Is Laser Hair Removal Bad for Your Skin?

If you’re thinking about laser hair treatment to remove unwanted hair, check out this article to see how this procedure affects your skin. A lot of people mistakenly think that laser hair treatment is bad for your skin. Some even think that any laser hair treatment can cause cancer.

Luckily, that’s not true. Laser hair treatments – like hair removal – use a type of laser that doesn’t produce harmful radiation. This means that your favorite method of getting rid of unwanted hair won’t harm your skin.

But does laser hair treatment have other impacts on your skin? Or, for that matter, your overall health? We’ll answer those questions today, and go into more detail about why laser hair treatment isn’t bad for your skin.
 

Laser Hair Treatment doesn’t Harm Skin

The first thing to accept about laser hair treatment is that it doesn’t have any negative effects on your skin’s health. It’s as safe as exfoliation, which is one of the more popular skin care treatments we offer.

Laser hair treatment procedures use technology that gives some patients concern about cancer risk. This is due to the fact that laser hair treatment is performed with radiation.

However, the type of radiation that’s used isn’t the same as what’s used in an MRI or CT scan. That radiation is called “ionized” radiation. That can cause cell damage, which leads to cancer risk.

Laser hair treatments don’t use ionizing radiation. That means your cells are left intact, and there’s no cancer risk as a result of treatment.
 

How Does it Work?

Laser hair removal is performed by using a concentrated light beam on a hair follicle. This concentrated light damages the hair follicle and can prevent regrowth at times.

Other laser hair treatments, like skin rejuvenation, SculpSure, skin resurfacing, and tattoo removal all use this same technology. That means no matter what treatment you pick, you don’t need to worry about negative effects to your skin’s health.
 

Laser Technology

Over the past twenty years, laser technology has grown leaps and bounds. When it was first introduced, many people wondered whether it could be effective and safe.

Today, the laser technology used in laser hair treatments has been tested and approved by the FDA. The last thing we want to do is anything to harm your skin. That commitment is what helps us make sure we’re using only the best procedures possible.

In fact, the same laser technology we use to perform hair treatments is the same as we use to aid in weight loss.
 

What is the Treatment Process Like?

Laser hair treatment is so popular because it’s a process that doesn’t force you to take days off work to recover. It’s such an effective, safe way to remove unwanted hair that you can even have it performed on a lunch break.

Specific areas are targeted with our state-of-the-art laser systems. Some areas may take more than one treatment, due to hair density or current hair growth. However, after a few treatments per area, your hair growth will either stop or slow dramatically.

Here at our offices, we also have access to the only FDA-approved laser that matches the exact pigment of your skin. That makes the treatment even more effective than others.

Usually, we don’t treat multiple areas per session. Since laser hair treatment is usually removing unwanted hair from visible areas on your body, we keep the session localized. This minimizes the impact treatment has on your overall appearance and any recovery.

We also do multiple sessions because of the after-effects of treatment. While treatment is completely safe and harmless, your skin will be red afterward. It looks a bit like a sunburn, but without the pain and permanent skin damage.

Sessions are short, which is what makes them so popular. The number of sessions you’ll need to treat a given area will be determined in your consultation appointment. Generally, you can expect most areas of unwanted hair to require multiple sessions.
 

What Results Can You Expect?

While laser hair treatment is a great process for hair removal, you need to have realistic expectations going into it.

As mentioned earlier, the laser treatment works by damaging the hair follicle. However, the damage caused by the laser isn’t always permanent. Sometimes treatment just slows down growth instead of eliminating it completely.

Keeping that in mind, you can expect to see smooth skin within two or three sessions. Again, some areas require more treatment than others, but that’s a good ballpark to work with.

If you do experience regrowth in a treated area, you shouldn’t worry. Instead, just come back in for another session and we’ll work with you to eliminate as much growth as possible.
 

Who is a Good Candidate?

Some people don’t think they’re a good fit for treatment. The truth is that most people could get treatment today. It’s a non-invasive procedure that’s safe for nearly everyone.

You’re a good candidate if you have larger-than-wanted amounts of hair in places it’s not wanted. Most of our treatments are on the face, scalp, bikini lines, chest, back, and legs. You can have other areas treated as needed or desired.

To be a good candidate you also need to have healthy skin. If you have any active skin infections or sores, you’ll want to get them cleared up before treatment. Either your personal physician or our doctor can clear you for treatment.

Those are really the only qualifications for having treatment performed. It’s a very safe, easy procedure that’s not utilized nearly as often as it could be.
 

What is Recovery Like?

The recovery process from laser hair removal treatment is part of what makes it so popular. While other cosmetic procedures will have you out for a few days to a few weeks, laser hair removal treatment doesn’t cause any downtime.

The only lasting evidence of treatment is the red skin in the treated areas. The skin won’t be painful or tender to the touch. It’s such an easy treatment that you can have it done during a lunch break and be back at work with no problems.

Another popular aspect of laser hair removal treatment is the fact that you don’t have to do anything to the treated areas at home. There’s no after-treatment process, which makes it even more simple.

There’s no reason to worry about the recovery from laser hair removal treatment since a recovery process is virtually nonexistent.
 

Risks

As with any medical procedure, there are a few minor risks to be aware of. The most common is redness in the area of treatment.

However, in rare cases, you can experience scarring or discoloration in treated areas. Laser hair removal generally doesn’t leave a trace, though some people react to the treatment differently.

These risks aren’t serious, but you do need to be aware of them before agreeing to have your hair removed. You want to be sure that you’re comfortable with whatever happens. And of course, we do all we can here to minimize the potential side effects.

While you do need to accept the inherent risks of any medical procedure, there are few, if any, serious risks associated with laser hair removal treatment. For a cosmetic procedure, it’s remarkably safe, painless, and effective. If you’re on the fence about any cosmetic treatment, hair removal is a great one to start with.
 

Wrapping Up

Laser hair removal treatment has only grown in popularity in recent years. Our experience, added to the advancements in technology, make it a safe, viable option for most people. It’s affordable, too. Most insurance companies will have some sort of reimbursement for treatment, as well.

As far as cosmetic procedures go, it’s one of the most effective and painless. Removing hair is a simple process, but has a noticeable impact on your appearance.

Removing unwanted hair can also lead to increased confidence and self-esteem. If you’re happier with how you look, you’re likely to feel better about yourself in many personal and professional situations.

This is one of the most popular ways to remove hair for a reason. We take pride in offering the best services possible to our patients, and we can’t wait for the chance to assist you. Please get in touch with us today to schedule an appointment.