Permanent laser hair reduction is an excellent, safe, and effective procedure to remove unwanted hair throughout the face and body. For patients who suffer from excessive or dark facial and body hair or frequent ingrown hairs, laser hair reduction can dramatically improve self-esteem and the quality of their lives.
There are many lasers that remove hair. There are also many practitioners who perform these procedures. The overall results are highly dependent on selecting the correct laser and practitioner. Dr. Jess Prischmann, our board-certified facial plastic surgeon, and her highly skilled advanced practice esthetician strongly believe that laser hair reduction settings should be customized to each patient. There is not a “one size fits all” approach to laser hair reduction.
Who is a good candidate for laser hair reduction?
- Appropriate expectations. While you can expect to see improvement after the first treatment, multiple treatments are usually required to achieve desired results.
- Dark hair. The laser targets pigment. The darker the hair, the more focused the energy, the better the result.
- All skin types and ethnicities (as long as the hair is darker than the skin color)
What are the benefits of laser hair reduction?
- Effective hair reduction for virtually any area of the body. Common treatment areas include the face, neck, legs, arms, underarms, chest, back, and bikini regions.
- The need for shaving, waxing, plucking, or other regular hair removal routines in the treatment area is significantly reduced or even completely eliminated.
- With a full treatment series, many individuals experience long-term results. This means that they may not require future treatments or perhaps would just need a “touch-up” to the area(s) once a year.
How is the laser hair reduction procedure performed?
Permanent laser hair reduction is an in-office procedure. Numbing creams are often not necessary but can be provided to reduce discomfort associated with laser hair reduction. Once the area of skin is prepared for treatment, the laser will be precisely targeted to deliver energy into the hair follicles. The pigment inside each of the follicles will convert this energy into heat, which should destroy susceptible follicles and allow the hair to fall out and never grow back. If the hair is not in the correct cycle of growth, it will still fall out, but it will grow back a few weeks after treatment. This is why multiple treatments are required.
Total treatment time for laser hair reduction can last anywhere from just a few minutes to one hour or longer depending on how many areas are being treated and the size of those areas.
What can I expect during recovery from laser hair reduction?
There is minimal downtime associated with permanent laser hair reduction. Treatment-site redness usually resolves in less than an hour. Skin may be sensitive for a few days (particularly on the legs or bikini area). Subsequent treatments are planned in 4-to-6 week intervals. Most patients do not need an extended period of recovery following laser hair reduction and should be able to resume their normal daily routines right after the treatment.
How long will the results of laser hair reduction last?
The goal of laser hair reduction is to create results that last throughout your lifetime. While the longevity of the results is largely dependent on each individual, patients significantly increase the chances of achieving long-term outcomes when they commit to a series of laser hair reduction treatment sessions. Multiple treatments at consistent intervals are typically the best way to produce hair reduction results that last decades into the future.
Ethnic Permanent Laser Hair Reduction
In patients with darker skin types, permanent laser hair reduction can still be performed safely and effectively. Because darker skin is more prone to burns and hyperpigmentation, it is critical that the appropriate laser and settings are used. Our practice uses a 1064 Nd:YAG laser for laser hair reduction in darker skin types.
As an Indian-American, Dr. Prischmann understands and respects the challenges associated with treating ethnic skin. Not only has she had laser hair reduction on her own face and body, but she has also personally experienced some of the complications associated with laser hair reduction. Her personal experience has been very important to her developing safe protocols for treating ethnic skin.
What makes Prischmann Facial Plastic Surgery the ideal practice for laser hair reduction?
- Dr. Prischmann and the members of our team will only make a recommendation of laser hair reduction if it is the best option for your unique needs.
- Our lasers have the highest-level warranty, which ultimately ensures that the technology has been comprehensively examined by an engineer and is calibrated properly so the procedure can be performed as accurately as possible.
- Dr. Prischmann will be available to answer questions and address any concerns you may have before and after your laser hair reduction procedure. We are dedicated to ensuring you have the best treatment experience possible.
Please contact Dr. Prischmann for more information on laser hair reduction, or to schedule a consultation.