Will Laser Hair Removal Work for Me? Who is An Ideal Candidate?
Laser Hair Removal—this innovative procedure has been available to consumers for over ten years—we’ve all heard about it, we all know a little bit about it, but with laser technology continually changing and updating, before ever committing to treatment, it is important to have all the facts. The biggest fact that individual should be aware of is that even though laser treatments are the most revolutionary method available for removing unwanted facial and body hair with lasting results, not everyone is an ideal candidate. Knowing whether or not the procedure will work for you will help you to make a better decision on which hair removal method to use.
When laser hair removal was first introduced to consumers, only small portion of individuals were able to undergo treatments. Since its inception, laser treatments have utilized pigment seeking light in order to effectively target and remove unwanted hair. The problem in the beginning was that both hair and skin contains pigment. Rudimentary lasers did not have the capability of distinguishing between hair color and skin color, therefore only those men and women with very light skin and very dark hair could undergo treatments and see successful results.
In the years since, laser technology has progressed at a rapid rate. Lasers have been developed that utilize different wavelengths of laser light—those different wavelengths are specifically designed to penetrate skin at different depths. Shorter wavelength lasers like the Alexandrite Laser and Diode Laser were designed to treat men and women with fair to medium skin tones, and longer wavelength lasers such as the Nd: YAG Laser were designed to treat patients with medium to dark skin tones. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Lasers are also utilized for hair removal, but since the pulsed light technology penetrates at multiple depths beneath the skin, the energy is safe for patients with all skin tones. So now, with the many different laser technologies available, men and women with skin tones ranging from light to dark can undergo safe, effective laser hair removal treatments that produce long lasting hair reduction results.
Now at this point you may be thinking…if all skin tones can be treated, then that means everyone can undergo laser hair removal, right? Unfortunately the answer to that question is still no. Ideal candidates for laser hair removal can have any skin tone, but they need to have dark hair—that means hair that contains some sort of pigment. Those interested individuals who have blonde, gray, white or red hair cannot undergo laser treatments because these hair colors do not contain enough pigment to be ‘seen’ by the laser. So no matter your skin type, if you do not have hair that contains at least some pigment, you will not be able to see successful results.
Want to know why? The treatment works like this: The laser is passed over the treatment area and as the light energy is pulsed it penetrates through the outer layers of skin and is attracted to the pigment in the follicles below. The laser energy is then absorbed by the hair follicle and transforms into heat; that heat is what effectively disables the follicle and inhibits re-growth. If hair follicles do not contain enough pigment, the laser energy won’t be absorbed which means the hair follicle won’t be destroyed. So before committing to treatment, be sure to visit a reputable center and have a laser technician determine whether or not you are an ideal candidate for Laser Hair Removal. Knowing whether or not this innovative treatment will work for you will help you to decide the best way to remove your unwanted hair.
