Do you struggle with hair that grows too fast and thick?
Is your hair growing in unwanted spots?
Are you tired of shaving or waxing?
Are you searching for safe and discreet gender affirming treatment?
Dealing with unwanted hair not only costs money but it also wastes one of our most precious commodities, time.
Free yourself from the need to shave or wax unwanted body hair in order to look and feel your best. Shaving only lasts a couple of days for most people, while waxing has to be repeated every few weeks.
Why put yourself through shaving, tweezing, or waxing if you’re only getting short-term results?
If you’re like us and these questions are weekly annoyances then let’s chat about laser hair removal at Ethos Clinic in Kelowna.
What Is IPL/Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a long-lasting, non-invasive method for reducing or removing unwanted body hair. With laser hair removal, just a few simple treatments are all it takes to reduce hair growth leaving behind smoother and silkier looking skin anywhere on the body.
Laser hair removal is done by exposing an area of skin to pulses of laser light with the goal of preventing further growth from the hair follicle. This simple and convenient process is done without harming the surrounding skin, and without downtime.
Laser hair removal was invented in the late 1990s, and has been used worldwide since. This researched and effective treatment has become more mainstream over the past decade with prices becoming very reasonable in most major cities.
Before we get into any more specifics let’s take a look at exactly how laser hair removal works.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
First, it is important to understand the way hair growth works for a person to appreciate the entire laser hair removal process.
Hair growth occurs in growth cycles, but not every hair follicle goes through a cycle at the same time and speed. More importantly, not every hair is in the growth phase at the same time. This concept is important to remember.
The laser technology targets the hair follicles that are about to enter or are in the active phase of hair growth (known as the anagen phase). This is because during the active growth phase, the hair is in contact with the bottom of the follicle, where hair growth begins. By effectively targeting the hair follicles at this time it destroys the follicle itself preventing the hair from growing back.
The devices used for laser hair removal uses a visible or invisible infrared light to help target the dark pigment, melanin, found in hair.
Melanin occurs in high density at the base of a hair follicle, which absorbs the light and converts it into heat. The heat energy is what damages the follicle causing the hair to fall out and preventing regrowth.
Hair removal lasers usually operate between 650 – 1400 nanometers depending on which type of laser is being used. The process matches a wavelength of light and pulse duration determined by the skin and hair type of each individual.
Some wavelengths (and lasers) are better than others for laser hair removal, and it is important to ensure your clinic offers you a laser that is specific for laser hair removal.
The treatment is most effective on lighter skin that grows darker hair, but laser hair removal technology is advanced now to yield excellent results for darker skin as well.
However, the treatments are yet to produce significant results for grey, white, or light red hair. For these patients, electrolysis may be a more effective option.
How To Prepare For Laser Hair Removal
If you decide to move forward with the laser hair removal there will be a few things to prepare you for the treatment.
First off, any treatment should begin with a detailed consultation by a medical or qualified health professional to ensure laser hair removal is safe for you. Remember, lasers are very powerful, and side effects do occur if laser hair removal is performed incorrectly.
The person doing the treatment will be your technician. The technician will tell you to shave the night before or morning of your appointment. This is crucial to safe and effective results.
Do not use any skin creams the day of your treatment and do not wax for at least 2-4 weeks prior to your treatment.
The treatment involves a laser looking for pigment within your follicles so ideally you want to shave as close as you can. For the best results try soaking in a tub, exfoliate, and shave everything completely bare.
Your technician may want to shave the area again prior to treatment to ensure there is not stubble above the skin. This will help to ensure your treatment is effective, and as safe as possible.
Remember every laser appointment should be done by a professional technician. The technician will do everything to help you feel comfortable.
Avoiding caffeine prior to the treatment may be helpful to calm any nerves during your first treatment. Try having a calming tea to help settle any nerves you may have if you are a more anxious person. However, after your first treatment, this is usually not necessary.
One last thing to think about before your appointment is the time it takes to complete the whole process. Laser hair removal takes more than one appointment because of how the hair cycle works. This means that the entire process can take a few months (discussed more in the next section).
If you are a summer person, and want to have less hair for the summer your last treatment would be a month or two before the summer season begins. Make sure to plan accordingly!
What To Expect During The Process
The preparation is done and it’s time for your first appointment. Here comes the most popular question of laser hair removal:
Does it hurt?
Before we answer that, let’s backtrack a little. Remember, laser hair removal is a medical procedure that requires a trained technician to perform correctly and ensure all safety precautions are met. The technician will provide you with protective eye shields to prevent injury to your eyes.
To help protect the outer layers of your skin a cold gel is typically used. This gel will also help make the treatment more effective by facilitating the laser light through the skin. It will also make the treatment more comfortable, helping to disperse some of the heat.
Most lasers will use a high-energy laser beam, which will be adjusted to the color, thickness, and location of hair on your skin. One other key factor will be your skin tone. Some lasers cannot be used on dark skin colors while some lasers may be used on any color of skin. Make sure you discuss this with your technician prior to treatment.
Next, the technician will give a pulse of light to a treatment test area. This area will be watched for a few minutes to make sure the best settings are used and to check for any untoward reactions. This is called a test pulse, and ensures treatment is safe.
When the settings are approved the laser is then systematically directed spot-by-spot towards the areas to be treated. The laser will instantly disable the active growth of hair follicles.
Now here comes the answer to your question…
The appointment itself will likely last 30-60 minutes, but should not be painful. The sensation is often compared to warm pinpricks against the skin or mini snaps of a rubber band.
