Women with excessive body or facial hair may consider laser hair removal as their preferred hair removal treatment. However, there are certain conditions that can prevent you from having a successful laser hair removal session. If hair growth is the result of a hormonal imbalance, laser hair removal may not work at all for excess facial and body hair. This can be especially true during pregnancy, when hormones tend to cause more hair growth.
The good news is that this usually goes away after birth or after breastfeeding ends. If not, laser hair removal could be an option, but it should be avoided while breastfeeding. Certain medications can also have side effects that make the skin more photosensitive, meaning it could react more negatively to changes such as laser hair removal. If this is the case, you might want to think about ways to fix the problem, such as taking a break from problem medication or switching to an alternative treatment.
Having a conversation with your GP will help you determine the right course of action for your needs. People with dark skin should not be prevented from undergoing laser hair removal treatment, but if you're also sun-tanned, it's important that it fades before you start working. Keloid scars occur when wounds don't heal properly and can be especially dangerous for anyone seeking laser hair removal. The skin is often raised, which can make it vulnerable during the procedure.
Laser hair removal is possible once the herpes virus is kept under control, but you will be asked to ensure that you have taken the prescribed medication and that the condition is in remission before the appointment. Rarely, laser hair removal can cause blisters, crusting, scarring, or other changes in skin texture. Other rare side effects include greying of treated hair or excessive hair growth around treated areas, especially on darker skin. The pigmentation of the hair follicles must be dark enough relative to the skin so that the laser can locate the hair follicles and burn them.
While most patients can experience up to a 90% reduction in hair growth (and even permanent hair removal with regular treatments), there are some factors that prevent a minority of patients from experiencing similar results. Although laser hair removal effectively slows hair growth for extended periods of time, it usually does not result in permanent hair removal. The first thing your laser hair removal professional should explain to you is the life cycle of hair and why exactly several treatments are necessary. For best results, it is essential that the patient follow an appropriate preparation protocol before a laser hair removal treatment.
The hard truth that most clinics and medical spas don't tell their patients is that laser hair treatment just isn't for everyone. During laser hair removal, the laser (intense rays of light that are projected onto the skin) is adjusted to target a specific pigmentation. Laser hair removal technology has made several advances in recent years, so there are still some clinics and medical spas that are not equipped with the latest devices on the market. If you think that excess hair could be related to a hormonal imbalance, consider getting a medical evaluation before laser treatment.
However, this isn't a precise science that laser hair removal professionals can always correctly identify. If the hair follicles have very little pigmentation (white hair, light red hair, or light blonde hair), it will be difficult for the laser to target them properly. Patients with light-induced epilepsy are generally discouraged from laser hair removal, unless they have a note from their family doctor authorizing the procedure. This also becomes a problem for patients with darker skin tones, as the hair and skin may be too similar in color for the laser to be effective properly.
In some cases, certain medical conditions or medications may prevent individuals from having successful laser hair removal. Hormonal imbalances due to pregnancy or breastfeeding can cause increased body and facial hair growth which may not respond well to laser treatments. Photosensitive medications can also make skin more vulnerable to changes caused by lasers and should be avoided prior to treatment. Darker skin tones may also make it difficult for lasers to target hairs accurately due to similar pigmentation between skin and hairs.
Additionally, keloid scars and light-induced epilepsy may require special precautions before undergoing laser hair removal. Blistering, crusting and scarring are rare side effects of this procedure but should still be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to pursue this type of treatment.
