Laser Hair Removal Specialist

How does laser hair removal work?

Laser hair removal systems use heat to interrupt and stop the growth cycle of hair follicles, but it isn’t simply a matter of warming skin. Irwin Laser Center offers the GentleLASE® system that effectively reaches a sufficient temperature to interrupt hair growth; the surrounding tissue is burned and damaged in a painless manner. Laser light targets specific pigments in the roots of body hair, which then absorb this energy and convert it to heat. Surrounding skin usually absorbs little of laser energy intended for hair removal.

As a hair root heats up, so does the surrounding follicle, and once a certain temperature is achieved, the follicle’s ability to grow hair is disrupted. The follicle, no longer viable, dies and gets absorbed into the body. Lost follicles are typically not replaced by the body.

Do I need more than one treatment?

One quirk of the hair-growing cycle is that hair follicles aren’t in synchronization. Roughly one third of your body’s hair is actively growing at any one time. This is how the body maintains hair coverage while continuously growing and renewing hair. Hair follicles, however, are only vulnerable to laser removal treatments during a portion of the growing cycle.

Therefore, while a single session reduces the number of hairs in the treatment area, multiple sessions are necessary for each area. The number of sessions depends on a variety of factors, including both your skin and hair color, as well as your own personal hair growth cycle rate. Consequently, hair removal results vary from person to person. Dr. Khalil and his team will let you know what results you can expect.

Is laser hair removal safe?

Yes. Targeted light technology delivers energy to specific body tissue, depending on the application. For laser hair removal, laser penetration is relatively shallow, to hit only the roots of hair. Dermal tissue below absorbs little energy, and therefore experiences no effects.

In some cases, your hair’s root pigments may be closer in color to your skin. Some laser light may be absorbed by your skin, suffering slight damage, but this is akin to a mild sunburn. Since lasers use a single frequency of light, there’s no harmful ultraviolet light, such as with a typical beach sunburn. So, if your skin shows any effects, it’s typically minor redness that lasts about a day.