Take it all off a new way - Laser Hair Removal

Take it all off a new way
Originally published December 27, 2007
Judy Bastien
The Advertiser

jbastien@theadvertiser.com

Hair removal is pretty simple for men. They shave.

For women, it's a little more difficult to achieve a smooth, hair-free look. There's plucking and waxing, depilatories and hair reduction creams.

Up until the 1990s, the time-honored method for long-term hair removal was electrolysis.

Now, there's laser hair removal.
Like electrolysis, laser hair reduction works by destroying the hair follicle, or root. Electrolysis uses electric current delivered directly to the root, one hair at a time, by means of a tiny probe inserted into the follicle without puncturing the skin. Laser hair removal, as its name implies, uses a laser.

Laser hair removal can be done on almost any part of the body, said Dina Landry, an aesthetician in the Acadiana Women's Health Group, who does laser hair treatments. Most women start with unwanted hair on the face.

The first step is to refrain from plucking or waxing for a few weeks, to give the laser a target. Shaving is permitted, however.

The treatments can cost about $150 per session for removal of facial hair, up to about $700 per session on other parts of the body, Landry said. Most people require from four to eight sessions to achieve the desired results.

While laser hair removal is long-lasting, it's not permanent, said Cindy Guidry, an aesthetician and spa manager at Coccolare Spa. Most people return once a year for touch-ups.

"We never say that you'll completely rid your face or body of hair," she said.

Each laser burst covers an area about the size of a quarter, Landry said. That may vary, depending on the client's skin tone.

Hair color is an important factor. The laser is effective only on dark hair - blond or gray hair is not affected by the treatments, Guidry said. "If you have gray hair you want to treat, you can do it with electrolysis."

The laser treatments are not painful, but can be uncomfortable, depending on the individual's threshold of pain. Some areas are worse than others, Guidry said. "Under the arms is more uncomfortable than the chin."

The laser burst feels like the snap of a rubber band against the skin, Guidry said, but there are ways to reduce the discomfort.

"Some doctors use a numbing solution," Guidry said. "We use ice."

After the treatments, there may be redness for a day or two, Landry said, but serious side effects are rare.

While the procedure is safe, it's important to make sure the person doing the treatment is licensed to do so, Landry said. "In the hands of someone who is not trained, you could have blistering and along with the blistering comes scars that create hyper-pigmentation.

It's also important to make sure technician is working under the direction of a medical doctor. Landry works in conjunction with a group of physicians. Guidry works at a medical spa, under the supervision of Dr. Cynthia Glass, a board-certified plastic surgeon.

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