Hair removal with laser treatments is done with a laser beam that emits light energy to reduce excessive hair growth and with the aim of eventually eliminating it completely. The laser's single-spectrum light produces heat in the melanin pigment in the hair shaft. Melanin is the substance that gives your hair and skin their color. The heat travels through the melanin to the hair follicle, a tiny sac inside the skin that grows hair. As the follicle inflames from the laser, it goes dormant and stops hair growth. Laser hair removal can last months or it can last years, as long as a series of treatments are performed. A laser is a medical device that emits high-energy light directed at a specific target"in this case, the pigment in the hair shaft. Laser treatment of hair growth is performed by a doctor or a nurse with special training. The lasers used in this procedure are hand-held. There are several different types of hair removal devices that use light. In addition to lasers, there are intense pulsed light (IPL) devices. IPL isnt technically laser because it uses multicolored light in microsecond bursts, while laser emits light of a single color on the spectrum. Both types of devices have advantages and disadvantages. The choice of device to use for treatment depends on the doctors assessment of the individual patient. To be successful, the laser treatment must target the hair shaft while not heating the melanin in the surrounding skin area. An experienced treatment professional is well aware of this risk and will closely monitor the laser beam to avoid harming the patient. The precision needed for a successful treatment is the reason that laser hair removal is classified as a medical procedure. Although some patients experience discomfort during laser hair removal, the difficulty of the procedure depends on many factors: * the body region where treatment occurs. Sensitive skin is more likely to react to laser treatment. * the thickness and color of the hair to be treated. Darker hair increases the risk of skin reaction, particularly if the skin is also dark. *the number of previous treatments that the patient has had. With each treatment, the process gets easier. * the individual's physical and mental tolerance for discomfort. Doctors have remarked that that patients seldom abandon treatment due to discomfort. At least three treatments are recommended for laser hair removal patients. A typical series of treatments consists of four to seven sessions, one every month to two months, to produce 80 percent elimination of hair from the treatment area. These figures may vary with individual patients, and once in a while an unlucky individual may find that he or she simply can't get lasting results from the therapy. Maintenance treatments may be needed once or twice a year to keep the hair from growing back. The need for maintenance depends greatly on the patients hair growth pattern and thickness. Patients who suffer from hormone imbalances and other medical conditions are more likely to need maintenance. The challenge of removing light hair from dark skin has become less of a problem as hair removal techniques advance, but it still requires advanced skills on the part of the treating physician. Both skin and hair contain the same pigment, melanin, that transmits heat. If the skin contains more melanin than the hair shaft, it will heat up faster than the hair does during treatment. Patients with darker skin were considered in the past to be ineligible for laser treatment, but today several techniques exist to achieve at least partial hair reduction these patients too. The cost of laser hair removal is high, but so is patient satisfaction. Most laser clinics offer payment plan options to cover this cosmetic procedure. Prices for a single treatment run in the neighborhood of $429 according to nationally averaged figures from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Depending on the area of the body being treated, the clinic's own price schedule, and whether you live in a rural or urban area will produce widely varying price figures.
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