Laser hair removal is a popular cosmetic procedure for removing body hair. After it, the skin becomes smooth, silky and pleasant to the touch. However, hair removal results do not always live up to expectations. Skin defects may occur that are very difficult to get rid of. Therefore, before carrying out the procedure, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the potential risks.
Contraindications for hair removal
Laser hair removal is accompanied by exposure of the skin surface to light rays. The principle of operation of the device is as follows: a stream of light reaches the bulb and blood vessels, promoting their heating and subsequent death. Therefore, the follicles are destroyed and hair growth stops in the treated area.
A repeated laser hair removal procedure, which is carried out after 25-30 days, removes the remaining hairs that were previously in a state of sleep. After 10 sessions of such manipulation, the follicles become completely incapacitated.
All light devices are accompanied by instructions for use, which detail diseases that are a contraindication to the procedure.
Laser hair removal is prohibited in the following cases:
- Neoplasms of any origin.
- Low immunity associated with severe pathologies.
- Allergies are in the acute stage.
- Any skin diseases, especially infectious ones.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Varicose veins and spider veins.
It is also worth holding off on this procedure if the client has at least one of the following conditions:
- The period of bearing a child and breastfeeding.
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Infection with viruses and various infections.
- Inflammatory processes on the skin in the area of intended hair removal.
- Flu, cold.
- Damage to the skin - wounds, cuts, scratches.
What happens after the procedure?
Firstly, you should not expect instant results. The hair in the area where the session was performed will fall out along with the roots, but not immediately. Only a small area is treated in one manipulation. Further, depending on the location of hair removal, another 4-10 sessions will be required. In exceptional cases more, it all depends on the structure of the hair, follicles and hormones in our body. It is recommended to repeat the manipulations until the hair completely disappears and its growth stops, the desired interval is 1-2 months. But you will be pleased with the effect.
It is important to follow certain rules after laser hair removal. Is it harmful to health to visit a solarium after the procedure? Yes, it is harmful, just like tanning in the natural sun. Avoid active sunbathing for at least two weeks. And if you are lucky enough to be in the sun, be sure to use protective equipment: help your body adapt to the results as painlessly as possible. Avoid visiting the bathhouse and swimming pool, regularly use moisturizing and softening nourishing milk or cream. It is desirable that their composition be natural so as not to provoke an allergic reaction. Harsh peelings and cosmetic procedures should also not be carried out, as well as trying to pluck remaining hairs with tweezers or remove them with wax. Believe me, the next session will remove them completely along with the roots.
Many people look for information about laser hair removal in reviews from doctors. “Is this dangerous?” we ask once again. No, it is not dangerous if all recommendations are followed. If you are afraid of burns during the procedure, you may be given a cooling agent. Some cosmetic clinics have even introduced special cold laser hair removal, when the skin does not heat up. By the way, increasing body temperature when exposed to a conventional laser can provide additional benefits: blood circulation improves, and the process of natural collagen synthesis under the skin is activated, which helps us look younger.
If you don’t have enough information about laser hair removal and whether it is harmful to health, reviews of those who have already appreciated the effect of this wonderful technology can be found on the Internet. You will discover what changes await you:
- velvety smooth skin
- long-lasting effect
- if the procedure is carried out correctly, there is no long-term inflammatory processes
- no ingrown hairs or unpleasant irritation
We hope that our article has helped you learn more about what laser hair removal is, what contraindications and deep effects this procedure may have.
Consequences of laser hair removal
Even in the absence of contraindications, no one is immune from the development of side effects. As a rule, they arise as a result of:
- Poor preparation of the skin for light exposure.
- The specialist made a mistake in diagnosing the patient.
- Presence of one of the contraindications. Many people may not fully know their illnesses.
- The functions of the device are incorrectly configured, prolonged exposure to a certain area of the skin.
- Individual intolerance to laser manipulation.
The main consequences after hair removal using light equipment are:
- Burns.
- Black dots.
- Pimples.
- Itching and irritation.
- Pigmentation.
- Folliculitis.
- Bruises.
Laser treatment of hair follicles
Imagine the method of starting a fire using a magnifying glass, where sunlight directed at one point heats and then ignites flammable material. The laser operates on the same principle. In our case, sunlight is a laser beam, and the “combustible material” is the melanin pigment, which is responsible for coloring hair. The beam penetrates the hair follicle, heats it up and promotes hair destruction.
The laser interacts only with mature hair follicles that have accumulated sufficient color pigment to become a suitable target. It is the “ripe” hair follicles that attract the beam and are best susceptible to destruction.
Important point for beginners! Pigmentation is, first of all, color saturation. The laser affects the so-called dark cells. The “hair fossae,” which are considered dark, are filled with a subtype of melanin called eumelanin. It is this type of pigment that is responsible for a wide range of natural hair colors - from light brown to black.
Is laser hair removal harmful for albinos, “straw blondes” and gray people whose hair cells do not have eumelanin? No, the procedure will not cause harm, but there will be no benefit from it, because the follicles of the listed types of people do not have light-absorbing abilities. On the contrary, the hair follicles of natural-born blondes put up a shield for the laser beam, preventing its penetration.
When the laser beam is absorbed by the hair follicles, a thermal reaction occurs: the hair shaft heats up and the cells of the so-called hair papilla are destroyed. As a result, hair stops growing for quite a long time - on average, we can talk about stopping growth for 5-7 years. In the future, when individual hair sprouts appear in some places of the treated area, they will no longer be dark and hard. They will be replaced by lighter and softer fluff.
