Modern methods of hair removal utilize laser technology. A concentrated beam of light from a laser targets pigment (melanin) within hair follicles and destroys it to stop future hair growth.
Most treatments require shaving the area first to target any hair that remains, however treatments that target white and gray hair lack melanin that allows other forms of treatment options to work more efficiently.
White Hair
Laser hair removal works by targeting melanin pigment in your hair with laser light energy and turning it into heat, which then destroys its source follicle and prevents future hair growth.
Though this procedure has proven extremely successful for dark hair, its results may be less impressive for blondes, people with white or gray hair and those who naturally or artificially tan. Melanin found in these types of hair does not absorb light as efficiently and it has also been noted to be less successful when applied on people who naturally or artificially tan their skin.
Electrolysis may be an ideal choice for anyone with white or blonde hair who wishes to avoid the pain of plucking, waxing or tweezing facial hairs. Electrolysis works by inserting thin metal probes into each hair follicle and heating it using high intensity light – unlike lasers which focus their light onto one point only; unlike electrolysis’s light doesn’t focus on heating one area at once so more hairs can be removed more efficiently than with one laser session.
An effective way to lessen the pain associated with hair removal, whether white or blonde, is using topical anesthetic before every appointment. Depending on which area is being treated, an anesthetic could make your experience feel similar to having a rubber band snap against the skin.
Prior to your appointment, it’s essential that the area being treated be shaved so the hair follicles are exposed. Furthermore, tanning or sunbed use during the weeks leading up to it can decrease effectiveness of treatment while increasing chances of side effects.
While laser technology has advanced since the mid-1990s, it still won’t work on blond, white, or gray hair due to lack of melanin content that absorbs laser energy and responds positively. Electrolysis has proven an excellent and safe option for these hair colors.
Gray Hair
Modern methods of hair removal use laser energy to target hair follicles beneath the skin’s surface. The energy from the laser seeks out pigment, or melanin, within each follicle and destroys it; darker hair has more melanin than lighter ones and so lasers have an easier time targeting them; gray and white hair lack enough melanin for lasers to target and therefore cannot be destroyed as effectively as darker follicles can.
Laser treatments have proven less successful at eliminating unwanted grey or white hair than alternative options, such as shaving and waxing, but there are other solutions for those looking to get rid of theirs – shaving is one such method, while waxing also offers options. Electrolysis treatment entails inserting a thin wire into the growth center of each hair in order to pass an electric current that destroys its follicles and thus stopping further hair growth.
Electrolysis may take more time and patience, but it can be an effective method of hair removal from both the face and body. Before the procedure, however, tanning beds and sun exposure should only be used sparingly to avoid an artificial or natural tan that would compromise laser hair removal effectiveness. Two to three days prior to your appointment you should also shave the area that will be treated and ensure its hair has returned its natural color before getting laser treatment. Furthermore, if you have dyed your hair white prior to laser hair removal treatment until its original hue has returned as this could prevent interference with effective laser hair removal treatment from happening as it could alter laser treatment outcome results from laser.
Estheticians use topical anesthetics when performing laser hair removal treatments, in order to minimize pain during the procedure. Even so, many patients still find laser hair removal uncomfortable compared to tweezing, waxing or getting tattooed.
For those seeking to remove unwanted white or grey hair, consulting with a med spa professional is often the most effective approach. They can provide more information on how best to prepare for laser treatment and determine whether it is an appropriate choice for you, while providing other ways of eliminating hair such as shaving, waxing or depilatory creams.
Blonde Hair
Even with recent advances, laser hair removal remains difficult for blonde hair. Lighter-colored locks lack pigmentation to absorb energy from laser beams and are therefore dissipated across skin or other body areas without damaging hair follicles.
At its core lies a fundamental problem: dark melanin pigment attracts laser light and destroys hair follicles; when this pigment is absent (such as in white or blond hair) laser treatment has limited or no impact. While dyes may help improve the color of such hair, they aren’t an adequate replacement for dark pigment needed to draw laser attention to it.
Experts often advise that, when seeking laser hair removal for blond or grey hairs, it is wise to work with an experienced practitioner who specializes in working with this specific type of patient in order to ensure the process is both safe and effective.
Traditional methods, such as shaving, waxing and tweezing do not have the same level of effectiveness in preventing hair regrowth as laser hair removal treatments do; in fact, both require multiple sessions in order to achieve similar results.
Electrolysis, using fine needles to penetrate individual hair follicles and extract individual hair follicles from them. Although electrolysis takes much longer than laser treatments to provide long-term results, this option still may provide long-lasting solutions.
Although blond and gray hair may be difficult to treat, advances in laser technology have made the process more effective than ever. While the process may be more costly and results may differ between patients, lighter-haired individuals usually require additional treatments due to laser beam needing to catch the hair at its base in order to damage effectively – therefore making laser hair removal an option worth considering even for blond or gray hairs.
Red Hair
Laser hair removal works by emitting a beam of light that’s absorbed by pigment in both your hair and skin, heating up melanin (a form of pigment found in melanin-rich areas like darker hair) until its damage causes future hair growth to cease. Because blonde or red hair lacks melanin pigmentation, they don’t respond as effectively to laser treatment as darker locks do.
However, that doesn’t mean finding an effective solution to red hair can’t work; just that the process might take longer.
Problems in treating red hair include laser treatments designed for people with dark-haired bodies with light skin tone; as this means machines cannot distinguish between your pigmented hair and skin color to accurately target hair follicles.
Technology is finally starting to make strides toward changing this. A recent study demonstrated that electro Optical Synergy (ELOS), an innovative type of laser treatment, can effectively target and destroy red hair. ELOS utilizes light energy combined with bipolar conducted electric current to heat up hair follicles more accurately than traditional laser treatments; offering far more precision while simultaneously getting rid of unwanted red hairs.
Electrolysis may be your best non-laser option; however, multiple sessions will likely be needed before any noticeable results become evident. Because an electrolysis needle must enter each hair follicle individually for effective removal of hair at its source.
Additionally, prior and after laser treatments it’s important to avoid too much sun exposure as too much sun exposure may cause your skin’s pigment to return back to its initial hue, as well as making your follicles less responsive to its effects.
