With summer on the horizon, you may find yourself giving more thought to body hair. Seasonal attire like swimsuits, shorts and tank tops all show off more skin than usual, which necessitates shaving more often than you do in the winter months. Another option is to ditch the razor and finally give laser hair removal a try. If you have always been curious about how laser hair removal works and what you can expect from this procedure, the fantastic team at CSNY Medi-Spa are here to share the most relevant details.
Understanding Laser Hair Removal
The technical term for laser hair removal is selective photothermolysis. The medical aesthetician pulses a laser (or beam of light) on a targeted area. The heat emitted from this laser is attracted to the hair follicles. Because hair follicles are darker than most other cells, they absorb most of the heat emitted from the laser. This heat disables the follicles, making it so that hair cannot grow from these follicles.
Traditionally, laser hair removal has worked best on patients with dark hair since that attracts heat the best. However, improvements to this treatment allow our aestheticians to achieve good results for patients with medium to lighter hair as well.
Laser hair removal works best when a follicle is in its growth stage. Since each follicle can be at a different stage at any given moment — even in the same area — patients see the best results when they return for additional treatments to ensure that all follicles have been effectively destroyed.
Laser Hair Removal Recovery and Results
You may experience minor discomfort while undergoing laser hair treatment, but significantly less pain than waxing. While it is important to be cautious of the sun, you can resume nearly all normal activities as soon as you leave our office. Your skin may be red for the first day after treatment, but that subsides quickly.
The results from laser hair removal differ from patient to patient. Although the results may be indefinite, they are usually semi-permanent. You may find it beneficial to come in for a touch-up every few years to address the follicles where hair has started to regrow.
Make an Appointment
Whether you would like to remove the hair from your face, underarms, legs, bikini line or elsewhere on the body, the sooner you schedule the appointment, the sooner you will be ready for hitting the pool this summer — and many summers to follow. The first step is to meet with an aesthetician for a consultation to confirm your candidacy. To set up a consultation, call (914) 761-8667 today.
Dr. Joshua Greenwald is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City who studied and trained at prestigious educational institutions including Columbia University, Emory University, and New York University School of Medicine. His keen aesthetic eye and refined surgical techniques have led him to be a top choice for cosmetic face, breast, and body procedures in NYC. His exceptional patient care has earned him the distinction of “Top Doc” by both Westchester Magazine and Castle & Connolly for over 10 years running. Dr. Greenwald is an active member of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the American Medical Association, and the Westchester County Medical Society.