Laser Hair Removal: How Does it Work?

    WASHINGTON, DC, May 26, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- We are lucky these days to have laser hair removal for unwanted hair. In past years, people had to suffer through waxing or plucking to have hair-free skin but a laser treatment is safe, effective, and fast.

Each hair is produced by a hair root, or follicle, and some follicles produce more than one hair. The laser light is absorbed by pigment (melanin) in the hair and hair follicle, which causes the follicle to shut down. The light penetrates the skin's surface layer (the epithelium) to reach the second layer, the dermis, where there are many crucial skin structures such as sweat and oil glands, blood vessels, and a matrix of collagen and elastin which supports the skin surface to keep it smooth. Some of the skin rejuvenation procedures offered these days by cosmetic dermatologists are based on stimulating the aging skin to produce more collagen.

Hair follicles are also in the dermis. Hair grows in a cycle of three phases: a growth phase followed by an intermediate or transition phase and a shedding phase when no new hair is produced. When you have a laser hair removal procedure, the laser can only shut down the follicles that are in the growth phase.

That is the reason repeated treatments are necessary. As the follicles go in and out of their phases, each treatment can affect all those in the growth phase until you are satisfied with the degree of hair removal.

Body Areas That Can Be Treated
The hair removal laser can work on any area and most commonly works on the armpits, chin, upper lip, legs, and bikini line. In males it is also used for the chest and upper back.

Am I a Good Candidate for Laser Hair Removal?
Because laser hair removal works by the laser light being absorbed by pigment, your candidacy is determined by your hair and skin coloring and the contrast between them.

If you have black, dark brown, or dark red hair and fair skin, you would be an excellent candidate. That is because the laser light will be absorbed by the hair pigment, leaving the skin unaffected.

If you have blond, gray, light brown or light reddish hair and fair skin, you would probably not be a good candidate. Your dermatologist would decide, based on the degree of contrast between your hair and skin colors.

If you have dark skin and dark or light-colored hair, you would not be a good candidate. The laser light would be absorbed by skin pigment and would leave the hair unaffected. If your skin is darkened by a suntan, you might be a better candidate if you wait until it fades a bit.

If you are in the Washington, D.C. area, you could visit the website of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery at www.skinlaser.com, for a personal consultation and for more information on how effective a laser hair removal procedure would be for you.

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