All you want is silky-smooth hair free skin, not to be bombarded with dozens of options and countless hours in research to ensure that you are making the best decision to achieve the hair free results you want. But there’s so much to know. That’s why we’ve put together this quick guide for you, so that you can feel confident about how to choose the best type of laser hair removal system, and clinic, for your smooth skin goals.
In this article we’ll help you to unlock the mystery of laser hair machines, the skin types they can treat, how much hair they can actually reduce and more. Let’s find the system that’s perfect for you.
Table of Content
- How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
- Will Laser Hair Removal Work For Me?
- How Often Will I Need Laser Treatments?
- Is Home IPL or Laser At a Clinic A Better Choice?
- Types of Laser Hair Removal Machines
- How To Choose A Clinic Or Spa To Work With
- Laser Hair Removal FAQ
- Our Top Choice For Safe, Effective & Long Lasting Hair Removal
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
According to the Mayo Clinic, “The intense heat from the laser beam damages the hair follicles, which inhibits hair growth”1. That essentially means the laser will stop future hair growth on all hair follicles it can effectively damage, such as hair follicles that are in an active growing phase. Since your hair grows in different phases, you will require a few sessions to effectively reach most or all hair in an area being treated.
Will Laser Hair Removal Work For Me?
Traditionally, lasers would work best on darker hair on lighter skin tones since they could easily distinguish the hair follicles from the skin. Today, however, advancements in technology mean that newer lasers can achieve desirable results on a wider range of skin tones and hair colours.
Here are some general guidelines we suggest you follow, based on your skin tone:
Fair OR Olive Skin
If you have fair or light olive skin and also have dark hair, most lasers will work well for you as the laser will easily distinguish between the hair follicle and skin. You should be able to achieve great results with little trouble. Clinics with newer machines may be your best choice though as they may hurt less as the wavelength of the laser is shorter, so it doesn’t need to go as deep to get top results. Newer machines can also destroy a greater percentage of hair than on older machines. As a plus, newer technology can also now work on lighter colored hair.
Medium Dark To Dark Skin
As mentioned above, lasers traditionally worked best on lighter skin tones with dark hair, due to the contrast – but this also meant that darker skin tones, with less contrast to the hair colour, would have higher risks of scarring and skin discoloration. Newer lasers; however, are more precise and can target hair melanin, bypassing the melanin in the skin, making them safer for darker skin tones.
Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, it’s very important to seek out laser machines with various comfort settings so that your technician can easily adjust the settings based on how you feel during the treatment. Sensitive skin can also be more susceptible to irritations following hair removal, so we suggest only getting treatments from qualified, licensed, professionals. Also be sure you receive a patch test to determine how your skin will react to treatments. Gels, cool packs and other calming products are also great options.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Before beginning laser hair removal sessions, it’s extremely important to have a consultation. During the consultation, the technician can properly assess your skin type and make the best recommendations to get the safest results you’ll be the most pleased with.
How Often Will I Need Laser Treatments?
When working with a professional clinic, such as ours, you will receive a complete hair removal treatment plan, customized for you. In it, your hair removal specialist will suggest the best intervals for you based on your skin type, colour of hair and the body area being treated. In general, laser hair treatments for your face should be spaced 4-6 weeks apart, for large areas, such as arms, legs or back, 4-8 weeks apart and for sensitive areas, 4-6 weeks apart.
Is Home IPL or Laser At a Clinic A Better Choice?
Both IPL and laser effectively target melanin which will damage the hair follicle and give you hair free results. Laser technology, however, targets the follicles more precisely due to a single band of light (vs. the broad bandwidth of light from IPL).
Here are other advantages of using professional laser machines at professional clinics:
· Stop hair growth faster
· Result in a larger % of hair free areas
· Achieve better results for light colored hair
· Achieve safer results for darker skin tones
· Reach hard to reach areas
· Achieve long lasting or permanent results
Types of Laser Hair Removal Machines
You’ll find a diverse range of laser hair removal machines at different clinics, each with different advantages. You don’t need to know what those technologies are in as much as you need to know what they mean for you. So here are some questions you can ask any clinic you’re considering (choose the questions applicable to you):
· Does the machine have different tip sizes to best target the area I want treated?
