All about laser facial hair removal

Female beauty for each ethnic group has its own canons and standards, but the presence of even vellus hair is considered unacceptable for a lady, as it looks unaesthetic and unfeminine. The appearance of hair on a woman's face is explained by various factors; genetics and hormonal levels of the body play an important role in this issue. But in the struggle for beauty, women do not want to put up with unnecessary hairs and strive to get rid of them by all available means. One of these methods is modern hair removal performed using a laser beam.

The cost of this method is quite high, but it justifies itself by its high efficiency. Compared to other hair removal methods that only remove part of the hair shaft above the skin, the laser beam is able to reach the hair follicle and destroy it, thereby acting radically on the cause of the problem rather than its effect.

For women, laser facial hair removal is most effective in eliminating vellus hair that grows in the upper lip or cheekbones. According to experts, the result is more effective for dark hairs than for light or gray hairs, devoid of pigment - the laser "does not see" them.Before going to the beauty parlor in order to remove unwanted vegetation, each woman needs to familiarize herself not only with the advantages of the laser procedure, but also with its disadvantages, as well as learn about the side effects.

The main positive properties of laser hair removal are as follows.

• The procedure is quick and relatively painless. The laser beam passes through the epidermis and enters the hair follicle, and you feel a slight tingling sensation as the follicle heats up.
• As a result of the procedure, the effect of stopping hair growth for a long time is achieved, and with repeated repetitions of the procedure, the hair disappears from the face forever.
• After laser hair removal, the skin does not peel off, it does not tighten from dryness.
• The use of a laser beam does not cause allergic reactions, and redness caused by thermal exposure quickly disappears by the end of the first week after the procedure.
• The laser beam does not damage the skin of the face and can be used even for persons with sensitive and delicate skin.
• After epilation, ingrown hairs do not appear, as is often the case with superficial waxing or after sugaring.
• During the procedure, the hairs on the face do not break off and do not stick out with charred stumps. Each of them simply falls out at its own hour and no longer has the opportunity to grow again.

In addition to its positive properties, laser hair removal also has some disadvantages, which must be known and taken into account.

• The cost of laser hair removal is quite high. One procedure can cost from 1,500 to 5,000 rubles, and to achieve a high-quality result, it is necessary to carry out 5-10 sessions, so the amount is quite impressive.
• After each session, you should take a break for at least 3 weeks. Thus, the implementation of the conceived is stretched in time for a significant period.
• In case of inept handling of the device and low qualifications of a specialist, laser hair removal can result in complications, which are expressed not only in the appearance of blackheads or pigmentation, but also in burns.
• The laser flow acts only on living and actively growing hair shafts.
• It is impossible for people with light or gray hair to permanently get rid of vegetation using a laser. The procedure will only give a temporary effect.

Considering the positive aspects, we can safely say that the laser hair removal procedure, even despite its high cost, is quite justified if we recalculate the cost of hair removal, which a woman has to resort to during her life.

As for the complications that may appear after laser hair removal, although very rare, they still manifest themselves as follows.

• Skin burn. Can be obtained if the power of the laser beam is selected too high. In addition, burns also appear when epilation is carried out on tanned skin or the length of the hairs on the epilated area was more than 2-3 mm.
• Dark spots. This effect also happens when the laser device is incorrectly set up and when the procedure is performed on the skin after sunbathing.
• Follicular inflammation. Most often, this effect occurs in those who suffer from increased sweating. To cope with folliculitis, you can use compresses with a solution of potassium manganese.
• Hypertrichosis. A rare phenomenon that manifests itself in that, instead of suppressing hair growth, its strengthening is observed. This effect occurs when the client's skin type is incorrectly assessed and the device is incorrectly configured.

In the right hands, the laser beam works wonders.But it is worth knowing that such a hair removal procedure may have a number of contraindications related to the general state of health.

Epilation is contraindicated for:

• pregnancy and during breastfeeding, when the hormonal background of a woman is undergoing rapid restructuring;
• diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2;
• a history of diseases of the nervous system, including epilepsy and mental disorders;
• infectious diseases of any etiology with an increase in body temperature;
• during an exacerbation of any chronic diseases of organs and systems;
• the presence of inflammatory foci, birthmarks, tattoos, as well as skin diseases in the epilation area;
• hyperpigmentation, as a feature of the body;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system.

If there are contraindications, the laser hair removal procedure cannot be performed, since this increases the risk of side effects and complications from the general well-being.

Before you decide for yourself the need to perform laser hair removal, you need to know the reasons for the appearance of unwanted facial hair. Often, the activity of hair follicles increases in women during pre- and postmenopause, when hormonal changes in the body are observed. It is impossible to influence this factor in other ways, except for hair removal. To date, lasers have already been developed that are capable of removing even light and gray hair, but such equipment of the latest generation is not available in all beauty parlors.

In most southern peoples, at the genetic level, nature is laid down so that on a woman's face the eyebrows grow quite thick and sometimes close in the bridge of the nose, and a fluff in the form of small antennae can be noticeable above the upper lip. Of course, to meet fashion standards, a woman wants to remove excess hair. But in the case when the skin has a tanned tint due to the high content of melanin pigment, it can be difficult for a laser beam to "see" the hairs against this background, so the effect on the hair shaft is weak and ineffective. In this case, you will have to choose another method to get rid of the hair.

Often, even in young women, facial hair begins to grow due to the imbalance of male and female hormones. An endocrinologist will help eliminate this imbalance. As for laser hair removal, if the hormonal background is disturbed, the effect of epilation will be temporary, since the hair will reappear on the face until the cause of their growth is eliminated.

