Laser Hair Removal

Many women spend a lot of time removing hair from their legs, underarms and faces with shaving, waxing, plucking or chemical depilatories, but with the latest technology in lasers, body hair can be removed permanently.

Skin care providers performed more than 1.2 million laser treatments in 2007, making it the third most popular overall cosmetic procedure on the market. More than ever before, women and men are taking notice of trends in laser technology, leading to a booming interest in permanent body hair removal.

I felt self-conscious about the hair on my upper lip, but I am so pleased with the results from the laser hair removal. I went on a vacation for a week, and I forgot my tweezers. Usually, that would have been a disaster, but I don’t have to worry about hair on my lip anymore. – Martha Matthews of Waynesville

Today’s hair lasers can safely, swiftly, and comfortably remove unwanted hair.

Laser hair reduction technology has come a long way in the last decade. The Lightsheer diode laser is the gold standard for laser hair reduction and its ChillTip maximizes patient comfort. – Allan Zacher, MD

Number of treatments

The numbers of treatments required for body hair removal depends on the individual. A ballpark number of treatments is four to eight sessions. Hair grows in three cycles and the laser can only destroy the hair follicle in the anagen or growth stage.

The number of treatments required also depends on the density of the hair and the area of the body. For instance, removing upper lip hair may only take as few as three or four treatments to complete, whereas the legs or back can take eight to 10 treatments or more. During a free consultation, you’ll get an estimate of the number of treatments and the cost.

Cost of treatments

At Mountain Radiance, an upper lip or chin would be about $50 to $75 per treatment; underarms (both) are about $125  per treatment; and the full back or full legs may cost about $250 per treatment.

How does it work?

Laser hair removal works by targeting melanin (the dark pigment that gives hair its color), and as the melanin absorbs the laser’s light, the heat generated destroys the follicles in that growth cycle. What this amounts to is a sensation comparable to a rubber band snapping against the skin. The process can be uncomfortable without a numbing cream and/or cooling device on the laser, but much more bearable than the follicle being ripped out from the root.

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Women who have unwanted dark facial hair need to know that it is more common than they think. It is so satisfying to permanently remove hair so women are no longer self conscious about it. – Darcia Bondurant, licensed esthetician

Choosing the best laser

The principle behind laser hair removal is heat. The process works by heating the hairs with light at the root, which can also remove ingrown hairs. Modern technology such as our Lightsheer diode laser designed specifically for laser hair reduction uses a cooling device that chills the surface of the skin and makes the person more comfortable. The ChillTip also increases the penetration of the laser energy to the base of the follicle. Topical anesthetic creams are available.