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Laser Hair Removal |
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Laser Hair Removal |
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Lasers and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) are effective in long term reduction of hair. They are fast, safe, and painless in the hands of an experienced dermatologist. They can be used on any skin type and any area of the body with unwanted hair such as on the face, chest, limbs, and underarms. |
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How does the laser work? |
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Laser selectively targets and disables the hair follicle. Since the light targets the pigment, the hair has to be colored and not white.
Electrolysis destroys the hair root and hence is a permanent removal of hair but it is a slow and painful procedure.
Mechanical modalities like shaving, tweezing, waxing and chemical depilatories remove the visible hair without destroying the hair root and hence the benefit is temporary. |
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What exactly does the sitting consist of? |
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It consists of a consultation with the dermatologist to check for any contraindications, assess the type and color of the hair. If there is history of any prior episodes of herpes infection, antiviral medication is given before the procedure. If the skin is tanned, a few weeks of sunscreen application is advised to reduce it before the treatment is done |
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Is the effect immediate? |
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Hair from the treated area will be shed in a week or two after the treatment. They become apparent on the skin surface and these shedding hairs should not be confused for growth of new hair. |
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How long is the session? |
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The length of the session varies from a few minutes to an hour or more depending on the area to be treated. You can get back to your routine immediately after the treatment. |
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Is a single session sufficient? |
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Hair growth is cyclical as the hair follicles go through resting and growing phases. At any given time, about 30% of the hair is in the active growing phase. Only these follicles have plenty of melanin and absorb sufficient laser energy to render them ineffective. The resting hairs take about 1 to 3 months to re-enter the growing stage. Hence, to get satisfactory results, 4 to 6 sessions at 4-6 weekly intervals are required. If more sessions are required the gap is often increased to 6-8 weeks, as the hair growth slows down. Gradually it becomes apparent that some hairs are not growing back and others are finer. Rarely 5-10% of hair follicles miss the effects of the light energy by being in prolonged resting phase. These occasional follicles may become active and produce some visible hairs later on, due to some hormonal changes in the body. So a short session of few shots may be required once or twice a year, in some cases. |
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Is it safe? |
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Yes, the treatment is very safe. Laser based hair removal has made it possible to quickly and painlessly remove hair in all areas, including large areas such as backs and legs. |
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Is it painful? |
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Some stinging sensation is felt. Anesthetic creams applied to the skin before the procedure can reduce this. After a procedure it is not uncommon for the skin to feel like it has been sunburned. This feeling usually subsides by the end of the day. |
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What are the side effects? |
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You may have some redness, swelling, or crusting, which resolve in a few hours to days. Sometimes some colour changes may occur in the skin. |
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What are the post procedure instructions? |
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There is really no after treatment care required. In case of redness or swelling in the treated area, a simple soothing cream can be applied. Sun protection is recommended during the treatment period, since increased melanin interferes with the efficacy of the treatment and increases the tendency to damage the outer layers of the skin. |
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| Disclamer: This web site has been created for your educational and informative needs. Any and all communications are intended to provide general information, and in no way is a substitute for face-to-face medical care. No implication of a doctor-patient relationship should be assumed by the reader. |
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