Laser Facial Hair Removal

Facts About Laser Facial Hair Removal

While there are many ways to get rid of unwanted facial hair like waxing, plucking, tweezing or shaving, there is also a painless, non-surgical procedure available like the laser facial hair removal.  This treatment is mostly permanent except on certain cases when regrowths of considerably finer hairs occur.

Becoming more popular as the years go by,  laser facial hair removal could be done on specific areas of the face such as the cheeks, upper lip area and the chin.  Removal of all unwanted hair on the entire face could be done as well. 

With no general anesthetic required, a client could go in as an out-patient for the treatment.  The amount of time usually needed for the completion of one full facial hair removal treatment ranges from five to fifteen minutes.

The length of time usually depends on the covered areas and on the amount of hair growth.  Treatments usually run from four to six months, with one procedure being done monthly.  This is so the best results could be achieved.

Before the Treatment

If you have a suntan or a sunburn, it best to wait it out and get the treatment when your skin has turned to lighter color.  If you also have a darker skin color than necessary, a bleaching regimen should be undergone before the treatment for at least two weeks or more.  A couple of weeks before the schedule of your treatment, you should have stopped bleaching or plucking the unwanted hairs.  It is better to shave as it will aid in the time it takes to treat the area where you want the hairs to be removed.

The Procedure

A qualified cosmetic surgeon is the one that performs the laster treatment either  in a clinic or a hospital.  The usual procedure includes the preparation of area to be treated and this includes the cleansing and shaving of the desired area.  Before treatment is started, an anesthetic cream is applied, after which the surgeon uses a laser beam instrument, which ends hair growth through the pulse of light that is sent to a patch of hair follicles. 

Although facial hair removal is a process that is not usually painful, there are patients who might feel a hot sensation that is mild and should be gone several minutes after the treatment.  Usually, patients can immediately go back to doing their routine activities after the treatment, there are others who might want to rest for a bit because of an amount of redness and/or swelling that could appear on the treated area.  There are several systems used in facial hair removal and its use depends on the preference of your surgeon as well other factors like your hair and skin types.  

The Cost

Facial hair removal through laser is priced differently per person.  The cost usually is based on a case to case basis that most often than not depends on the treatment area and if the case is complex.  While others will get the desired results after three to four treatments, others may go for as many as six treatments. Ranging from $150 to $350 per facial area per treatment, prices for facial hair removal also depends on the area of your residence, whether it be urban, rural or suburban.  The more cosmopolitan the area, the higher the charges.  The system used for the hair removal is also one consideration in the costing of a treatment.

The Dangers

Facial hair removal done through laser treatment could bring about the danger of getting burns.  This is one of the dangers commonly seen after a procedure that was not performed properly.  This occurs when instead of the hair follicles, it is the skin that soaks up the energy from the laser meant to kill the follicles.  Because of this, it is imperative to seek a full-length consultation with a cosmetic doctor to see if it is okay for your skin type or hair color to get a facial hair removal treatment. 

Doing this would minimize risks and other side effects after treatments.  Because of the deep penetration of laser rays, treatment around the eye area should be best avoided.  The area between the eyes as well as that on the brow should only be either waxed or tweezed.  Electrolysis could also be a viable options for these areas.

After the treatment

The process of recovery for a laser facial hair removal is not extensive.  Redness, minor crusting of the skin and sensitivity are among the after effects of the treatment that some patients will have to go through in the first week after the procedure.  A cold compress may be used if needed. Patients should avoid exposure to the sun after the treatment though especially without proper protection.  While make-up and moisturizers could be used, it is also best to use  an SPF 25 sun block formula for two to three weeks after treatment.

Although very rare, blistering, skin discoloration and burning are among the side effects of facial hair removal treatment. There are ointments and creams available in the market that could soothe these symptoms after a facial hair removal procedure.  While, they could be sold over the counter, it is better to consult your surgeon on what products to use first to make sure that it will give you the best results.  After the treatment, it is also best to remember that you will continue to shed hair up to three weeks.  While it may look as if you are growing new hair, its just the coming out of hair.  You could actually aid in getting these hairs out through the use of either a washcloth or a loofah while bathing.