Sunday, April 11, 2010

- Laser Hair Removal - Answering your Curiosity and Concerns

Laser hair removal is one of the most sophisticated methods of hair removal that has become extremely popular, in spite of its high cost. The advanced technique of permanent hair removal method was introduced 2 decades back and is now widely accepted by dermatologists. Even the FDA has approved the use of laser therapy for permanent hair reduction.

Basics of laser hair removal

Laser hair removal makes use of an intense, pulsating beam of focused laser light energy to remove unwanted hair. The light is passed through the skin targeting the dark pigment called melanin, in hair. The intense heat of the light burns the hair follicle causing permanent damage and thereby inhibits the growth of new hair. Laser therapy does not ensure permanent hair removal but does restrict the growth of hair for several months and even several years.

Laser therapy may not be suitable for all. It works best in people with light skin and dark hair. However, these days, laser machines are available that are able to target dark black hair even in patients with dark skin.

Though laser treatment is not painful, it requires several sessions to complete the treatment. Number of sessions that may be required depend on area of the body treated, skin colour, coarseness of hair and sex of the person. Normally 5-7 sessions are required but in extreme cases, as many as 12 sessions may be needed to get effective hair-free results. As laser therapy is only effective in the growth phase, interval between sessions may be spaced 4–6 weeks apart for most areas.

Laser hair removal during pregnancy

Laser therapy is proven safe and effective method of hair removal but the same cannot be said for pregnant women. According to the American Pregnancy Association, laser hair removal studies have not proven to be safe or harmful when you are pregnant. As the studies have not been comprehensive to find out the effect of laser treatment especially when conducted on the abdomen or bikini area most obstetricians don’t recommend use of laser therapy in pregnant women.

During pregnancy, the rate of hair growth increases on face and other parts of the body due to hormonal changes hence many women may feel the need to go for laser treatment. However, as our body becomes more sensitive during pregnancy, laser may cause adverse reaction. Hence laser hair removal especially on abdomen, bikini and breasts should be best avoided during pregnancy.

Dangers involved in laser hair removal

It's very important to get laser treatment for hair removal conducted by skilled and experienced professional in a clean and hygienic environment. When performed without caution or by an unskilled person, laser treatment may be dangerous for your skin. Let the professional determine whether you are a right candidate for treatment and accept the decision. Improperly conducted treatment may pose following risks:

Burns - This is one main risk associated with laser treatment. When not conducted properly, your skin rather than the hair follicle absorbs the laser energy. This causes burns on your skin.

Changes in skin tone - When conducted without caution laser therapy may cause hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation. Laser can stimulate the production of melanin, creating a reaction that is similar to getting a suntan. Your skin may therefore darken due to hyperpigmentation. In some people, hypopigmentation may occur causing the colour of the skin to become lighter. This is because absorption of laser light in some cases may inhibit melanin production. While hyperpigmentation is typically reversible, hypopigmentation is not.

Other risks – Some of the other side effects caused by laser therapy include flare of acne, swelling around the follicle, scab forming and purpura (red or purple discolouration on the skin).
Rio Scanning Laser
Author of this article provides information about laser hair removal and different concern about it

By Aderline Jane
source:http://www.buzzle.com/articles/laser-hair-removal-answering-your-curiosity-and-concerns.html

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