Laser hair removal is one of the most common laser treatments performed today in the world. It effectively, permanently and safely removes hair from any region of the body.
Lasers emit light of certain wavelengths that is absorbed by the hair follicles leading to their destruction.
Laser hair removal is most often used to remove hair from the face, chin, earlobe, legs, arms, armpits and bikini zone. The laser beam selectively affects melanin, a dark pigment located at the hair follicle.
Light energy is transformed into heat, destroying the hair follicle. By damaging hair follicle, the hair’s growth is slowed down. With each treatment, the damage to the hair is greater, and the hairs that regenerate become thinner and brighter.
On average, with each treatment, about 20% of the treated hairs are permanently destroyed. The laser beam does not recognize the surrounding structures of the skin, it just passes through them, so no damage is done to the rest of the tissue.
Laser hair removal can be used only for hairs that have pigment. The best results are achieved in people with light skin complexion that have dark and thick hairs.
How many treatments are need?
The number of laser hair removal treatments is individual and depends on the quality and colour of the hair, skin colour, hormonal status and treated region. The hairs that respond best to laser light are those that are in the anagen phase of active growth.
In the normal state, about 85% of hairs are in the phase of active growth, and 15% are in the dormant phase. Other hairs that were not in the active phase of growth are destroyed by laser during the next treatment.
That is why it is necessary to perform a series of 4 – 6 treatments, in order to destroy each generation of hair.
For certain regions that are hormone-dependent areas, such as face, more treatments will be needed. In people with hormonal disorder, laser hair removal is less successful.
How can I prepare for laser hair removal?
Before laser treatment, you should not pluck hairs from the area that will undergo a treatment for at least 3-4 weeks. It is allowed, however, to use scissors or a razor for hair removal, as well as depilation creams. Hairs should be at least one millimetre long. It is important that the skin was not sun exposed, but has the natural complexion. If the skin was sun exposed, laser treatment shouldn’t be perform for at least 2 months.
Is laser hair removal painful?
The laser beam targets the pigmented hair follicle and destroys it, and this destruction is painful. If the patient is hypersensitive, a topical anaesthetic cream can be applied before treatment, which will reduce the pain sensation. This region can also be cooled with cold air, which reduces pain sensation.
Candela GentleLase is one of the most comfortable lasers that has a cryogenic skin cooling system used before emitting a laser beam.
What happens after laser treatment?
After laser hair removal, the skin of the treated region may be slightly red, sometimes a little swollen, but recovers in 24 hours. It is advisable to wash the skin with mild soap and water after the hair removal, not use deodorants, perfumes and other creams, and not irritate the skin during the next 24 hours. For two weeks, strict sun protection is necessary.
Two weeks after the treatment in sites where follicles were destroyed, hairs slowly fall out.
How to behave between the two treatments?
It is advised that between two laser treatments the hairs are not pluck from the follicles, using tweezers or wax, but rather removed with depilation creams, razor and scissors. New hairs grow more slowly after treatment, and the next treatment can be performed in about 4-6 weeks for the face, and 8-10 weeks for the legs.
Is laser hair removal safe?
Laser hair removal is a completely safe treatment, if performed with appropriate medical lasers and by a trained professional. The laser beam is selectively focused only to the pigmented hair follicle, without causing any damage to the surrounding structures.
It is important that the treatment is performed on the skin that hasn’t been sun exposed. Using lasers with cooling system, e.g. Candela GentleLase, the skin surface is cooled which reduces the possibility of damage.
What are the possible side effects of hair removal?
After laser hair removal, the redness and light swelling may appear on the skin, but will recede in a few hours to 2 days.
If hair removal procedure is performed on sun exposed skin, it is possible for the dark spots to develop, which can last for several months.
Lesions occur rarely and are completely transient. A small percentage of patients may have unusual reactions after laser treatments. Laser hair removal must be performed by doctors in possession of a certificate for laser operation and sufficient experience.
What is the difference between laser and IPL hair removal?
IPL devicesare not real lasers. They emit light of a wide spectrum, with wavelengths of 500-1000 nm. In this way, the hair follicle is not treated precisely to the depth at which it is located, but most of the energy is absorbed by the vascular structures in the skin.
Medical lasers have beams of a precisely defined wavelength that are emitted parallelly in a certain direction, while the rays in the IPL devices are scattered in all directions. IPL devices can be operated by anyone, and medical lasers only by trained professionals in possession of appropriate certificates.
Treatments with IPL devices are less painful, but also less effective.
What lasers do we use for hair removal in our clinic?
In our clinic laser hair removal is performed with 2 medical lasers:
— Candela GentleLASE-Alexandrite laser that emits light with a wavelength of 755nm, one of the most popular lasers due to its efficiency, comfort and safety. It has a unique cooling system — Dynamic cooling device, DCD which immediately before the laser beam is released fires cryogen and protects the skin from damage.
— MediaStar NeXT Asclepion —A diode laser that emits light with a wavelength of 800-950 nm. Diode laser represents the gold standard for laser hair removal and can be used for all skin types.
For more comfortable laser treatment, we perform additional skin cooling with Zimer cryo 6 device.
Alexandrite and diode laser are medical lasers for hair removal, which operate on different principle, so by combining the two, we can achieve the effect of complete hair removal regardless of the skin colour and even of the most persistent hairs.
After the treatment, the skin is smooth and tender. Laser hair removal is a permanent solution for people who have a problem with ingrown hairs, nodules and pustules, because after several treatments the hairs no longer grow, and the skin gets a normal appearance.
Laser hair removal — Price
Prices for laser hair removal are available in our Price list.
Our Services
All types of dermatological examinations and interventions, aesthetic treatments and surgical interventions
