How does laser hair removal work?

Laser hair removal is one of the most popular aesthetic treatments for the body in the UK. It has been for a while now, and with good reason. It offers a lot of freedom for those who complete their treatment course, often permanently slowing hair growth and leading to some people only needing top-ups about once a year. Imagine only having to address the body hair you don’t want only once a year! But, how does laser hair removal work and does it use actual lasers? Wouldn’t this make it painful? Well, let’s find out…

How does laser hair removal work?

Laser hair removal works not with laser, but instead with intense beams of light. This might not seem much of a difference, especially when you might worry of treatment pain, but we’ll get to that later… What this high-energy light does it penetrate the hair follicles to be absorbed by the pigment there. It then works to break up the pigment, destroying the hair follicle and hindering its ability to grow back. Indeed, some hairs don’t grow back after a full treatment course, making this the most permanent form of hair removal available! This treatment works on actively growing hair follicles.

Does laser hair removal hurt?

Traditional laser hair removal or, that is to say, less advanced forms of laser hair removal were known to sting and be very hot. However, treatments with our machine the Initia Diode Laser are far more comfortable. This is because the machine uses its trademarked IceTip to cool the treated areas, which actually drops its temperature down to as low -8 degrees Celsius! This means instead of skin feeling hot and irritated, it is cooled during treatment for the optimum comfortability.

Do I have to grow my body hair out, or can I shave?

One of the real perks of laser hair removal is that, unlike waxing, you don’t need to grow out or ‘save up’ your body hair. This has previously been a limiting factor to these kinds of hair removal, because you have to grow it out for a minimum of 3 weeks before reaping the benefits of 3 weeks without hair. Because laser hair removal only works on actively growing follicles, it’s actually recommended that your shave your treatment area a few days before your appointment. You can’t wax it, unfortunately, because waxing removes the hair follicles and it’s these follicles that laser hair removal targets. Shaving merely cuts the hair, keeping the follicle active and alive for laser treatments.

Is it permanent?

Laser hair removal can have permanent effects in that some hair follicles may never sprout a hair again. It can permanently limit and reduce the growth of hair follicles so that some growth may slow, and some may stop altogether. What we usually find is that a top-up treatment is the only other method of hair removal required to just target the stubborn follicles that refuse to relinquish their foothold. Otherwise, this treatment is incredibly freeing in that it permanently lessens hair growth in the treatment area for softer, smoother, more hair-free skin.

We’re very excited to bring laser hair removal to Lumiere Clinic in Manchester! If you’d like to book your initial appointment, organise your patch test, or find out whether it’s suitable for your skin type, enquire online or speak to a member of the team on 0161 236 6500 today.