Everything You Need To Know About Laser Hair Removal
Research estimates that 85-90% of women and 50% of men have body hair that they would prefer to be rid of. Most women feel the societal pressure to be hairless and start removing their hair as early as 16 by shaving, waxing, tweezing, and other means.
The one issue with those methods is that they yield temporary results with pesky hairs returning days later. Wouldn’t you prefer a treatment that zaps away hair so it never grows back?
If so, then you should begin laser hair removal at ReNue. With laser treatments, you can wave goodbye to waxing and throw away your razor—for good. In only six treatments, you’ll have long-lasting smooth skin. (Think about all the time and money you’ll save!)
The beauty of laser hair removal is that it has permanent results, which is why you should do your research first.
We offer multiple wavelength lasers to safely and effectively treat all skin and hair types.
We offer laser treatments for the following areas:
- Upper lip
- Lower face
- Full face
- Underarms
- Bikini line
- French bikini
- Brazilian
- Full legs
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
If an area you’re interested in having treated is not listed, please contact us for a consultation.
How laser hair removal works
Laser hair removal gets to the root of the problem. It works by emitting a light that penetrates the surface of the skin through the pigment of the hair. The light then converts to heat that targets and destroys the hair follicle to prevent the hair from growing back.
Our modern, state-of-the-art technology includes cooling for ultimate comfort.
Our devices are Health Canada approved. In addition, our team of laser technicians has extensive experience treating all different skin types, and we always provide personalized care tailored to your aesthetic goals.
We know this all sounds great, but before you say “zap me,” our practice coach Ashley Anderson, who has 10 years of experience as a laser technician, will tell you more about how laser hair removal works and if you’re a candidate.
Q&A Section with Ashley Anderson
Who can get Laser Hair Removal?
“Technology has drastically improved, nowadays, pretty much anybody can get laser hair removal. Anyone from fair to African American skin can be treated with devices today. Whereas historically, you had to have light skin.”
What is the difference between Laser and Light?
“Both laser and light offer hair removal. When we look in the realm of hair removal services, there’s four wavelengths that can get the job done:
- ND YAG (1064 wavelength)
- Alexandrite (755 wavelength)
- Diode (808 wavelength)
- Light (IPL, BBL)
They all offer great hair removal. One of them will win the race a little faster and that’s the Diode. It’s the gold standard. Then I would rank them by saying Alexandrite is next, then the Nd:YAG, then the IPL systems.
Light devices finish last because when light is delivered into the skin, it bows out. It’s a level of bulk heat versus a laser that’s very direct to the target. We recommend light-based devices for the finishing stages when the hair doesn’t have much pigmentation left and it’s less dense. It can also be for dark blonde or slightly red pigmented hair.”
When should I start? How long does it take to see results?
“Rule of thumb, if you’re treating from the collarbone up, we do a treatment every four to six weeks. Collarbone down, six to eight weeks. Depending on what the area of treatment is, most people want to be ready to go by summer. It’s roughly a half a year to a year commitment, so you can plan accordingly.
Laser hair removal is not necessarily age-dependent, but as soon as the hair goes grey, we can no longer perform laser hair removal because there’s no target. The way it works is that regardless of if we’re firing a laser or light device, we’re telling that device to look for something specific. We need the hair follicle and the melanin inside of it as our target. Once that hair turns grey, we can’t get it anymore. So not necessarily age, but as soon as the hair has lost its pigmentation, treatments would not be successful.”
Does it hurt?
“Ooh. Some technologies can be a bit ‘spicy,’ but most people tolerate it very well. The way it feels is device-dependent. It’s going to vary. So, if you were to have an IPL or BBL treatment, it will feel like an elastic band snapping against your skin. Whereas if you are going with a Diode or ND YAG laser, we want to build the heat in the skin so it’s quite warm.
We do have other things that we can incorporate to optimize comfort. We have a Zimmer cooling system that blows cold air during the treatment. Light devices like IPL/BBL will have a chill tip.”
What are the limitations with red, blonde, white, and grey hair? Can they be treated?
“The only thing that can treat grey hair is electrolysis, as long as the hair has pigmentation. So if you have light brown, blonde, or strawberry blonde/red pigmentation in the hair, it is possible to laser. It’s just a lot harder to get because light hair is not as strong of a target. For people with light hair, go with one of the light devices or the Alexandrite for better success.”
How to prepare for your appointments
With hair removal, you must do your part to ensure the treatment is successful.
- First, shave the treatment area at least 24 hours before your appointment.
- Stay out of the sun and avoid artificial tanning products two to four weeks before. We cannot treat any kind of tan. That goes for indoor tanning (tanning beds), outside tanning, bronzers, self-tanners, or spray tans.
- Before you leave for your appointment, make sure your skin is clean free of any lotion, makeup, or deodorant.
- In between sessions, don’t do any type of hair removal other than shaving when you need to. So don’t tweeze, wax, thread, Nair, or bleach your hair, as this will slow the process way down.
- Because we put a lot of heat into the skin, we want to make sure that heat does not continue to build. So avoid hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms post-treatment. Even hot baths or showers are not recommended the same day as treatment.
- Lastly, don’t do anything that can cause chafing in the area, like vigorous exercise, for at least 24 hours post-treatment.
Book your free consultation
Consultations are always best to rule out and ensure we have an appropriate candidate. We want to make sure the patient isn’t taking any medications that can interfere with our laser and/or light devices. We also can’t treat anybody who’s pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you want to get rid of unwanted hair, contact your nearest ReNue clinic for a free consultation.