Most of us just accept unwanted hair as a part of life and resign ourselves to constant shaving, plucking, and waxing. There's a better way, though: laser hair removal. Using the Soprano® laser, we're able to give you beautifully bare skin through a comfortable treatment that you don't have to repeat constantly. At Persona Medical Spa in Houston, TX, we have more than 20 years of collective experience in the art of getting rid of unwanted hair. Let us share some of that expertise with you.
##Hair Removal FAQs
Where Can I Get Hair Removed?
The good news answer to this question is that there's almost no place on the body where you can't remove unwanted hair. The only place that's off-limits is immediately around your eyes. Whether you want to be rid of the hair on your legs, under your arms, on your upper lip, across your back, or any other place, we can help.
One reason we appreciate the Soprano® laser is that it comes with a variety of tip choices that allow us to work efficiently in all areas of the body. The tapered tip allows us to reach small spots at inconvenient angles, while larger tips and the speedy diode allow us to quickly treat larger areas, like the chest.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
The laser light emitted by the Soprano® device travels down the hair shaft and delivers a blast of heat energy at your hair follicle. This disables the follicle, which prevents it from regrowing hair. Instead of addressing the problem of unwanted hair by dealing with the hair itself, this method literally goes to the root of the problem. This means you'll enjoy better and longer results than with any other method of removing hair.
Are Results Permanent?
When talking about laser treatments, most medical professionals use the term "permanent hair reduction" rather than "permanent hair removal." The heat certainly damages the hair follicles, which prevents them from growing hair for a while. If they're only damaged, however, they may eventually start growing hair again, though it's often slower and thinner than before. If the follicle is actually destroyed, it will never grow hair again.
It's impossible to predict just how many follicles for any individual will be completely destroyed. In addition, hormone changes can sometimes cause new hair growth. However, you'll enjoy smooth skin for longer with laser treatments than any other method. Once you've achieved the level of smoothness you're looking for, you'll only need an occasional maintenance treatment to maintain those results. For most people, that means a treatment once every six to 18 months. In addition, with repeated maintenance treatments, it becomes even more likely that hair follicles will be destroyed completely.
Why Do I Need More Than One Treatment?
Laser treatments are only really effective against hair that is in the active growing phase. Our hairs are constantly cycling among several phases, including growing, shedding, and a dormant phase. Fortunately, our individual hairs and follicles aren't all in phase sync. If they were, we'd notice the hair on our heads, for example, growing for several years at a time and then suddenly stopping completely for months or even years!
Individual follicles are always cycling in and out of these phases, so your first treatment will get the follicles that are all in the active growing stage. A few weeks later, more hairs will have cycled into that phase, and another treatment will address them. For most people, the best results are seen between six and eight treatments, though some people may be done in just three treatments and others can need as many as 10.
Laser Hair Treatments Hurt, Right?
In the past, laser hair treatments weren't very comfortable. Even with a numbing cream applied, it could still feel like someone was snapping a rubber band at your skin. One reason we use the revolutionary Soprano® laser is that it offers cooling technology that makes the experience so comfortable you don't even need numbing cream anymore. The device simultaneously delivers laser energy to the hair while cooling your skin, so you have a virtually painless experience.
I Have Dark or Tanned Skin: Can I Get Laser Hair Treatments?
In the past, it wasn't always possible for people with darker skin to get this type of hair removal. Old lasers and IPL devices can't differentiate well enough between the melanin in the skin and the melanin in the hair, putting those with dark or tanned skin at risk for burns and hypopigmentation problems.
The Soprano® solves this issue in several ways. First, it doesn't use a single, high-energy pulse of light, which can go straight to the skin instead of the hair. Instead, this device works more gradually, heating up the surrounding dermal tissue to the point where the more delicate follicle is damaged while the dermal tissue remains safe and unharmed.
In addition, the Nd: YAG 1064nm wavelength this device can use is more easily absorbed by melanin, meaning the hair picks it up more quickly and efficiently. When you come in for a consultation, we'll evaluate your skin and choose the right laser and treatment schedule for the best results.
Is Laser Hair Removal Just for Women?
