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Laser Hair Removal - Chicago Cosmetic Surgery
Considering laser hair removal?
Women have long tried to rid themselves of unwanted hair of the face, legs, underarms, abdomen, and groin. Waxing,
plucking, and electrolysis have proven painful and must be repeated regularly. Laser hair removal in Chicago
is the newest treatment option.
Search Chicago plastic surgeons performing laser hair removal.
Laser procedures can enhance your appearance and your self confidence and you can trust the plastic surgeons in the
Chicago area to do a safe and effective job.
The laser hair removal treatment itself
The laser causes controlled damage to hair follicles, causing them to go into shock temporarily. While in shock,
the follicles do not generate hair. Treatments are performed in your doctor's office by a nurse or a trained
technician and last from 15 to 90 minutes depending on the size of area treated.
Treatments are associated with mild discomfort, not unlike a small rubber band snapping against skin.
The discomfort is well tolerated when small areas are treated, but if large areas are treated, discomfort may
interfere with the procedure. Discomfort can be minimized by the use of ice immediately prior to the laser
application. Treatments usually do not require sedatives, pain medications, or injections of local anesthetic.
You may return to work immediately after treatment. Unlike waxing, you may shave immediately prior to your laser
hair removal. Anticipate that your treated skin may turn pale purple, and this will persist for several days. Some
areas may scab and blister temporarily.
Is laser hair removal permanent?
Laser hair removal has never been proven to be permanent. Advertising laws, however, allow the providers of laser
hair removal to claim that it is permanent if it lasts for at least three months. More than likely, you have heard
these claims before. Do not be deceived. Laser hair removal is not permanent.
About three to six treatments are recommended over three years for the best results. Hair will eventually return but
may not do so for 2-4 months in most people (really lucky people will go for 6-12 months without re-growth).. When
hair returns, it is usually thinner and lighter, with (typically) 75% reduction in hair growth. Arrested hair growth
following six treatments has been reported but should not be expected.
Avoid the sun after laser hair removal
As with all laser therapies, you should avoid unprotected sun for three to six months afterward to prevent sunburn
and dark discoloration. You may also develop light spots on your treated areas. Both problems usually normalize
within a few weeks. Wearing sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher will help protect you
from dark discoloration. If you like to tan, this can be a problem, as quarterly or biannual treatments will
prohibit tanning year around
Influence of skin color on laser hair removal
Light skin makes laser hair removal easier to perform. Fewer treatments are required, and better, faster results
are obtained. People with darker skin can be treated, but results are slower, more sessions are required, and
greater expertise is required on the part of the laser center. Laser hair removal must be individualized for
each patient.
Influence of hair color on laser hair removal
Dark hair absorbs more laser energy and is easier to treat. Coarse dark hair responds the best to laser treatment.
Light hair is more difficult to treat. Blonde or red hair is very difficult to treat. Multiple treatment sessions
are required, and results are variable. Blonde or red hair usually contains pheomelanin, which absorbs laser energy
less avidly than the eumelanin pigment which is present in black or brown hair.
How is hair removed by laser in Chicago?
The Chicago plastic surgeon will use a laser that emits a powerful beam of invisible light which passes quite
harmlessly through the skin, but is selectively absorbed by the hair follicle. This disables the hair follicle,
affecting its ability to grow hair. What areas can be treated? The entire body, except the lower eyebrows. Unlike
waxing or shaving, the results are long lasting but require more than one treatment to achieve this goal. Unlike
electrolysis, vast areas can be treated in one to three sessions. The most popular areas are the back, chest and
neck for men and the underarms, bikini area and facial hair for women
It is important to understand the hair growth cycle to appreciate how this technology works. At any given time, a
certain percentage of hairs are in the "resting" phase. The laser will not be effective on these hairs, which is
why multiple treatments will be necessary in each area for the maximum result. Subsequent treatments can be done
as soon as further hair growth appears. Due to the variation in the number of hairs in the resting phase, certain
parts of the body will respond more rapidly and others take much longer to show the effects.
The concept of removing unwanted hair from various areas on the body, quickly, easily, effectively and with minimal
discomfort, has been a dream for many people. Through the use of medical lasers and intense pulsed light, this is
no longer a concept, but a reality.
The intense pulsed light or laser emits light at a wavelength that is targeted at melanin. Melanin is the material
that gives color to our skin and hair. The intense pulsed light laser beam is able to pass through the skin and can
be absorbed by the melanin in the hair follicle. Therefore, the ideal candidate for this procedure would have "light
skin and dark hair". It is important not to have a tan while being treated with most lasers. However, the intense
pulsed light can be used safely in dark skin.
Treatment can take from minutes to an hour or more, depending on the size of the treatment area. There is a mild
discomfort during either type of treatment and a topical numbing cream can be used prior to the session. There may
be some irritation of the skin for a few days but no special after care is required. Areas to be treated should not
be waxed or plucked. Two to three millimeters of stubble of hair growth is ideal for the treatment session. If you
are unable to shave yourself and apply numbing cream, we can do it for you on the day of the treatment, just plan to
arrive one hour early.
At this stage of development of laser hair removal, it is not possible to say that all the hairs will be permanently
eradicated. As with many medical treatments, some people respond in a dramatic fashion and others do not. Many
patients report being thrilled with the improvement even though it may be less than complete. In certain areas,
the decrease in the number and texture of hairs has given a very gratifying result.
It is important that each patient be properly evaluated prior to laser or light treatment for hair removal
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