Laser Hair Removal – what do you need to know?

Laser Hair Removal

While frustration is building over the current Covid-19 restrictions, I have taken the time to work on what treatments we can actually carry out in the clinic! Facial laser hair removal is a huge part of what I do here, as unwanted facial hair can be quite traumatic for any woman, so I tend to see a lot of clients for that. However, as that is currently not available as an option, I am seeing more clients for other areas for our amazing pain free laser hair removal. Many people still don’t know what to look for with laser hair removal, what questions to ask, what differences there are between the types technologies that are out there, what to expect from the results and many more things. What body areas can you treat with laser hair removal? Does laser hair removal hurt? Is laser hair removal expensive? What hair colours can you treat with laser hair removal? So I thought I would try to answer some of those questions!

What is the difference between laser hair removal and IPL?

In practice, not very much, however, IPL uses all parts of the light spectrum, whereas laser uses just the red part. Now this doesn’t really matter from a clients point of view, except for the fact that narrowing down the light used means that the treatment can be more specific, and there is less wasted energy. This leads to more effective results, and in the case of Soprano Ice, far less painful.

So, what is the difference between Soprano ice laser and other types of laser?

For a very long time, Soprano was the ONLY laser that offered genuinely pain free laser hair removal. There are now other technologies offering similar, however I have yet to find one that offers the same level of quality offered by Alma platforms. So, what is the difference? Where IPL and many other lasers deliver their energy in one ‘blast’ (the classic ‘rubber band ping’!), Soprano delivers it gradually and continuously to build up the required level of energy. This ensures enough energy reaches the pigment in the hair follicles, without the concern of over-heating the skin, and the painful zaps of other types of laser.  The bonus is, if the heat needs to be turned down due to it feeling too hot, it doesn’t reduce how effective the result is – it just takes slightly longer to complete the treatment. It means you don’t have to be brave!  

So it really doesn’t hurt?

Not as long as you keep communicating with me about how warm it feels, no! The odd zap can’t be avoided very occasionally – but this is reduced dramatically if you keep chatting about how it is feeling!  

How many sessions of laser hair removal will I need?

This is a question that is almost impossible to answer – anyone who tells you that you only need 6 is not being truthful…. I always recommend a MINIMUM of 8, anywhere on the body. Facial hair will usually need more, due to the hormonal nature, and some body areas work better than others. Personally, I no longer need to do anything to my legs or underarms (there are a few fluffy bits under my arms, but a whip over with a cheap razor every couple of months is more than adequate!!), and bikini needs an annual top up – otherwise I have got to a point where I no longer need to think about it. This took more than 8, but the gaps between treatments are very important for the best results. The hair that grows back tends to be softer and finer too, leading to fewer ingrowing hairs, and a complete reduction of shaving rashes!   NB No-one can promise that they will get rid of every single hair permanently – that’s not how the body works! I however will promise to treat effectively and honestly – and I promise that you will be delighted with the result!  

I want to have a full bikini treatment – is it possible?

Full bikini – sometimes called Hollywood Bikini, or Brasilian, is where all hair in the bikini area, not just the edges is removed. It can include the delicate labia and around to the peri-anal region as well if desired. This can also be pain free, even in this delicate area. You can choose if you wish to leave a small amount of hair at the front (the ‘Landing Strip’!), Sally treats to the area that has been shaved. This tends to be very effective, however it is worth bearing in mind that as a very hormonal area, it can need more treatments, and some occasional top ups – particularly for the more central areas.

How long does a full leg laser treatment take?

it does slightly depend on the person – long legs take a bit longer than short ones! However for a full leg treatment we would usually book a one-hour appointment, although I would expect it to take around 45 minutes.

I have dark/black skin – can I have laser hair removal?

Yes! The beauty of the Soprano ice is that it can be adjusted to treat even very dark skin tones, pain free, and still effectively. Risk of abnormal pigmentation is much reduced with the Soprano ice, making treatments much safer. Here is a video where we treated a very dark skin tone – pain free!

How does laser hair removal work?

While this will be gone into in more depth during your consultation, basically the laser light is absorbed into the pigment in the hair follicle, damaging or destroying the growth mechanism and tiny blood supply to that follicle. You shave the area before the treatment, and two weeks after (or thereabouts) the treated hairs will fall out, leaving smooth skin for around two weeks. At this point, the next hair cycle will start to come through, and after another 2 weeks, this cycle will be ready to treat. Each treatment destroys approximately 20% of that cycle (this does vary on area), and it will also damage other follicles, leading to softer, finer hair growth.

How do I choose a clinic for laser hair removal?

Once you know the technology that the clinic is using, make sure that you ask for their qualifications – are the therapists medically trained? Do they know how to deal with concerns or adverse reactions? Do they offer knowledgeable advice on results, contraindications (medical concerns that mean you shouldn’t have treatment), medication concerns (some medicines are photo-sensitive) and do they make you feel secure and confident in their abilities? Costs vary widely between clinics. If the costs are very cheap you might want to ask why – good quality technology is expensive, insurance costs, staffing, training etc can all mean that a really cheap price is too good to be true – what are you actually getting for that? Don’t take chances – make sure your clinic is reputable. I am a registered nurse of 27 years, with 9 years’ experience of laser hair removal – I knows what I am doing, and know how to advise on the rare occasions that things don’t go according to plan. You can always trust me to do the right thing for you, and will always be honest about what to expect. Can I see a video of treatment? yes, of course you can! Click here! Want to know more? Click here!  Want to see what others think? Click here! Want to book? click the book now button on the front page!