How You Can Have Smooth Skin With Laser Hair Removal

Nothing is better than crawling into bed with silky smooth legs or stepping out onto the beach with full confidence that not a single unwanted hair is peeking out. There are numerous ways to achieve gorgeous, smooth skin such as shaving or waxing, but most options require tons of maintenance and come with a few painful side effects like ingrown hairs, wax burns, or razor bumps - yikes! 

From a young age, people, especially women, have to maintain hair all over the body, and let’s be honest - it’s exhausting. Enough is enough! Say hello to silky smooth skin in just a few short treatments with laser hair removal. Continue reading to learn how you can have smooth skin with this increasingly popular treatment and how it’ll change your life.

How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?

The science behind laser hair removal is pretty simple. The treatment uses powerful laser light pulses that selectively seek and destroy hair follicles by targeting the pigment melanin in them. The pigment in the hair follicles then absorb the laser’s light pulse, damaging the follicle enough to significantly slow down or inhibit hair growth. Because the lasers target pigment specifically, coarse, dark hair and light skin combos tend to respond best to laser hair removal treatment. But that’s not to say that you can’t undergo this popular procedure if you happen to have dark skin. Newer lasers such as the Nd:YAG are now available and can be performed effectively and safely on people of different ethnicities making it easier than ever for everyone to achieve hair-free skin. 

First Things First

First, you’ll be given protective eye gear to shield your eyes from the laser. Once the session begins, you’ll feel a slight stinging sensation, which indicates that the laser has been activated. The actual treatment involves a series of quick laser pulses that produce a pricking and burning sensation. But don’t worry - it doesn’t hurt too badly! In fact, the feeling is pretty similar to that of a rubber band snapping against your skin, and most people will tell you that it’s a piece of cake compared to getting waxed or threaded. The whole session takes anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the area you are looking to treat and your hair type. 

When the treatment is over, you may be given ice packs, anti-inflammatory lotions, or cold water to ease any discomfort. Before you leave, your laser specialist will help you to schedule your next treatment in 4 to 6 weeks. You’ll receive treatments until unwanted hair stops growing. After a series of about six to eight laser hair removal sessions, most people notice that most of their hair is gone. Yes, it is that effective!

What To Expect

You might experience some side effects. But the good news is that most are minimal, temporary, and usually subside within a day or two.

The most common side effect following treatment is skin irritation which is perfectly normal. Residual pinkness or itchiness might persist up to 24 hours, and some people describe the sensation as feeling very similar to a sunburn. Cool compresses and moisturizers may help. If your face was treated, you could wear makeup the next day unless your skin is blistering. If your skin remains irritated for more than 24 hours, you should call your laser specialist or healthcare professional for further instructions. 

You may also notice a little bit of stubble pushing its way out from the follicle. This is also perfectly normal! The stubble is caused by the follicles shedding the unwanted hairs that were in the active growth phase of their cycle known as the Anagen phase. Exfoliating is most important during this process because it will help the unwanted hair shed much more quickly. You should do this a few times per week, but remember - you don’t want to irritate your skin, so make sure you are gentle!

You might also notice a little bit of hair regrowth. The follicles that were resting will be “waking up” over the next several weeks, and they will still produce hair. You can trim, shave, or cut this unwanted hair as necessary, but never tweeze, wax, or pluck new hair growth. Remember that your next laser appointment will be in 4 to 8 weeks, and you’ll need to leave the hair in their shafts in order for the laser treatment to produce the best results. 

Although complications resulting from laser hair removal treatment are rare, they can still happen. You may experience pigment changes, crusting, blistering, scarring, or other changes in skin texture. If you notice any of these complications, be sure to call your doctor immediately because it could signal a nasty infection. 

Each laser hair removal technician has his or her own set of aftercare instructions that they will provide you, but here are some additional universal aftercare tips that will aid the recovery process:

• Don’t apply any makeup or lotions with harmful chemicals to the treated area for 24 hours following a session.
• For 24 to 48 hours following your treatment, avoid using any saunas or steam rooms, hot showers, or baths, and don’t go swimming. 
• Stay away from any perfumed products to the treated area for 24 to 48 hours following treatment.
• After your laser session, aloe vera gel can be applied to the treated area to help soothe your skin.
• Be sure to shave the treated area before going to your laser hair removal session. This will prevent the laser from scorching your skin. Some laser specialists charge a fee for clients who come unprepared. 
• Stay out of the sun and avoid any UV tanning beds. Be sure to always apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or above. 

Treatment Benefits

Still need a little more convincing that laser hair removal is right for you? Here are some of the top benefits of this increasingly popular treatment: 

It’s effective and safe. Laser hair removal treatment is extremely effective because the lasers are precise and only target the hair follicle, making them far more effective than any other method of hair removal. The lasers used in treatment have been tried and tested over the last twenty years, reassuring you that the technology is safe. The important thing is to always be sure you use a quality device for at-home hair removal like the KENZZI IPL Laser Hair Removal Handset or use a reputable laser clinic who can offer advice and explain the process to you in detail.  

You will save money. When you add up the cost of monthly wax sessions, shaving creams, razors, after-shave soothing gel, depilatory creams, epilators, etc. keeping your skin silky smooth can be a pretty big investment. With laser hair removal treatment, you can get the results you want in just a few quick sessions, and you’ll never have to spend on these other hair removal methods ever again. 

You will save time. Just as the costs add up, so does the time you spend on grooming. Even with longer-lasting treatments, such as waxing and threading, you still have to commit to hair removal every couple of weeks. With laser hair removal, you can take back control of your schedule, shorten your showers - and you may even shave (pun intended!) a buck or two off your water bill. 

It’s quick. Laser treatments are quicker than what you might expect. It only takes around a minute or two to treat the upper lip and twenty minutes to do a full bikini line. 

It works on shaved hair. The worst part about waxing, other than the pain, is having to wait two weeks between waxes to shave. This makes for an extremely uncomfortable and itchy bikini line - especially in the summertime! Unlike treatments that require a level of hair growth to work (like waxing, threading, sugaring, depilatory creams, etc.), laser hair removal actually works better on hair that has been shaved. So you don’t have to fuss with regrowth during your treatment cycle. Thank goodness!

It saves you from painful ingrown hairs. “I love ingrown hairs!” - Said no one ever. Ingrown hairs are an absolute pain and can be pretty unsightly. They can cause discomfort and, in some cases, painful sores that take a few weeks to heal. With laser hair removal treatment, you can kiss ingrown hairs goodbye! 

At-home options are available. Don’t feel like heading to the laser clinic to have all of your unwanted hair zapped? Never fear! You can still have silky smooth skin all from the comfort of your very own home. Laser hair removal treatment has come a long way over the years and can now be done at home rather than in a clinic. However, it’s important to keep in mind that not all devices are created equal, so be sure to purchase from a reputable company like KENZZI. The KENZZI IPL Laser Hair Removal Handset removes hair with ease and can be used on any area of the body. If you want smooth skin without a pesky hair in sight, KENZZI can help!

RECAP 

Laser hair removal is a popular cosmetic treatment that has become increasingly popular over the years for helping people to achieve silky smooth skin. If you are tired of razor cuts, wax burns, and pesky unwanted hairs, look no further and give laser hair removal a try - you’ll be glad you did!

SOURCES:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/ndyag-laser

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322042

https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-the-anagen-phase-of-hair-growth-1069411