What precautions should be taken before and after treatment?

• Avoid the sun 4-6 weeks before and after treatment or until your practitioner allows it.
• Avoid electrolysis, plucking or waxing hair for six weeks prior to treatment.
• If you have a history of perioral herpes, prophylactic antiviral therapy may be prescribed.
• If you have a dark skin type, a bleaching cream may be started 4-6 weeks before treatment to optimize results.

You should discuss your desired results and the improvements you expect to achieve with your practitioner. Together, you can decide if your expectations will be met and if this laser treatment is the best option.

How many treatments will I need?
Hair grows in cycles. The number of treatments required depends upon your skin color, hair color and coarseness of the hair. Everyone will require at least 2-3 treatments, as the process is effective on hair only during the early growing cycle. Repeat sessions will be necessary to treat these follicles when they re-enter the early growth phase.

What are the risks of laser hair removal?
Incomplete Removal. It frequently takes multiple treatments to achieve hair removal. While darker skinned people may be treated, lower energies are frequently required and the effectiveness of the treatments may also be reduced.

In particular, light hair (blond, red and white) may be treated, but the results are not consistent. Usually most, but not all of the hair, will be removed. Multiple types of lasers may need to be used to achieve the optimum effect. Occasionally, an individual will not respond to this treatment at all.

Change in Pigmentation. Darker skin colors may temporarily heal with a darker skin tone in the treated areas. Usually, this discoloration will fade, but it may take months to years for this to happen. More frequently, the skin may heal with a lighter color in the treated area. Although it may fade some, it can remain as a shadow of the treated area. Tanning will only make color change more apparent.

Scar. The area that is lasered may change in texture. It could appear as a shiny area or as a thickened red area. Although uncommon, a scar could develop in the areas treated. Very rarely, true keloid scars may develop.

Infection. Any time the skin is lasered, there is a small chance of a bacterial or viral infection. Antibiotic ointment should be used to reduce this risk. If the area treated is on the face or groin, or if there is a history of herpes, antiviral medications may be prescribed.

Will the hair grow back?
The appearance of "stubble" may show in 1-3 weeks. This is not hair regrowth. It is the remnant of treated hairs being expelled from the laser-damaged follicle. Gently rubbing with a warm, wet washcloth will remove these loose hairs. Irritation may result if you shave, pluck or tweeze.

Hair experiences three phases of growth: anagen, catagen and telogen. The goal in hair removal is for the laser light to penetrate to the depth of the hair follicle during the anagen phase (when it reacts to laser light) to achieve long-term results. Hairs that were in the resting phase (telogen) at the time of treatment may enter the active phase (anagen) within 1-6 months, depending on the body area. Follow-up treatments may be performed within 1-2 weeks of new hair growth.

If you are considering laser hair removal, call or e-mail our cosmetic surgeons st The Centre, P.C. to schedule your consultation. The Centre, P.C. serves patients in Elkhart and South Bend, Indiana, Michiana and the Southern Michigan area, and Chicago.

 

Elkhart Office

RiverPointe Medical Building
500 Arcade Ave., Suite 300
Elkhart, IN 46514
Phone: 574-296-9100
FAX: 574-293-1511

Mishawaka Office

611 EAST DOUGLAS ROAD, SUITE 108
MISHAWAKA, IN 46545
PHONE: 574-968-9100
FAX: 574-243-1141

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