Getting rid of unwanted hair takes a lot of time and effort. It’s also quite expensive when you consider the cost over a lifetime. If you’re sick of razors, shaving creams, depilatory creams, tweezers, wax, and other methods of hair removal that have to be repeated over and over, it’s time to consider laser hair removal in Atlanta. At Peachtree Dermatology in Atlanta, GA, we use YAG lasers for the best, safest hair removal available.
How Many Sessions of Laser Hair Removal Do You Need?
The number of sessions you need will depend on several factors, such as the density and thickness of your hair, the color difference between your hair and skin, and your ultimate goals. If you want to completely remove all hair, you will need more sessions, but if you just want to lower the density of your hair in a certain area, you will require fewer sessions.
Most people need between eight and 12 sessions to get their ideal results. Bear in mind that this is just an average, and you can expect to learn more when you come to talk to us for your initial consultation.
Why Can’t It All Be Done in One Session?
This is a common question, and the answer requires knowing a little bit about how our hair grows. Hair grows in cycles, and laser hair removal in Atlanta is only able to target hair that is in the active growing part of the cycle. When your hair goes into the dormant part of its cycle, lasers won’t affect it.
Our hair is not all in the same part of the cycle simultaneously, and therefore each session can only get a certain amount of the hair in your target area. If you wait a little while and then schedule another session, you will be able to target more hair that was missed because it was dormant the first time around. This is why we suggest that you follow a treatment plan with sessions laid out at regular intervals. This will ensure we get all of the hair in your target treatment area.
Session Scheduling
As mentioned, you need to give your hair some time to move into the next stage of its growth cycle. Everyone’s hair grows at different speeds, which does complicate the issue and makes it difficult for us to tell you exactly how often you will need treatment until you come to see us and we can evaluate the situation in person.
Most people need to schedule a treatment every 4 to 6 weeks. If you schedule treatments more often than this, you risk wasting a session that does not really get many new hairs that have moved into the active growth part of the cycle.
What Happens If You Stop Early?
If you have just one or two treatments and then stop, you will likely notice a reduction in overall hair growth. Unfortunately, most of the hair will not have been addressed, and that hair will continue to grow as normal. That hair will still need to be regularly shaved, waxed, or removed in some other way if you don’t continue your sessions.
How It Works
This treatment works by using the heat energy from the laser to damage hair follicles so that they can no longer grow hair. The laser energy is absorbed by the pigment in your hair, which is what gives hair its color. This heat travels down the hair itself to the hair follicle, which it destroys.
Because of the way it works, the machine can be calibrated so the pigment in your hair attracts the energy, while the energy is not attracted to the pigment in your skin. This makes laser treatment very safe.
How Skin and Hair Color Affect Treatment
The type of skin you have and the color of your skin and hair do affect this treatment. You can probably guess from the description above that the greater the contrast between the color of your skin and the color of your hair, the easier time the laser will have and the more effective it will be. For this reason, those were very pale skin and very dark hair see the fastest results.
If your hair is lighter, or if your skin is darker, you will likely need a few more treatment sessions to achieve your goals. This is because of the way the machine must be calibrated and used more carefully in order to protect your skin.
FAQ About Laser Hair Removal Atlanta
Is This Permanent?
This treatment is considered a method of permanent hair reduction. It takes much longer for any unwanted hair to grow back after this treatment than with any other method of hair removal, including those methods that pull the hair up entirely by the root, such as waxing. For most people, the most they will ever need are some occasional touch-up sessions in order to maintain their results.
That said, some people experience permanent hair removal, and other people experience changes to their hormones that can cause hair to regrow. We can tell you more when you come talk to us in your consultation session
How Do I Prepare?
The first step is always to schedule a consultation so that we can take a look at your skin and hair and give you an idea of whether laser treatments are the best for you. At that time, we can also tell you more about how many treatments you might need, how long you should schedule between treatments, and what kind of results you can expect based on what you tell us about your personal history.
When we determine that you are a good candidate, we can then proceed with your hair removal sessions. Here’s what to do to get the most from every session:
Preparing the Hair
The first thing that you need to do is to avoid any hair removal method that completely removes the hair for about 4 to 6 weeks before your first laser hair removal atlanta session. This is very important: if you have no hair, there is nothing for the laser energy to be attracted to, and it will not find its way to your hair follicles.
This means you should not wax, tweeze, or use depilatory creams in your target area for at least a month before your first session. However, you can and should shave. In fact, it’s best that you shave immediately before your first session as this will leave enough hair for the laser to target while also protecting your skin. Since you want the laser to have an easy time finding your hair follicles, you should also avoid bleaching hair in your target area.
Caring for Skin
Healthy skin is essential to get the best results from your hair treatments. Because you want as much color contrast between your hair and skin as possible, you should avoid tanning creams, tanning beds, and sun exposure for about two weeks prior to your session. If you get a sunburn before your session, we will have to reschedule your treatment. Be sure to wear sunscreen every day and keep your skin well moisturized for the best results.
When Will I See the Results?
You will begin to see results very quickly. At first, it may seem that your hair is actually growing, but this is the hair that has been “killed” actually coming out of the follicles. These hairs will drop away within a day or so. How quickly this happens depends on your unique physiology.
You may notice a dramatic change in the amount of hair in your target area after just one session, but most people need a couple of sessions before they notice a large difference.
Does It Hurt?
No, this is not a painful treatment. At most, you will feel a slight snapping sensation, but this is a very well-tolerated treatment that thousands of men and women have done every day.
Get Rid of the Hair for Good
If you’re tired of wasting your time and money on hair removal treatments that must be repeated over and over, come talk to us about whether laser hair removal could be the right choice for you. Visit us at Peachtree Dermatology in Atlanta, GA today to learn more and get started on a customized treatment plan tailored to your needs and goals.
