By Dominique Martin


Many people are troubled by unwanted hair-growth in places such as the underarms, bikini area, legs, back, and face. Previously the only methods available for eliminating it were rather uncomfortable and less effective, but today both women and men are turning to laser hair removal. It works by penetrating the hair follicles with a light beam that is absorbed by the pigments within them which kills the living follicle. Before deciding to undergo laser hair removal Worcester customers should understand what is involved.

The FDA has approved several kinds of lasers which can safely be used for this purpose, these include the Neodymium YAG, alexandrite, and diode models. At one time the only people who could really benefit from this treatment were light-skinned people with dark hair, and they do generally obtain the best results, but advances in technology have now made it possible for darker-skinned individuals to also achieve a good outcome.

Some follicles may be resistant to the treatment, and grow back, which will require additional applications, but most will respond favorably. One area of the body where laser cannot be used is around the eyes, as this can cause damage to the vision. Side effects may be experienced by some people, most commonly, the treatment area will be slightly swollen and tender afterwards or discolored, but this will not persist.

This is a procedure which should only be performed by a doctor who is board certified and has experience with its administration. At the initial consultation, the doctor will determine if the patient is a good candidate for this treatment and he or she will fully explain what can be expected from its outcome and the cost involved.

The patient will be advised to avoid tanning, both with the sun and using sunless tanners, for as many as six weeks prior to the procedure. Other methods of hair removal must also be avoided, with the exception of shaving, which is actually thought to help produce better results.

At the start of the session, the patient's eyes will be covered with protective eye-wear and a topical anesthetic will be applied to the skin of the treatment area. The physician will then guide the laser device over the skin, which will emit light pulses when activated that will penetrate the follicles. The skin will be kept cool by a cooling gel or built-in cooling tip. A small area can be treated in minutes, but larger ones can take longer than an hour.

Once the treatment is completed, it is normal to expect some swelling and redness for the first several hours. Ice or aloe gel can help relieve this discomfort and if indicated, a steroid cream may be prescribed. Pain can also be addressed with analgesic medications. Staying away from direct UV light is necessary as well.

Different factors affect the results each patient will get from the procedure. It's common to require anywhere from four to six sessions before one achieves the desired effect. It's possible that the hair will not regrow for years, especially if one has an annual or bi-annual session to maintain the results.




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