Langley Laser Hair Removal is a safe and effective way to remove unwanted hair. The heat from the laser destroys the hair follicle, leaving the surrounding skin undamaged. It’s more effective than shaving, waxing, or plucking.

The procedure is quick and relatively pain-free. Your doctor will develop a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
Laser hair removal works by targeting the pigment in the melanin within the hair follicle. When the laser’s light energy hits these follicles, it causes them to heat up and ultimately destroy them. When the hair follicles are destroyed, they can’t grow new hair. During the process, you might experience some pain, though this usually subsides quickly after treatment. It’s important to choose a skilled medical professional to perform laser hair removal. If possible, opt for a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience performing the procedure.
Prior to your treatment, shave the area where you want to remove hair. During the treatment, the doctor will press a hand-held laser instrument against your skin and activate it. A cooling device on the tip of the tool or a cool gel might also be used to protect your skin and lessen the risk of side effects. The treatment might take just a few minutes or up to an hour, depending on the size of the area being treated.
The results of laser hair removal will typically last several months or years. When the hair that regrows does eventually return, it tends to be finer and lighter in color. To maintain these results, you might need maintenance treatments every few months or so.
Some people find that after two or more rounds of laser treatment, the hairs that regrow do not grow back as vigorously or at all. However, the hairs that do grow back tend to be much finer and lighter in color, making them hardly noticeable.
If you’re not sure if laser hair removal is right for you, consult with a board-certified dermatologist like Dr. Michele Green at her private practice in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. She’ll help you develop a laser treatment plan that suits your needs and goals.
Before your treatment, be sure to avoid tanning beds and to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen whenever you go outdoors. Tanned skin can make your treatment less effective and increase your risk for side effects. It’s also important to avoid waxing, plucking and tweezing the hair in the treatment area as these methods can make the root of the hair less accessible to the laser’s light energy.
What Are the Side Effects?
Some side effects can occur, but they are usually temporary. They include redness, irritation, folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicles), and edema or swelling. You can avoid these issues by following your doctor’s recommendations before and after treatment sessions. These include: Avoiding sun exposure or tanning beds, as laser treatments won’t work on tanned skin. Shaving the area to be treated two to three days before the procedure. You should also avoid waxing, tweezing and plucking hair in the treatment area.
During the procedure, your doctor will press a hand-held laser instrument against your skin. It might have a cooling device on the tip or a cool gel to protect your skin and reduce any discomfort. The laser light passes through your skin to the hair follicles, where it damages them and stops their growth. You might feel a slight sensation like a warm pinprick, but it’s less painful than other methods of hair removal.
If your doctor is treating a large area of your body, the session might take up to an hour. You’ll need several sessions to achieve permanent hair loss. You might have a touch-up session every four, six or 12 months to remove any stray or regrown hairs.
Other possible side effects include changes in the pigmentation of your skin. This can make your skin darker or lighter, but these changes are usually temporary. You might have more serious side effects if you’re using a non-approved laser device or if you are taking certain medications, including antibiotics.
Some people might develop acne after laser treatment. This is because the heat from the laser can cause pores to become clogged with dead skin cells and bacteria, which leads to an infection known as pimples. If you develop pimples after laser treatment, you should contact your practitioner to discuss the issue. They might prescribe a topical steroid to control the inflammation. You should also moisturize the skin and use a sunscreen with a high SPF. You can also try exfoliating the area to keep it free of crusting.
How Often Should I Get Treatments?
Laser hair removal sessions can be spaced out to accommodate the different cycles that the hair goes through. This can vary between body parts, and it may also depend on the individual’s hormone levels. A typical course of treatment lasts between six and eight treatments, and after this point most patients find that they are largely or fully hair free. Some areas of the body, such as the face and neck, are more hormonal, and will therefore require a slightly longer course of treatment.
Prior to the procedure it’s important to avoid using sunless skin creams that darken the skin, as this will limit how effective the treatment will be. Depending on the patient’s skin tone, a bleaching cream might be recommended as well. It’s also recommended to avoid plucking and waxing the area, as this disturbs the hair follicles and makes the procedure less effective. It’s also a good idea to avoid taking blood-thinning medications before the procedure, so it’s worth checking with your doctor if you take aspirin or any anti-inflammatory drugs regularly.
During the treatment itself, you should expect to feel a slight sensation that resembles a rubber band snapping or a sunburn. The laser emits heat energy, which damages the hair follicles and causes them to stop producing hair. After the treatment, it’s common for some of your unwanted hair to grow back a little bit. However, most of the time the hair that grows back will be finer and lighter than the hair that was removed.
It’s essential to only have your laser hair removal performed by a professional. You should check that they have the appropriate training and that they are registered on a national register. This will ensure that they meet set standards in skill and insurance. You should never get this treatment done by an unregistered practitioner, as they could cause damage to your skin and leave you with scarring or other permanent effects. It’s also a good idea not to get this treatment done in the presence of a tanning booth, as the sun can interfere with the effectiveness of the procedure.
How Much Will It Cost?
Studies have shown that laser hair removal is far more cost effective in the long run than the regular waxing and shaving methods of the past. However, like any medical procedure the costs can vary. To make an informed decision, it’s best to do your research and compare prices. When choosing a specialist, you should look at their experience and reputation as well as the location of their clinic. You can also ask about the payment plans that they offer.
It’s important to remember that the average price of a laser hair removal session is not inclusive of other related expenses. The total cost will depend on the area of your body being treated, the type of laser used and other factors such as the expertise and qualifications of the practitioner.
For example, a person’s back or legs will be more expensive to treat than the face or chin. This is because the laser will have to be targeted more times to reach all the hairs in these larger areas. Additionally, the laser will need to be able to distinguish between the skin and the hair pigments to prevent damaging other healthy skin cells.
The wavelength of the laser used is a significant factor in how effective the treatment will be. It should be in the 700 to 1400 nm range to target melanin effectively without damaging other skin cells. The color of the hair and the skin’s pigmentation will be determined by how much melanin is in the hair follicles and how deep it is in the epidermis.
A consultation will be the first step in determining how many treatment sessions you’ll need to achieve the desired results. Your surgeon will work with you to create a treatment plan that’s tailored to your specific needs and aesthetic goals.
During your consultation, the professional will explain what you can expect during each session and will determine how many treatment sessions you’ll need for optimal results. Then, they’ll give you a quote that includes the total cost of your procedure. It’s important to keep in mind that most private insurance companies don’t cover cosmetic procedures. However, if the laser hair removal is being done to treat a health issue such as gender dysphoria then you may be able to get it covered.