The Advantages of Shaving Before a Laser Hair Removal Treatment
Laser hair removal is the use of heated light to remove excess hair on the body. These hairs can be on any part of the body apart from on the eyes since the infrared light can damage the eyes. It is an expensive exercise and thus the proper process should be followed to reduce the number of sessions to achieve efficient results. To achieve a permanent or semi-permanent hair removal, more than one session is required.
On average a person requires seven treatments with a six-week interval. Among the preparations required for an efficient laser hair removal treatment is the removal of all the hair that is above the surface of the skin. However, the hair should not be plucked or pulled out so that the laser can have a hair in the follicle to target. The lasers damage the hair follicles and inhibit the future growth of hair.
The most appropriate skin for laser hair removal is the light skin with dark hair. Dark skinned people have high melanin level that absorbs too much energy causing a burning sensation even before the follicles are destroyed.
Advantages of shaving before a laser hair removal
The amount of energy absorbed by the hair is reduced
The laser energy is attracted by the melanin on the hair follicle as well as the black color of the hair. If the hair is long, this means a lot of energy will be required since the long hair shaft will absorb much of it. Thus, the smaller the hair shaft, the lower the amount of wavelength required.
The laser can reach the follicles efficiently
Hair grows from the follicles, thus to reach the roots properly, there needs to be as little hair as possible. The roots of the hair absorb the energy from the laser and use it to destroy the follicle cells that support hair growth.
The chances of getting burnt by the laser are reduced
Burns result from heat being absorbed by the un-targeted tissues. If hair is long, it means a longer duration of the pulse will be required; this will, in turn, expose the untargeted tissues to longer periods of heating. The duration of exposure to heat is directly proportional to the risks of burning.
The intensity of the hair can be accurately determined
The laser heads have nipples that direct heat onto the hair follicles. The more hair you have, the more accurately the doctor will be able to determine how to approach the session economically without compromising on quality.
Partial removal to reduce the intensity of the hair is possible.
Sometimes, people just want to reduce the amount of hair on their skin rather than eliminating it all. To achieve this, fewer sessions are done as opposed to a full treatment session. One or two well-planned sessions will ensure that there is partial removal of hair.
Despite the above advantages, you should also consider the following when getting a laser hair removal treatment
• Experience and qualifications of the practitioner are vital. This is because an experienced dermatology will know how to adjust the right wavelength and duration depending on the types of skin and hair
• The price per session varies greatly between service providers depending on location, generation of the lasers as well as competition around. Choose a fairly priced hospital with quality services
• The number of positive reviews and recommendations from third parties: People might be wrong but not all of them. If you see any red flag about the place where you intend to get the treatment, consider changing or looking for an alternative
• Safety practices put in place at the institution.
Conclusion
If the skin is shaved clean, the full energy of the laser is concentrated on the dark pigments of the hair. This is the main reason that causes people with dark skins to get burnt if extra care is not taken while offering the treatment. However, with increased technological know-how, the new lasers have a cooling system that cools the surrounding tissues which are not the primary target for the laser.
These sections can only be cooled efficiently if the hair on the surface of the skin is reduced to the minimum.