If you are tired of tweezing, epilators or the pain of waxing to get rid of unwanted hair, laser hair removal may be the solution worth trying. Today, laser hair removal is a widely used and successfully performed treatment method in Turkey.
Laser hair removal is the fastest and healthiest way to get rid of unwanted hair. The wavelength of the laser light used in laser hair removal is absorbed by the melanin pigment in the hair root. With a laser technique equipped with a cooling system, the laser energy is converted into heat that destroys the hair root directly without damaging the skin.
Methods such as shaving, tweezing, chemical products and waxing usually provide only a very short-term solution for unwanted hair. With laser hair removal, larger areas can be treated. In this procedure, hair is removed from the body using a fast, less painful, long-pulse laser.
Today there are many different procedures offered under the name of laser hair removal. When choosing the device or method for hair removal, skin and hair colour are assessed. Laser hair removal works on the principle of heating and destroying the roots of unwanted hair with laser light. It has been used in Turkey since 1990, and with advances in technology in recent years it has become both more affordable and a more comfortable, less painful treatment.
If the skin is light and the hair is sufficiently dark, Alexandrite laser (755 nanometres) is very effective. For darker skin types, the Nd:YAG (1064 nanometres) laser is used. This laser is also frequently used for the safe, easy and effective treatment of all vascular lesions, from telangiectasias and small superficial vessels to deep blue veins. It also provides more effective hair removal on fine, light-coloured hair. Hair removal with conventional lasers can cause burns or damage to skin pigment on darker skin. The Nd:YAG 1064 nm laser, however, protects the upper skin with its cooling unit, minimises risks and allows an effective laser treatment.
Hair growth occurs in three phases. The laser method is designed to act on hair in the growth (anagen) phase. For this reason, only hair in this phase can be destroyed. By repeating the treatment several times, all unwanted hair can be eliminated.
A high amount of concentrated laser light reaches a depth of 1–5 mm in the skin.
The laser targets the melanin in hair roots that are in the growth phase.
The hair absorbs the light, which is converted into heat, destroying the hair follicle without harming the surrounding tissue.
The hair follicle, and ultimately the regrowth of the hair, is prevented.
The treated area may become slightly pink and red. This settles within a few minutes or hours. Thanks to ice application, the skin usually returns to normal. During this period, sun exposure should be avoided and sunscreen should be used on sun-exposed areas.
Before the first session, unwanted hair should not be removed by waxing, tweezing or creams, and for a more successful treatment it should not be shaved. About 3–10 days after the treatment, hairs appear on the skin surface. Most of these have been treated and are "shedding" hairs that have almost lost their ability to grow. The hair follicles need to clear the hairs remaining under the skin. Waxing, tweezing or bleaching creams should not be used between sessions.
Who should not have laser hair removal?
People with grey or white hair, people who have recently sunbathed or recently had a different laser hair removal treatment, those prone to hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation, and people taking photosensitising medicines such as tetracycline or retinoids. These medicines should be stopped three or four weeks before laser hair removal treatment. Laser hair removal should also not be applied to patients with skin types V and VI or with a history of herpes.
Who is laser hair removal suitable for?
Laser hair removal can be applied to anyone aged 12 or over with dark hair. If the hair is light-coloured, i.e. contains little pigment, it will not absorb the laser light and will therefore not respond to laser hair removal.
Which areas is laser hair removal suitable for?
Provided the eyes are protected with special goggles, laser hair removal can be applied to hair on all areas of the body except the eyelids. Session length varies with the features of the device used; with very fast devices the face can be treated in 5–6 minutes, the upper lip in 1–2 minutes and the legs in about 1 hour.
After laser hair removal, redness lasting sometimes 5–10 minutes and sometimes up to half an hour may occur. This is temporary. Because laser devices with cooling systems do not allow the skin to heat up, the risk of burns in laser hair removal is much lower. Permanent burn scars from hair removal devices are very rare and are a complication related to improper use.
Is it possible to get rid of hair with a single session of laser hair removal?
Unfortunately not! During a session, not all hair roots in the treated area are in the same growth phase. Only the roots of hairs in the mature (anagen) phase at the time of treatment are affected. Hair roots in the transition (catagen) and resting (telogen) phases are not affected. For this reason, additional sessions are needed. Because of differences in hair colour and growth phases, the number of laser hair removal sessions varies from person to person, and even between different areas of the body in the same person.
How far apart are the sessions?
The interval between laser hair removal sessions ranges from 4 to 8 weeks depending on the area treated.
Can laser hair removal be applied to men?
Laser hair removal is widely and successfully applied to men. About 35–40% of people who apply for laser hair removal are men.
Does laser hair removal give permanent results?
Yes, hairs whose roots have been destroyed by laser hair removal do not grow back. This, also recognised by the US FDA, has been scientifically demonstrated by long-term clinical laser hair removal studies. New hair growth may occur in women with hormonal disorders. Hormone tests and treatment may be needed for people in whom new hair growth is observed.
What is the skin like after laser hair removal?
Immediately after laser hair removal, a burning sensation and redness similar to a mild sunburn may occur on the skin, which passes within a few hours at most.
What does laser hair removal cost?
The cost of laser hair removal varies with the features and effectiveness of the device used.