it leaves the hair shaft intact below the surface.

What to expect during the procedure of Laser Hair Removal?

At Dr Shweta Mehata’s SKIN CARE CLINIC, PUNE laser treatments will take place in a room set up specifically for laser treatments. Everyone in the room including patient should wear protective eyewear during the procedure. Before the treatment, the area to be treated will be cleansed and shaved. It will also be necessary to protect the outer layers of your skin with a cold gel or special cooling device. This will help the laser light penetrate the skin. Many patients say that the laser pulses feel like warm pinpricks or a rubber band being snapped against the skin. At our clinic we use a laser technology and machine which is virtually painless. A laser removes hair by vaporizing it. This causes small plumes of smoke that have a sulfur-like smell.
    How long your treatments session lasts depend on the size of the area being treated. Treating the upper lip takes minutes. If you are having a large area like the back or legs treated, your treatment may last more than an hour. When the procedure is completed, you may be given ice packs, anti-inflammatory creams or lotions, or cold water to ease any discomfort.

What must I do after getting laser hair removal?

To avoid possible side effects, all patients need to protect their skin from the sun. After laser hair removal, you should:

• Avoid direct sunlight from hitting your treated skin.
• Not use a tanning bed, sun lamp, or any other indoor tanning equipment.
• Follow your dermatologist’s after-care instructions

You will see some redness and swelling after treatment. This often looks like a mild sunburn. Dermatologist may prescribe you medicated cream to reduce discomfort.

When will I see the results after having laser hair removal?

Hairs do not fall out immediately, but you will shed them over a period of days to weeks. This may look like continued hair growth. The repeated treatments are usually necessary because hair growth and loss naturally occur in a cycle, and laser treatment works best with hair follicles in the new-growth stage The results vary from patient to patient & depends on color and thickness of your hair, area treated, type of laser used, hormonal imbalance and color of your skin all affect the result . You can expect a 10% to 25% reduction in hair after the first treatment. To remove the hair, most patients need 6 – 8 laser treatments. Multiple laser hair removal treatments are needed for initial hair removal, and maintenance treatments might be needed as well. Laser hair removal is most effective for people who have light skin and dark hair, but it can be successfully used on all skin types

How long will the results of laser hair removal last?

After finishing the treatments, most patients do not see any hair on the treated skin for several months or even years. When the hair regrows, there tends to be less of it. The hairs also tend to be finer and lighter in color. To keep the area free of hair, a patient may need maintenance laser treatments occasionally.

What are the possible side effects?

Mild discomfort, redness & swelling can occur during and after treatment which will subside in 1-3 days. Other possible side effects like blistering, scarring, pigmentary changes are rare when laser hair removal is performed by a dermatologist or under the dermatologist’s direct supervision. This is why seeing a medical doctor who is skilled in laser treatments and has in-depth knowledge of the skin is so important. Following both the before-treatment instructions and after-treatment instructions will greatly reduce your risk of side effects.

What will be the interval between two sessions of laser?

The interval between treatments will vary depending on the location and also from patient to patient. On areas where hair grows quickly, such as the upper lip, the treatment might be repeated in four to eight weeks. On areas of slow hair growth, such as the back, the treatment might be every 8 to12 weeks.

What about home lasers?

Lasers that can be used at home for hair removal are available. U.S. FDA considers these home laser hair removal devices to be cosmetic, not medical, which means they don't get the same level of scrutiny as other medical devices & also the results are suboptimal with increased risk. Currently, there haven't been large, long-term studies on how safe and effective the home machines are.

What makes us unique in Laser Hair Removal?

• US FDA approved target oriented laser technology: safe for light as well as darker skin.
• Triple wavelength laser: (Diode, Alexandrite & NdYAG) to target hair follicle at different depth of skin increasing effectivity of every session maintaining safety
• Relatively more painless as compared to other laser machines (sapphire cooling technology)
• All treatment sessions will be done under the supervision of Dermatologist and sensitive areas like face are done by Dermatologist.