It's a myth that laser hair treatments are just for women. The process of continually removing unwanted hair is as annoying for men as for women, and the options of shaving, waxing, or trimming are just as frustrating and time-consuming. Between 30% and 40% of those who seek out laser hair treatments are men, and there are plenty of reasons to do so:
To Make Shaving Easier
For some men with thick, heavy beards, a few laser treatments can thin out facial hair just enough that they can still grow a great beard if they wish but don't have to deal with razor burns and rashes.
To Get Rid of Excess Body Hair
We grow hair in accordance with our genetics and hormones. Our personal preferences have nothing to do with it. If you find you're not happy with the amount of hair on your back, chest, stomach, or elsewhere, laser treatments are a great way to get things to a level you feel comfortable with.
To Help in Athletics
It's quite common for athletes to seek laser hair removal. For cyclists, having too much hair on the legs can cause chaffing and irritation on long rides. For swimmers, removing body hair can shave tenths of a second off of competitive swimming times. Bodybuilders may want to remove hair to improve their muscle definition.
To Please Themselves
The main reason to get rid of hair should always be because you personally don't want it. Whether you're a man or a woman, you have the right to present the face (and body) you want to the world. If you're not happy with hair in a certain place, laser hair treatments can get rid of it for you.
My Hair Is Lighter: Can I Still Be Treated?
In the past, only black and fairly dark brown hairs could be treated effectively with lasers, but that's changed. These days we can treat a wider range of hair colors with the Soprano®. There are some hairs that simply don't have enough melanin to capture the laser's energy, but even if you've been told in the past that your hair is too light for treatment, it's worth it to come in and check with us. The Soprano® can do a lot more than other lasers.
Is This Better Than IPL?
IPL, or intense pulsed light, devices work on a similar principle to lasers. They use light to generate heat, and that heat damages the follicles. However, even the finest, spa-quality IPL devices aren't able to match the effectiveness of laser hair treatments, and at-home IPL devices are even worse.
IPL uses a broader wavelength of light, meaning that much of the wavelength is simply "lost" along the way. It scatters, meaning IPL is more dangerous for people with darker skin, and even for those with light skin and dark hair, it works more slowly than laser. At-home devices are even worse, since, for safety's sake, they cannot be made powerful enough to really do an effective job.
Is It Worth It to Pay for Laser Treatments?
There's no question that laser treatment is more expensive than buying a razor and can of shaving cream or even setting up a waxing treatment. But these simple calculations don't take some important things into account:
Time
The average woman will spend almost three whole months of her life shaving. For men, the amount of time wasted in shaving is about 75 days. Plucking is nearly as time-consuming, and while waxing doesn't have to be done as often, it's still an endless task.
Long-Term Costs
Again, the average man or woman will spend right around $10,000 on shaving over a lifetime, according to the most recent surveys and cost estimates. Waxing appointments can be very expensive, especially when you realize they have to be repeated over and over again.
Pain and Discomfort
Shaving is hard on the skin, especially the more delicate skin that women's bodies generate. No one who has had a wax treatment needs reminding how painful those can be, and depilatory creams contain harsh chemicals that can irritate the skin and even cause burns in worst-case scenarios. With the Soprano® laser, you can be done with all of that and get back to living your life.
Peace of Mind
Have you ever been invited to the beach or on a hike at the last minute and realized you couldn't go until you shaved? Maybe you rushed through the job and missed some spots, not even noticing until you were out in the sun and it was too late. When you wax, you have to allow your hair to grow long enough that the wax can effectively grab and remove it. This means there will always be times when your hair is between treatments and longer than you'd like. Instead of always worrying about whether people will see your hair, why not just get rid of it?
How Does This Compare to Electrolysis?
Electrolysis uses tiny, hair-thin needles inserted into the hair follicle to deliver a pulse of electric energy. This pulse destroys the follicle very effectively; however, it's painful and extremely time-consuming. It's also costly compared to laser hair treatments. For most people, lasers deliver the results they need and are far more comfortable while still being cost-effective.
Are Laser Hair Treatments for You?
We have the experience you need to get the best results and get rid of the hair you don't want to see. If you're tired of putting up with unwanted hair or addressing it with solutions that don't deliver permanent results, contact Persona Medical Spa in Houston, TX, to learn more about laser hair removal and what it can do for you.