Start Laser Hair Removal Now to Be Ready in Time for Swimsuit Season

When it comes to hair removal, it used to be that your only options were to shave, pluck, or wax, all of which had to be done regularly — and often painfully. But there’s a new and better way to remove unwanted hair.

At Med Physique Center for Aesthetics, our expert team of aestheticians, under the guidance of Dr. Sherry L. Neyman, understands how annoying and time-consuming removing unwanted hair can be. That’s why we offer laser hair removal (LHR) using the GentleMax Pro® system. The laser damages the hair’s follicle, preventing the hair from growing back.

What is laser hair removal?

Lasers produce a narrow, focused beam of light at a single wavelength. When we direct the light at the treatment area, it’s absorbed by the melanin pigment in the hairs. Once absorbed, the light energy is converted into heat energy, damaging the hair follicles and preventing or delaying new hair growth.

Laser hair removal only targets hairs in the active growth (anagen) stage, which is about 20% of the total amount. You’ll need multiple sessions for each treatment area to ensure we can destroy all the active follicles.

While lasers can be used on all skin types, they’re most effective for people who have light skin and dark hair for two reasons: Dark hair contains the highest pigment concentration, so it absorbs the most laser light, and light skin contains less melanin, so the treatment doesn’t damage the skin around the follicles. New technologies, though, have made laser hair removal more effective for people with dark skin. 

LHR is also not as effective for hair colors with less dark pigment, such as gray, white, blond, and red, but, once again, new technologies are coming to market that can bypass this issue.

Which areas does LHR target?

The most popular areas for hair removal include:

• Legs
• Armpits
• Upper lip
• Chin
• Shoulders
• Chest
• Back
• Bikini area

Essentially, you can remove unwanted hair from almost any place on the body except for the eyelids and the surrounding area since the light could damage the eyes. In addition, if you have a tattoo, it’s difficult to remove any hair within its borders since the inks can also absorb the light.

What is GentleMax Pro, and what can I expect from it?

GentleMax Pro is the gold standard for the hair removal industry and our LHR system of choice. It’s a single system that combines two fast and powerful lasers: the Alexandrite and the YAG. That allows us to customize treatment for all skin types, and it means you can achieve the results you want with fewer visits.

Because the GentleMax Pro produces heat, you’ll feel a warm, tingling sensation during the treatment. Most people describe it as similar to a warm pinch or a rubber band snap — nothing more severe than that.

Treatments may take just a few minutes for small facial areas to about an hour for larger regions such as the legs or back. We recommend 4-6 treatments to achieve optimal results since each session can only treat the follicles in the anagen stage. And while the results are long-lasting, because of changing hormone levels, they’re rarely permanent, so you may need some maintenance sessions down the road.

LHR treatments require no downtime or recovery, but you might experience some slight swelling and/or redness in the treatment area for a few hours. Applying ice to the area should reduce any discomfort. 

You’ll begin to see hair shedding from a few days after your session to a few weeks, as the follicles wither away. This means if you have the treatment now, you’ll be ready for the swimsuit season. Your skin may be sensitive during this time, so protect it by using a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher when you’re outside.

Tired of plucking and waxing to get rid of unwanted hair? Med Physique Center for Aesthetics can help with laser hair removal. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation with one of our aestheticians, give us a call at 512-453-7000, or book online with us today.