After you have made it through your first appointment do not start throwing away your razors quite yet!
How Long For Laser Hair Removal Results?
The results from laser hair removal are immediate for a certain percentage of the treated area. A certain number of hairs are in a resting phase, rather than a growth phase. The laser will only be effective on the hairs in a growth phase.
On average, it takes 4-10 treatment sessions to achieve maximum results for an area. Some patient will notice results after 1-2 treatments, while a few patients may need more than 10. The treatments need to be spaced out about 1 month apart to allow the resting phase hairs to grow.
Certain parts of the body will respond faster than other parts of the body. For example, the bikini line is usually done quicker than the face.
Is There Any Recovery From Laser Hair Removal?
When the procedure is completed you may be given ice packs, cold water, or anti-inflammatory creams to soothe the treated areas although this is not usually needed if performed correctly.
Remember multiple sessions are required so do not be throwing out any of those razors yet. However, do not wax in between sessions, as you want to have the base of the hair touching the follicle to ensure your next treatment is effective.
In almost all cases you may return to your daily activities immediately following the treatment, although follow the directions of your supervising physician and technician.
After the procedure, you should receive detailed instructions about your post-treatment care. This will involve information about skin care, normal symptoms you will experience, and potential signs of complications.
Most people notice slight redness or minor skin irritation immediately after the treatment – do not panic this is common and resolves quickly. After a few weeks, you will start to notice some hair growing back, this will be a warning signal to book the next appointment.
BEFORE THE TREATMENT
1. What device do we use for hair removal?
Ethos Clinic uses Venus Versa™ (IPL hair removal).
2. Am I a good candidate for this treatment? / Will this treatment work for me?
Hair removal treatments are for individuals who want to permanently reduce unwanted hair on their face or body because they’re tired of the conventional methods that only yield temporary results.
You may not be able to get IPL laser hair removal if you have/are:
- Metal or other implants in the treatment area
- Current or history of cancer
- Pregnant or nursing
- Any diseases that can be stimulated by light (eg. epilepsy)
- History of disease that can be stimulated by heat (eg. herpes)
- Poorly controlled endocrine disorders (e.g. diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome)
- Any active condition in the treatment area (eg. eczema, psoriasis, rash)
- History of skin disorders, keloid scarring, unusual wound healing, or excessively dry and/or sensitive skin
- Any surgical procedures within the past 3 months
- A tattoo or permanent makeup in the treatment area
- Excessively tanned skin
Book a consultation with us, in the case of any of the above.
3. I have darker skin – can I still get this treatment done?
IPL hair removal treatments work best for light to medium skin tones. Darker skin tones come with a risk of discoloration. It’s best to consult with the practitioner to see if the treatment is right for you.
The practitioner will perform a test spot and wait between 15 minutes to 48 hours, depending on your complexion, to assess your skin’s reaction. The laser technician would know best what treatment parameters are most appropriate to use for your skin type.
5. How many sessions will I need to see results?
For IPL hair removal, you’ll likely need 4-10 treatments per area, again depending on each individual person and the area being treated.
6. How often/far apart should the treatments be?
Treatments are done 4-6 weeks apart for the face and 4-8 weeks apart for the body.
7. Do I need to do anything to prepare for the treatment?
Make sure your skin is clean. Do not apply any lotions, creams or makeup (if you’re getting a treatment on your face) before your session, and stop using any products that might irritate your skin 2-3 days before. Remove all jewelry around the area being treated. Ensure the area is clean shaven before starting your treatment. The technician will ask about your medical history, so it helps to have that information ready. For IPL hair removal, you should also avoid tanning before your treatment.
DURING THE TREATMENT
1. How long does each treatment session take?
It depends on where you’re getting the treatment—an upper lip will be much faster than your legs, but 30-60 minutes on average.
2. What does the treatment feel like?
You’ll feel some heat in the area, but this will only last a short while, thanks to the real-time cooling system that kicks in right away to help minimize discomfort.
It feels like the light snap with an elastic band against your skin as the applicator moves around the treatment area.
The applicator has a built-in cooling feature to make the treatment as comfortable as possible, but you might feel a bit of discomfort if you’re treating a more sensitive area, like along the bikini line. If you find it too uncomfortable, let your treatment provider know and they can adjust the settings accordingly. It is also worth mentioning that discomfort is intensified the closer you are to that time of month in your cycle.
AFTER THE TREATMENT
1. How will I feel after my treatment?
Your skin may look dry and feel a little itchy if the practitioner has to dry-shave the area before starting the treatment. Moisturizing can help relieve the itch. Other than that, you shouldn’t really feel any different after your treatment.
2. How long will the results last and are they permanent?
It depends on how your hair grows. Some people may see longer-lasting hair removal, while others who see sporadic hair growth in the area may need a touch-up treatment to maintain the results.
There is no downtime. You can return to your daily schedule immediately after your IPL treatment.
4. Do I need to do anything after my treatment?
Be sure to gently clean the treated area twice a day and apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 before going outside; however, avoid excessive sun exposure. You should also avoid hot baths, massages, or any treatment that requires direct contact with the skin for the first 48 hours after your treatment. Avoid tanning for at least 2 weeks before and 2 weeks afterward.
5. If I got a treatment on my face, can I put makeup up on right after?
Yes, you can apply makeup immediately after your treatment, but make sure you put on sunscreen, as well.
Call Ethos Clinic at 236-420-2070 to arrange a consultation appointment to create your individualized hair removal package or click here to contact us.