Teens and children face immense pressure. From young girls who need extra hair removed, to athletes requiring specific physical traits for performance reasons, laser treatments could be helpful in reaching their goals.
Laser hair removal can be performed safely on adolescents provided it is carried out by an experienced and qualified practitioner. This article addresses several questions regarding laser hair removal for teens:
Age Requirements
If your teenager wants to remove unwanted body hair with laser treatments, the answer to this question varies based on individual skin types and hormonal balance. As a good rule of thumb, waiting until puberty allows hormone levels to stabilize more fully so laser treatment will be more successful and keep regular appointments with their provider while following his/her instructions.
Teenagers must also be mature enough to understand that this process will involve multiple sessions, as it will take time. She should also accept that laser hair removal is permanent treatment that may cause discomfort; tanning before and after laser treatments could reduce effectiveness of treatment.
Laser treatment for teens is considered safe as long as they are administered by a trained practitioner with experience treating young patients. Furthermore, clinics offering treatment should offer lasers suitable for all skin types and complexions to avoid using lasers on sensitive areas like upper lips or underarms. A trained specialist should monitor each session to ensure its efficacy is maximized for maximum safety for teens undergoing laser treatment.
Teenagers frequently struggle with excess body hair, which can be embarrassing and inconvenient. By opting for laser hair removal treatments instead of shaving or waxing their bodies themselves, teens can save both time and money over time as well as boost their self-image by feeling more secure about their appearance.
Teens considering laser treatment must be committed and have no medical conditions that might interfere with it, such as uncontrolled diabetes. Any medications the teen takes must also be disclosed to her physician, while smoking or drinking alcohol could reduce results or increase infection risks.
Safety
Parents often worry about allowing their kids to begin hair removal practices such as shaving or waxing, although there is no set age at which children should start such practices; however, boys aged 12 years or above and girls 11-14 (when puberty hits). Laser hair removal provides the safest alternative; this treatment safely eliminates hair at its root follicle to ensure permanent removal that lasts over time.
However, there are certain risks to laser hair removal that should be taken into account. The procedure can cause minor skin reactions like redness and swelling; and may be uncomfortable for children who have sensitive skin. Therefore, it’s essential that benefits and side effects be discussed with a dermatologist prior to beginning any laser treatments.
Additionally, medications can interfere with laser treatments and should be avoided prior to an appointment. Blood thinners like aspirin are known to interact with this form of therapy. Tanning beds or direct sunlight should also be avoided before appointments as these could reduce effectiveness or cause reactions in your skin.
Before beginning laser hair removal treatments, it is imperative to shave the area being treated. This allows skin and hair to absorb laser energy more readily and creates an even finish with smoother edges. Other forms of hair removal such as plucking or waxing should also be avoided since these can harm hair follicles and disrupt treatment results.
A trained esthetician can use topical numbing creams to minimize discomfort during laser treatment, and perform it on smaller sections of body to further alleviate any potential discomfort. After each laser session, clients should wear broad spectrum sunscreen to protect both their skin and hair from sun exposure; this will help prevent potential pigmentation changes or skin damage caused by the laser beams. A full course of treatments, typically 10-12 sessions for most individuals but this varies between individuals; some need less or more sessions than this amount to achieve permanent results.
Side Effects
Laser hair removal can cause several side effects; some temporary and others more permanent. Before choosing this treatment for your child, it is wise to discuss its risks and benefits with an accredited practitioner.
Itching is usually the primary side effect, caused by damage to hair follicles, and should subside within two or three days after laser hair removal treatment. Redness and swelling in the treated area may occur as well as potential pigment loss from pigment-poor areas of skin depending on what kind of laser has been chosen and skin tone; any side effects you are concerned about should be reported immediately to either a physician or emergency room. If symptoms persist beyond this timeline it is advisable to seek medical advice or visit an emergency room immediately.
Itching can be a telltale sign of infection, so seeking medical assistance as soon as possible is vital to combating it. Sunlight exposure should also be limited until the itching subsides; alternatively steroid cream could be prescribed if necessary.
Children with darker skin are at an increased risk for laser hair removal treatment due to light not reaching all parts of their skin and potentially causing damage. A good esthetician should know how to reduce this risk by selecting an appropriate laser type that suits an individual’s hair texture and skin tone; additionally it would be wise for children receiving this procedure to wear sunscreen with SPF 30 protection post session.
Teenagers often face great pressure in regards to their appearance. From clothing choices and body type critiques, to being prodded by their parents into becoming the best athletes and models possible.
Teenagers often seek ways to curb unwanted hair growth, traditionally through shaving, plucking and waxing. While these methods may work effectively for some cases, laser hair removal offers safer and more effective results; when considering this procedure as an option for teenage users it’s essential that an esthetician with experience performs it.
Cost
Cost of laser hair removal varies based on your treatment area and clinic; to get an estimate for full procedure it’s a good idea to find one offering free consultations and offering laser treatments with follow up sessions for maintenance purposes. Cost typically includes office visit, topical anesthetic to ease pain during laser treatments as well as any follow up sessions necessary for maintenance purposes.
Laser hair removal typically results in temporary discomfort, reddening of the skin and itching; more serious side effects include blistering, crusting and scarring.
To reduce the risk of side effects, it’s a good idea to limit sun exposure and tanning beds before and after surgery, avoid using sunless tanning creams, and shave the area prior to receiving your treatment. It is also wise to forgo taking aspirin or similar medication that thins blood before having treatment done.
Before your laser hair removal session begins, a technician will apply cold gel to your skin and use the laser. They’ll monitor for any adverse reactions and keep an eye on it for several minutes afterward to monitor for reactions such as redness. Some compare its sensation to snapping rubber bands against your skin while it remains less painful than waxing and shaving options.
Laser hair removal may be seen as cosmetic, but it remains an effective and popular method for both women and men alike. Laser treatments save both time and money over other hair-removal techniques like shaving or waxing – not to mention being more effective. Laser is also often safer for people living with conditions like genital herpes that make shaving or waxing unsafe, giving laser an additional advantage as a viable way to manage unwanted hair removal.
