Insider’s Guide to Laser Hair Removal – What You Must Know for Effective Treatment
Having performed thousands of laser hair removal procedures, Dr. Jao has been honored to work with so many different patients over the years and having the opportunity to find specialized solutions to help them achieve their aesthetic goals.
In this article, Dr. Jao shares some of her experiences with you so that you can make a more educated decision about laser hair removal. If you have any questions after reading this article, please call our office at 714-930-1351.
How Laser Hair Removal Works
Quite simply laser hair removal works by using light energy to destroy the hair follicle. We use a specialized laser at our office which specifically targets follicles with special light wavelengths. The energy of this light destroys the follicle so that hair can no longer grow out of it.
Dark vs. Light Hair
There’s a lot of confusion out there about whether laser hair removal is effective for all types of hair.
With the majority of laser hair removal technology, dark hair is much easier to target and remove permanently. This is due to the fact that the laser is calibrated to target certain pigment within the hair. Therefore, the light energy can be more effectively targeted toward thick, dark hair.
Light hair can also be treated with laser hair removal, but more treatments may be necessary to remove the hair permanently.
The hardest hair to remove is light hair that is also very thin, because it has the least amount of pigment.
Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent?
The answer to this question is; “it depends.” There are many factors that go into laser hair removal, and it’s important to understand that this treatment must be fully completed for the removal to be permanent.
For example, our patients typically need about 5 laser hair removal treatment (spaced one month apart) to achieve permanent hair removal. The reason for this is because hair goes through cycles.
Your hair goes through a regular cycle, where the hair will grow and then become dormant, in order for the follicle to rest. Laser hair removal is only effective for hair that is going through the growth phase.
Because your hair follicles have different growth cycles, several treatments are needed to permanently remove hair.
Lastly, keep in mind that very fine, light hair might come back at some point. Again, this is because laser technology needs heavy hair pigment presence in order to remove hair effectively.
Can Ingrown Hair be Treated?
Yes! Many people are worried that ingrown hair may be difficult to treat with laser hair removal. But actually, because the laser targets the follicle, ingrown hair can be very effectively treated with laser technology.
I’ve helped many patients permanently remove ingrown hair with laser removal, and the results were aesthetically pleasing and significantly improved the patients’ comfort.
Common Treatment Areas
When patients visit our Brea, CA office for laser hair removal, they typically want to target armpit hair, hair around the lips, and hair on the chin. Excessive hair in these areas is the most uncomfortable and can be difficult to maintain without permanent removal.
Other patients visit our office to remove ingrown hair, hair on legs, and excess hair in the groin area.
The hair in the groin can be especially troublesome for some individuals as some people will experience rubbing of the skin in the abdomen and thighs, which causes bumps to form in the area and can lead to constant itching.
When Excessive Hair is a Symptom
Over the years I’ve also met laser hair removal patients for whom excessive hair was a symptom of a much bigger health problem.
For example, women who are dealing with excessive facial hair often don’t realize that this problem may be due to a hormonal imbalance. This can occur at any age, even in your late teens or early 20s.
The issue of hormonal balance is often hereditary and causes estrogen and progesterone levels to be too low, and testosterone levels to be too high. Symptoms of this condition include excessive hair on the face and other parts of the body, as well as irregular menstrual cycles.
Unfortunately, if this hormonal imbalance is left untreated, it can become exacerbated and lead to a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This can lead to sporadic acne breakouts, diabetes, weight gain and fertility problems.
Throughout her career, Dr. Jao has met quite a few women who thought they simply had excessive hair, but further testing revealed severe hormonal imbalances. With proper treatment, we were able to get their hormones to normal levels, which significantly improved their health, energy levels and long term well being.
Taking the Next Step
If you’re interested in laser hair removal and would like to speak to an expert, please contact our office to set up an appointment. Dr. Jao will answer all of your questions during your consultation and will perform the laser hair removal herself.
Please call our office at 714-930-1351 to set up an appointment, or fill out the Contact Form below!