Myths and Facts About Laser Hair Removal

If you’re looking for ways to say goodbye to your unwanted body hair, laser hair removal is an effective option. But that doesn’t mean you should trust just anyone with your treatment or jump in without getting the facts.

Our skilled team at Weight Loss and Vitality is highly qualified and experienced in internal medicine as well as aesthetic treatments like laser hair removal, so you can trust us to ensure your health and safety first and foremost. 

If you’re considering laser hair removal, here are a few myths we’d like to debunk.

Myth: Anyone can perform laser hair removal

Laser hair removal is generally safe, but it does come with some risks — and most of them involve the level of experience (or inexperience) of the person administering your treatment. Improper use of the laser technology can lead to permanent skin burns, discoloration, and even scarring.

Fact: In the right hands, laser hair removal is very safe and more effective than waxing or shaving.

Myth: Laser hair removal provides great results on all hair types

Laser hair removal works by targeting the pigment in your hair, so it affects light hair and dark hair differently. Your hair absorbs the laser energy, which turns into heat by the time it reaches your hair follicles. The follicle can’t handle this heat, so it dies and stops producing hair. The more pigment you have in your hair, the more heat your treatment can generate, which provides more effective results.

Fact: Light hair may not have enough pigment, making it more difficult for the laser to differentiate it from surrounding skin.

Myth: Laser hair removal isn’t a good option for dark skin tones

We’ve already mentioned that lasers love dark pigment, so this makes it very effective on darker skin tones. However, you must have enough contrast between your skin color and hair color so the laser can target your hair. When you have closely matched hair and skin color, laser hair removal may be less effective.

Fact: With an experienced professional such as those at Weight Loss and Vitality, laser hair removal can work on people of all skin tones.

Myth: Laser hair removal hurts

The word “laser” sounds scary, but it’s simply an intense light. When used for hair removal, our laser treatments are noninvasive and cause very little — if any — pain. Most men and women say it feels like snaps from a small rubber band. It’s certainly no more uncomfortable than waxing, and it won’t cause painful cuts or nicks like shaving.

Fact: Laser hair removal isn’t painful, but you may experience mild discomfort, depending on your tolerance for pain and the location of your unwanted hair. 

Myth: Laser hair removal is only temporary

Our laser hair removal system destroys the hair follicle, so it’s impossible for hair to grow from that follicle again. Because of that, you can expect permanent results. However, there are scenarios where treated areas of unwanted hair might see hair growth. For example, women experiencing hormone fluctuations during pregnancy or menopause may have new hair growth after treatment, especially on their face.

Fact: When properly administered, you can expect permanent results.

Myth: Laser hair removal provides immediate results in a single treatment

While you leave our office after one treatment with less hair than you came in with, you also should expect to see a new batch of hair growing in within a few weeks. This isn’t because your procedure was ineffective; it’s because your hair grows in cycles, so you’re seeing the next set of follicles producing hair. During your appointment, the laser can only treat the hair that’s there. That means you need to come back in for another session each time you get a new batch of hair until all growth cycles in the treatment area stop. This can take up to six sessions.

Fact: You can expect to see instant results and all of your present hair eliminated, but complete and long-lasting results can take a few months and multiple sessions. 

For most men and women, laser hair removal is an ideal and permanent way to eliminate unwanted hair on your legs, under your arms, on your chest, over your back, at your bikini line — basically, anywhere it grows. 

If you want to free yourself from the daily chore of shaving, plucking, or battling constant stubble, laser hair removal may be right for you. Contact one of Weight Loss and Vitality’s convenient locations in Washington, DC, or Alexandria, Virginia, by calling or requesting an appointment online today.

Author

David J. Bauder, PA-C David Bauder, PA-C, is a certified physician assistant and the assistant medical director at Weight Loss and Vitality in Manassas and Alexandria, Virginia, Washington, DC; and Gaithersburg, MD. He enjoys helping patients optimize their physical and mental health to improve their overall well-being. He earned his physician assistant degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Afterward, he gained admission into the reputable graduate program for physician assistant studies at the University of Nebraska Health Science Center in Omaha. David has over 26 years of experience working as a physician assistant. He’s practiced in podiatry, family medicine, emergency medicine, general surgery, urgent care, and functional medicine.