Itching and irritation
Slight skin tightness, burning and discomfort are normal immediately after the procedure. Therefore, at the end of the session, the cosmetologist applies soothing agents to the skin. However, the persistence of unpleasant sensations in the form of itching and irritation for more than 2-3 days after hair removal indicates intolerance to the procedure. In such a situation, it is important to carefully care for your skin; you should exclude aggressive cosmetics and use only emollients. Decoctions of medicinal plants are useful - chamomile, calendula, sage, aloe vera. They soothe the epidermis, relieve inflammation and itching.
How to reduce pain from the procedure
To ensure that even the most sensitive clients feel comfortable during hair removal, we use special cooling attachments: they reduce the level of skin heating, so that the procedure takes place without discomfort.
Additional protection is provided by a special contact gel.
While getting rid of unwanted vegetation, the specialist constantly works in contact with the client: asks about the sensations, tells how long the procedure will last. We use modern installations that work over a large area and very quickly - so the discomfort is minimal.
Underestimation of risk: complications with contraindications
You can enjoy smooth, velvety skin and forget about the razor for several years only if you pay close attention to contraindications. The desire to use the services of a cosmetologist at any cost can lead to an exacerbation of existing chronic diseases. If there are contraindications, skin defects may appear - discoloration, age spots, scars.
With diabetes, a person may feel relatively comfortable, but this is not a reason to neglect the recommendations. Pathological processes occur unnoticed in the body - the sensitivity of nerves increases, metabolism and tissue regeneration slow down, and immunity decreases. In diabetics, a small wound can cause gangrene of the limb, and treating a large area of skin with an energy beam will lead to more serious consequences.
Complications with contraindications can be serious with any cosmetic procedure. Before carrying out the procedure, be sure to consult with a cosmetologist and, if necessary, with specialized specialists.
Myth 5: You can get rid of body hair after one procedure
It is not possible to remove all follicles in one session. Cases where people needed 1-2 procedures to achieve the desired result are rare. Hair grows one by one, and the laser beam affects only the hair follicles in the active stage. In one procedure, up to 50% of visible hair is removed from the body surface. Thanks to the gradual death of the follicles, the body does not initiate compensatory functions that provoke hormonal disorders. Sessions are stopped after all hairs in the active and “dormant” stages are destroyed. To completely get rid of vegetation, up to 10-12 procedures will be required. All these rules apply only to laser hair removal performed using professional devices.
How to behave after the session
To avoid complications and get the maximum effect from laser hair removal, it is advisable to adhere to the following recommendations:
- Avoid exposure to ultraviolet light for 10 days after the procedure. In summer, use sunscreen with SPF50.
- Do not visit the sauna or bathhouse.
- During the course, do not use any other method of hair removal other than shaving.
- Do not try to speed up the process of hair loss by pulling out hairs yourself.
What types of lasers are used in the procedure?
Several types of laser systems are used for hair removal. Which laser is right for you depends on the phototype and hair color: some have light, thin and barely noticeable hair, while others have dark, coarse and thick hair. Lasers with different wavelengths are effective on different types of hair.
The ruby laser operates at a depth of 694 nm. This is a short wavelength, so in Cleo Line we do not use a ruby unit, preferring more modern and effective options:
- alexandrite;
- diode;
- neodymium.
The Alexandrite laser has a wavelength of up to 755 nm. It is suitable for those with sensitive skin who have red or blond hair. In one flash, the device does not cover the largest area of skin, but absolutely the entire radiation force is directed to the hair, so you can see the effect immediately after the procedure.
The diode laser is considered the most versatile. It has a wavelength of 810 nm and is suitable for women and men with any skin type and hair structure. It is this laser that helps in the fight against hypertrichosis - that is, excess vegetation. After laser exposure, hair first becomes softer and more invisible, then stops growing altogether. A diode laser works faster than an alexandrite laser - the radiation covers a larger area, so the procedure is reduced. The diode laser is safer: after its use, burns and other undesirable phenomena occur extremely rarely.
The neodymium laser has the longest wavelength of 1063 nm, making it easy to remove dark hair and epilate tanned and dark skin (IV-VI phototypes). We also use neodymium units to treat acne and resurface scars. The neodymium laser beam does not affect healthy skin and tissue, it only affects the nutrient vessel and hair follicle - it destroys them beyond the possibility of restoration.
Myth 3: Laser photoepilation is more effective than traditional procedures
A new hair removal technique, positioned as laser photoepilation, is nothing more than misinformation to the population. There is no such method of dealing with excess vegetation. Laser and photoepilation are two completely different techniques. The only similarity between cosmetic procedures is the principle of action: the splitting of the follicle occurs due to selective heating of the hair follicles and absorption of light energy. In one case, a laser acts on the follicles, and in the other, light.
Proper preparation for the procedure
Improper preparation for a laser hair removal session can negatively affect your health. Before going to a cosmetologist, it will be useful to familiarize yourself with simple but important rules:
- Do not sunbathe 2 weeks before and after hair removal - this is the most important condition for a safe and high-quality procedure;
- On the eve of the session, it is recommended to shave the required area - this will reduce the likelihood of burns;
- On the day of the session, it is prohibited to use cosmetic compositions based on oils and alcohol.
If you have a large number of age spots and moles, you must consult an oncologist in advance.
