Laser hair removal is the permanent removal of unwanted hair using laser energy. Laser hair removal is the healthiest, fastest and most effective way to get rid of unwanted hair. With the laser epilation method, it is possible to work on large areas of the body such as legs and arms or smaller areas such as bikini area and upper lip in a very short time in the same session. With laser epilation, much more permanent, comfortable and hygienic results are obtained compared to razor, wax and epilator methods. As a result of sessions applied one after another at regular intervals, 90 – 95% of the hairs can be permanently destroyed. Only a small amount of very fine and very light colored hairs may remain.
The best results in laser hair removal are obtained in light-skinned people with dark hair. The reason for this is that the laser energy can be completely absorbed by the dark pigment (melanin) that gives the hair its color. Very fine and very light colored hairs (white, gray, blond or reddish) do not respond well to laser epilation treatment in principle. On the other hand, with the development of laser technology today, people with different skin and hair color combinations can safely apply laser epilation and achieve successful results. When performing laser epilation in dark-skinned people, one should be very careful in adjusting the dose. Laser energy can be absorbed by the melanin in the skin before it reaches the hair root. This can cause burns and stains. Those with tanned skin should take a break from sunbathing for a while and wait for their skin colors to lighten in order to get more optimal results from laser epilation. It is recommended that you consult a specialist doctor to learn more about what you can expect from laser epilation according to your skin and hair structure, and what kind of results you can get in how many sessions.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
During the laser epilation process, the laser energy emanating from its source is absorbed by the melanin pigment, which gives the hair its color, turns into heat and destroys the hair root in milliseconds. Melanin pigment is most concentrated in the root of the hair. For this reason, laser beams only target hair follicles. In order not to damage the tissues around the heated hair root, the application area is cooled by using gel, spray or cold air during the procedure.
Hairs are in various growth stages called anagen, catagen and telogen. The most melanin is found in the hair follicles in the anagen phase, where there is active growth. For this reason, its treatment destroys the hairs in the anagen phase, while allowing the hairs in the other phase to enter the anagen phase. At any given time, the rate of hair in the anagen phase is around 20% to 10% on the body. Therefore, repeated sessions are needed.
Extremely satisfactory results are obtained at the end of 8-10 sessions on the average face area and 4-6 sessions on the body areas, and 70-90% of the hairs are permanently destroyed and do not grow back. The few remaining hairs are very fine and light colored.
The number of sessions may be higher in those with dark skin tones. Melanin is the substance that gives the skin color and it is necessary to work with lower doses so that the laser energy is not absorbed by the skin during application.
In our clinic, diode laser with ‘Ironing Epilation’ technology, which is the most preferred epilation method of the last period, is used. This technology was developed due to the pain of high-dose shots, the side effects of tanned skin, and the sensitization of the skin to the sun. In the FHR mode of the device, it is aimed to gradually heat the hair root and destroy it by means of rapid and low-energy shots. Because the application is similar to the ironing process, it is also called the ironing technique. In HR mode, the number of shots produced per second is low and the amount of energy is kept high. In this way, it is aimed that the light reaches the deeper hair roots. The HR mode is used effectively, especially in areas where the hair follicle is deep. In the SR operating mode, the device uses low-energy and also shorter duration pulses of the light collagen layer produced. The SR mode aims to reactivate the collagen tissue. Thus, it is used for skin rejuvenation as well as epilation.
ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS OF LASER HAIR REMOVAL ?
Laser epilation method has been used in the treatment of unwanted hair in the world for more than 20 years. When the right laser systems are used by specialist physicians, there are no side effects when the right dose is adjusted according to hair type and skin color. Before the procedure, whether your skin type and hair color are suitable for treatment, whether you have a disease that will prevent laser treatment, and the interaction of the drugs you take with the laser are evaluated. If hormone tests are required as a result of the examination, your laser treatment is planned together with the test results. After the treatment, rashes can be seen on the skin. These usually heal completely in one to two hours, in rare cases 1-2 days. Moisturizing creams can be used during the treatment process. Very rarely, skin burns and pigmentation may occur. It can sometimes take a few months for the stained areas to completely return to normal. Those with darker skin tones are at higher risk of pigmentation.
If the laser epilation treatment is done unconsciously and inexperienced and the correct dose is not used according to the skin color, the risk of burns/stains increases. In addition, giving the dose too low causes the hairs to become thinner and lighter, instead of being destroyed with the advancing sessions. Even if the correct dose is used, the laser does not affect the thinning and lightening hairs after a while.
Provided that the device is a new technology, its maintenance is done on time, and the necessary parts are replaced on time, successful results in laser epilation depend on the experience of the practitioner and his careful work without skipping the area.
