Laser hair removal is a technique that uses beams of highly concentrated light to penetrate the hair follicles. The light is absorbed by pigment in the hair follicles and destroys the hair within the follicle. Removing unwanted hair thus leaves you with bumps, burns, or the hassles of repeated shaving, tweezing, or waxing. Hence, laser hair removal may be an option worth considering.
Although Lasers are useful for removing unwanted hair from different parts of the body, you must consider the following things before undergoing this procedure.
* Prior to having laser hair removal, you should thoroughly check the credentials of the doctor performing the procedure and the hospital where you are planning to avail the service.
* Once you have planned laser hair removal, you should limit plucking, waxing and electrolysis for six weeks before treatment. That is because the laser targets the hairs’ roots, which are temporarily removed by waxing or plucking.
* You should also avoid sun exposure for six weeks before and after treatment. Sun exposure decreases the effectiveness of laser hair removal and increases the risk of complications following treatment.
* Laser hair removal works better on some people than others. No one knows for sure what the regrowth rates are. Some people notice regrowth after several months or years, while others find they never have to shave again. The average experience is 70-80 percent reduction in hair growth if you do a full 4-6 course treatment.
* Costs of Laser hair removal vary widely depending on a number of factors like size of the area being treated and time required for treatment and number of sessions required. Because each person’s pattern of hair growth is unique, it is difficult to predict exactly how many treatments will be needed to completely get rid of unwanted hair or the exact cost of doing so. For a better idea of the cost for your particular hair problem, you should schedule a consultation with a doctor, who must be an expert dermatologist with skill and experience in laser skin treatment.
Dr Shagufa Anwar
The writer is the General Manager, Business Development of Apollo Hospitals, Dhaka.
Source: The Daily Star, March 27, 2010
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