· Does your machine offer a cooling system?
· Can your machine treat dark skin tones?
· Can your machine treat coarse body hair?
· Can your machine treat light coloured hair?
· Will your machine cause a rash or irritate my (sensitive) skin?
· Does your machine work fast for larger body areas so that I can be in and out quickly?
· Is your machine safe? Will I have any side effects?
· How old is your machine? (it’s best to avoid out-dated lasers)
How To Choose A Clinic Or Spa To Work With
It can be tempting to choose a clinic that is walking distance to your home, but we suggest taking the time to choose a hair removal provider that can meet your specific goals and needs. It is definitely worth the time invested. Here are some tips to help in your selection:
· Select a spa or clinic with certified technicians and ask about their qualifications
· Ask what type of laser machine are available
· Check that the laser machines are FDA and Health Canada approved
· Check online reviews and/or ask to see before and after images and how long the results took to achieve
· Ensure you are offered a consultation and patch test
· Ask about steps the clinic takes to ensure your safety and minimize risks. For example, ask about sanitization practices, step to reduce pain or skin damage and what type of eye shields are offered
· Inquire about pre and post treatment care instructions
Laser Hair Removal FAQ:
How Long Can I Go Between Hair Removal Treatments?:
o Your customized treatment plan will outline expert recommendations including suggested times between treatments based on your hair growth cycle, skin type and more. As a rough guideline, the time between treatments are: Face & Neck: 4-6 weeks, Legs/Back: 4-8 weeks, Bikini/Underarms: 4-6 weeks
Can I Get Laser Hair Removal Every Two Weeks?
o Based on the results of your consultation, you’ll be given a recommended schedule to stick to, for the safest and most effective treatment; but even though hair growth cycles vary per person, it usually takes a minimum of 4 weeks before hair begins to grow.
How Quickly Will I See Results Once I Begin Laser Hair Removal?
o After a laser hair removal session, your hair will typically fall out in 7-21 days (for hairs that were in the active growth stage at the time of your session). Depending on your goal, you may be happy with the results in as little as 3-6 sessions. Laser will also result in hair that grows slower and is lighter and less coarse, which you may also be happy with. If you want to be completely hair free, however, it will take several sessions.
Which Parts Of My Body Can I Have Treated?
o Almost any area of your body can be treated! The most common areas include legs, underarms and the bikini area. Tattooed areas cannot be treated.
Our Top Choice For Safe, Effective & Long Lasting Hair Removal
As a premium quality spa specializing in beauty treatments, hair removal is one of our most in demand services as it’s a positive way for men and women to feel more confident about their bodies. Our team spent hours researching laser machines with the most advanced technologies to help our clients achieve only the safest and most effective and impressive results.
Here are the standards we used when selecting our laser machine. The machine absolutely had to have:
· Superior safety features such as a built-in cooling system
· Advanced shortwave laser technology
· Multiple comfort settings
· The ability to treat lighter colored hair
· Proven tests to show effectiveness and safety for all skin types
· FDA clearance and Health Canada licencing
· The ability to achieve permanent results
Our team was thrilled to discover the Venus Velocity hair removal system, which offered all the criteria we wanted and which is a GOLD standard machine.
As a bonus, the Venus Velocity is also ultra-fast so our clients can get treatments quickly, safely and comfortably with less commitment time. Our clients are loving this machine and the results they are getting!
Whether you want a solution for those annoying ingrown hairs, an escape from those itchy rashes caused by waxing or shaving, or are simply craving smooth hair free skin, you now know how to navigate your way through various types of laser hair removal systems and clinics.
We hope this article is a helpful resource on your road to velvety smooth skin. Remember to do an initial consultation to go over your skin type, request tours and ask your questions to ensure your hair removal journey will be a positive one.