Having decided on the effectiveness of the procedure and the general state of health, before deciding to remove facial hair, experts recommend conducting a test test on the skin, and if the result is positive, you can prepare for the next steps.

In order for the effectiveness of the laser to be high, it is necessary to fulfill a number of conditions that are preparation for the procedure:

• 14-15 days before epilation, do not sunbathe in the sun and visit the solarium;
• it is not recommended to apply cosmetic oils and cream on the skin before the session;
• the length of the hairs at the time of the procedure should be at least 3-5 mm;
• 15-20 days before laser hair removal, you must stop using other methods of hair removal, except shaving;
• 72 hours before epilation, it is not recommended to use preparations containing alcohol components;
• 15 days before the procedure, you should not take antibiotics from the tetracyclines group.

Laser hair removal is a salon procedure that uses devices that have different intensities, accuracy and length of the laser beam. There are 2 types of lasers - long-wavelength neodymium and short-wavelength ruby, diode or alexandrite. The difference between these types is the density of the beam and its length. According to customer reviews, painful sensations can occur when using neodymium or alexandrite laser beams, which have high power, but low accuracy.

Before carrying out the procedure, a specialist, by examination, determines the sensitivity and type of skin, and also finds out if there are any contraindications. After that, the client lies down on the couch and they put on glasses with protective glasses. Further, the procedure is as follows.

• The skin is cleansed with a neutral cosmetic product. An anesthetic cream or gel is applied to its surface, which will reduce discomfort and protect the epidermis from burns.
• Depending on the type of skin, the device is adjusted and the required power of the laser beam is selected.
• The treatment of the epilation area is carried out using a laser device with short flashes. The treatment procedure takes no more than 15-20 minutes if the hair is removed on the cheekbones or above the upper lip. All subsequent sessions will no longer be so long.
• After laser operation, the remaining gel is removed from the skin surface and a product called "Panthenol" or another drug is applied that promotes rapid restoration of the skin epidermis. The client is scheduled for a second appointment in 21 days.

During the operation of the laser beam, deep penetration into the hair follicle occurs, which heats up and collapses under the influence of thermal energy. Under the condition of a destroyed hair follicle, further hair growth in this place and from this hair follicle is impossible. Due to the thermal effect on the hair structure during the procedure, a specific smell is felt in the office - this inconvenience during this procedure is inevitable.

Going for laser hair removal, every woman wonders how often the procedure needs to be done in order to completely and permanently remove unwanted facial hair. There is no unequivocal answer to this question, since in each specific case the situation depends on the type of skin and hair structure. Most often, the effect of smooth skin lasts at least 5 years. If the reason for the appearance of hair is hormonal imbalance of the body, then the laser procedure will not help to completely get rid of vegetation, but will make the hairs much thinner and weaker.

Having made the decision to carry out laser hair removal on the face, you need to be prepared for the fact that the number of sessions will not be limited to 1-2 visits to the beautician, since in order to obtain a lasting desired effect, you will need to undergo several such procedures. On average, the number of sessions is from 4 to 8 visits with an interval of 3 weeks between procedures.

After the procedure of epilation using a laser beam is performed, it is necessary to provide appropriate care for the treated area of ​​the skin so that the epidermis can quickly recover, as well as in order to exclude the appearance of unwanted complications in the area of ​​laser operation.

For full recovery, the skin epidermis will need hydration, so you need to carefully consider the rules of care and the means used for this purpose.

• Well moisturize and relieve inflammation after epilation by means of "Bepanten" or "Panthenol". They nourish the skin and help it recover quickly.
• After epilation for 72 hours, you cannot use preparations containing an alcohol component, so as not to provoke dryness of the epidermis.
• During the period of 14 days after the procedure, you must not be exposed to ultraviolet radiation - it is forbidden to sunbathe and use a solarium. In summer, the skin must be additionally protected with a cream with a light-absorbing filter of at least SPF 30 or 50.
• Between laser hair removal procedures, do not pull out hairs that have appeared in the treatment area with tweezers. You can remove unwanted hairs only by shaving them off.
• Do not use a scrub or washcloth so as not to infect the damaged follicle.
• You cannot visit the bathhouse and sauna, as well as go to the pool in the first 15 days after the procedure - this is necessary to prevent folliculitis.

After the laser hair removal procedure, you should be prepared for the fact that parts of the hair shaft located under the skin begin to fall out gradually over 3 weeks. You should not be intimidated by this circumstance, since this is a normal reaction of the skin after its treatment with a laser. After a short time, new hairs from other previously dormant reserve follicles will appear on the surface of the epidermis, which will also need to be subjected to thermal laser treatment again.

Analyzing the numerous reviews of clients of cosmetology clinics, we can come to the conclusion that the procedure for laser hair removal on the face is quite effective and can get rid of unwanted hairs for a long time. The procedure has many more positive properties than disadvantages.

Women note that after laser treatment, the hairs stop growing, and if they do appear again, they have a very fine structure. An important point is that the hairs do not grow larger, and in some cases, only 4 sessions are enough to eliminate them. Laser hair removal is considered not only effective, but also relatively safe. A good effect can be achieved if you follow all the recommendations of the cosmetologist. In addition, the quality of the equipment, combined with the skill of the beautician performing this manipulation, also affects the result.

For carrying out the service, you must contact cosmetology institutions with a good reputation. In pursuit of cheapness, you should not resort to the help of unprofessional performers who work from home, or to fly-by-night companies that are not responsible for the consequences of their activities.