Laser hair removal can be effective for most people. It works especially well on those with dark hair and light skin, since pigment within their follicle absorbs laser energy to work more effectively.
Reduce pain by shaving before your appointment and avoiding Nair, waxing or plucking prior to it. A high tolerance for pain also helps, along with applying numbing cream.
How It Works
Laser treatments remove unwanted hair by blasting it with light energy, which destroys its source follicle. Treatment time may last anywhere from several minutes to an hour depending on the size of the area being treated; during laser sessions your provider may apply numbing cream in advance of laser sessions to lessen discomfort, while you can also take pain relievers prior to starting treatment sessions for added peace of mind.
People vary in their ability to tolerate pain. This is especially true when it comes to treating sensitive areas on their bodies. Your provider can let you know exactly how much treatment will hurt for you; don’t be shy about communicating any concerns that arise during this process; cooling gel may also be offered if necessary to reduce any discomfort and decrease discomfort levels.
After laser treatment, your skin may feel slightly sensitive; this should subside within hours. Applying a cool compress to soothe this discomfort while an anti-inflammatory topical gel could also provide aid. When possible, avoid direct sunlight post treatment to increase risks and complications.
Avoiding sun exposure will not only decrease discomfort but will also speed up skin recovery following laser treatments. Also avoid shaving or tweezing treated areas until your skin has completely recovered.
Laser hair removal is an ideal way to permanently eliminate unwanted hair. However, you should keep in mind that multiple sessions may be required in order to achieve desired hair reduction results, particularly if your target hair color or skin tone are darker or lighter respectively. Laser treatments work best when targeting dark coarse hairs which absorb heat from laser treatments while they do not work effectively on blonde, gray or white tresses which do not absorb as much heat from laser light.
Schedule laser treatments every 4-6 weeks to effectively target all anagen phase hairs. Although you may still see some hair growth between treatments, this should gradually decline with each subsequent session.
Areas of the Body That Are Most Sensitive
Laser hair removal tends to be most painful in areas with higher concentrations of nerves, such as your back, stomach and legs. Nerves have more of an effect than they do on facial or arm nerves; therefore back, stomach and leg areas are particularly sensitive during treatment and tend to experience pain more intensely than arms or face areas. Treatment pain could feel like pinches or an elastic band snapping against your skin for several minutes up to an hour, depending on the size of the area being treated; subsequent effects include reddening and swelling similar to mild sunburn like effects; therefore using cold compresses can help alleviate swelling while decreasing pain from treatment sessions.
University College London conducted a recent study to test the sensitivity of human skin, discovering that one square centimeter contains 150 pain receptors, 25 tactile sensors and 2 heat receptors. Researchers then used laser injection to inflict the feeling of pinprick on fingertip or forehead areas; fingertip and forehead areas proved most sensitive. Other factors affecting how much laser hair removal hurts include age, menstrual cycle cycle length and skin color: people with darker hair and lighter skin tones may have an easier time as the contrast allows easier targeted targeting by laser beam.
Pubic hair removal can be more painful than underarm or facial hair removal. Furthermore, it’s often harder to access leg hair than arm and facial hair, leading some women to focus solely on arms and chin instead. Though initially this process may cause more discomfort than anticipated, over time the discomfort should lessen and results become visible – making the pain worth your while in the end!
When it comes to laser hair removal, the best ways to minimize its pain include scheduling it around your period, taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or Tylenol, applying numbing creams or gels prior to treatment, avoiding scratching the treated area during and after sessions, as well as using ice packs during and after treatments. In addition, try to refrain from shaving, waxing or plucking prior to and during a procedure if possible.
The Most Painful Areas
Laser hair removal is typically considered to be relatively painless; however, certain areas may experience more discomfort.
Facial and bikini line areas tend to be highly sensitive. Patients have reported feeling an intense pinprick sensation or light rubber band snapping against skin; the pain level usually falls in the 3-4 range on a scale from 1 to 10. While symptoms typically don’t last too long, they can still be uncomfortable.
Many doctors utilize numbing cream on specific areas such as legs, arms and back in order to minimize any associated pain with laser hair removal. The application of such cream usually happens an hour prior to starting treatment and this can significantly lessen any associated discomfort.
Another factor that influences how painful laser hair removal treatments are can be an individual’s skin tone. People with lighter-colored hair and skin tend to experience greater discomfort than those who have darker locks with darker complexions, although your doctor might use cooling gel or devices on your skin in order to alleviate discomfort, which may prove helpful.
After receiving laser hair removal treatments, skin may become slightly red and swollen for several hours afterward, as a result of damaged hair follicles being exposed to such intense heat from the laser beam. Doctors may suggest applying an ice pack for several minutes at a time to decrease both swelling and pain levels in this area.
Hair reduction requires multiple sessions; therefore patients must plan to come for regular treatments every four to six weeks for maximum effectiveness. Most unwanted hair will likely have been eliminated at this point but some new growth may still appear after allotted sessions are complete.
Laser hair removal can be an excellent way to eliminate the need for shaving, waxing and tweezing as well as lower your chances of ingrown hairs and other skin conditions like folliculitis and discoloration. Before proceeding with laser hair removal treatment on yourself or others, discuss it with a dermatologist and get their opinion regarding its process and potential side effects.
How It Hurts Less Each Time
Laser hair removal is much less painful than shaving or waxing since the treatment targets pigment in the hair follicle directly. Each session removes more pigment, eventually stopping new growth altogether and ultimately diminishing hair completely. Most patients require about eight sessions for optimal results but some individuals may require more depending on factors like color, coarseness or hormonal influences on their locks.
To alleviate discomfort, medical professionals first clean the treatment area before applying a numbing gel directly onto the skin. Next, they focus a high-energy light beam onto the desired location.
Numbing cream may take several minutes to take effect, but once it does it can help relieve any sensation from laser light on the skin. Treatment sessions generally last only minutes but larger areas require longer.
Legs typically suffer the most due to thicker skin; however, chest and stomach don’t experience as much discomfort when laser hair removal hits hair follicles which are more sensitive. Still, when hair follicles are hit directly they might experience some pain too.
Upper lip hair removal sessions often feel most painful because this area contains numerous nerve endings; many people describe the sensation as similar to that of a rubber band snapping against skin or sunburn-like discomfort. Shaving prior to laser hair removal sessions helps avoid razor bumps and increase comfort; taking an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen prior can further minimize discomfort.
One way to ease the discomfort of laser hair removal sessions is having multiple friends or family in the room who can provide distraction and take your mind off of the procedure. Other steps taken to lessen pain include staying hydrated, applying numbing cream before your appointment and refraining from scratching treated areas as this only makes things worse. Also avoid tanning beds before your laser hair removal treatment begins.
