To ensure that you continue to receive Looking Good
e-mails, please add michele@gophercentral.com to your
e-mail address book.

FOLLOW ME on Twitter.... Follow Me

Are you on Facebook? If you are, check out the Deal of
the Day fan page. You get exclusive offers and a new deal
every day. It is easy to become a fan, just click here and
hit the like button... Become A Fan


Laser Hair Removal

Most hair growth is predictable and in predictable places.
In fact, short, light-colored hair covers most of the body.
In some cases, though, unusually dark and coarse hair may
grow in unexpected place. Laser hair removal is one
procedure that can reduce or eliminate this growth. Some
commonly treated areas of the body include the back, chin
and neck. The treatment may also be employed for purely
cosmetic reasons or to reduce the time spent on personal
grooming.

How It Works

Each hair grows out of follicle, which is a small sac-like
structure located in the lower layers of the skin. The
follicle produces the hair itself, but also provides the
pigment or melanin that gives the hair its color, much the
same way pigment colors the skin. The laser, a focused
beam of light, destroys the pigment in the hair and damages
the follicle that grows the hair. This impedes, though may
not entirely eliminate future hair growth. As darker colors
absorb light much more easily than lighter colors, laser
hair removal tends to be effective only for black or dark
brown hair.

During the Procedure

Laser hair removal is considered to be a generally painless
procedure, so patients are not typically given a general
anesthetic. In some cases, the physician may give a topical
anesthetic to spread on the skin prior to the procedure.
Patients are given protective eye-wear to avoid accidental
damage to their eyes by the laser. A small, hand-held device
that produces the laser will be applied to the skin in the
areas where hair needs to be removed. The light from the
laser will penetrate the top layers of skin and damage the
targeted hair follicles. The length of the procedure varies
by the size of the area that needs treatment, but typically
ranges from several minutes to several hours.

Recovery

Laser hair removal is an outpatient procedure and considered minimally invasive. The recovery period lasts about one week and patients are advised to keep the treated area protected from direct exposure to sunlight. Aside from avoiding sunlight exposure, patients can proceed with their normal activities. Some sensitivity or a stinging sensation may occur in the treated areas, but these symptoms typically resolve themselves within a few days. Other symptoms that may occur include redness and minor swelling.

Limits

Hair follicles are not always active and the procedure does
not tend to treat inactive follicles. It can take multiple
sessions over a period of several months in order to halt the majority of follicles in a given area. In some cases, the follicles do not stop growing hair, but the hair that does grow is lighter in color and less coarse. This makes the hair less noticeable and may prove sufficient for some patients. Patients with darker complexions may be advised against receiving laser hair removal since the laser cannot
distinguish between dark hair pigment and dark skin pigment. The treatment can leave darkly complected patients with areas of lighter skin.

Safety

When performed correctly, laser hair removal is a very safe
procedure. Nonetheless, the lasers used in the procedure can cause burns to the skin when used inappropriately or by people with limited experience and training. While some boutiques or salons offer laser treatment, the safest course of action is to set up an appointment with a qualified physician. Many plastic surgeons that focus on cosmetic surgery offer laser hair removal, as do some dermatologists. Some physicians will have a PA (physician�s assistant) or a nurse on their staff perform the procedure. In these cases, be sure that a physician is readily available at the office in the event a problem occurs.