Unwanted facial or body hair is difficult to live with, and even though you may feel like it’s a necessary evil, we want you to know that it doesn’t have to be. You can live hair-free and never have to use razors, schedule waxing appointments, or pluck those bothersome hairs if you don’t want to. At the Laser Center of Marin in Corte Madera, CA, we offer laser hair removal treatments so that you can finally live the hair-free life of your dreams.
How Permanent Is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal treatments can permanently reduce hair growth by damaging the hair follicles in your treatment area. At The Laser Center of Marin, we take every measure to ensure that you can achieve permanent, hair-free results. We utilize a method called the TLC Concept, which is a process that helps our technician target the hair follicles that are active and growing.
By targeting hairs at the right time in their growth cycle and using the right laser treatment to destroy those follicles, we can achieve higher than a 95% success rate among our patients.
What Areas Can It Treat?
This treatment can effectively target hair anywhere on the body. The most common treatment areas include the legs, bikini zone, chest, back, underarms, upper lip, and chin, among others. If you have unwanted hair, chances are, we can help you eliminate it for good. If you have a specific area not mentioned, we will review your desired treatment areas with you during your initial consultation to confirm whether this treatment can help you reach your goals.
How Does It Work?
Laser hair removal treatments are so effective because they target hair growth at the source. They address the hair follicle, which is the source of hair growth. The laser energy will penetrate the hair follicle and, in doing so, destroy it so that it can no longer grow hair. Once all of those hair follicles have been destroyed, you’ll experience hair-free skin.
Destroying the Hair Follicle
The laser’s light is drawn to pigment, so when it penetrates the skin, it bypasses your skin’s surface and leaves the surrounding tissue unharmed. It zones in on the pigment of the follicle, and that light is absorbed by the pigment. The heat energy damages that follicle and prevents hair growth. It is a safe and effective way to permanently eliminate unwanted facial or body hair.
One of the reasons this treatment is so effective compared to other treatments like electrolysis is that it doesn’t target each hair follicle, one by one. Instead, it can treat large areas at once, and in doing so, can target hundreds of hair follicles so you can achieve your desired results even faster. The laser’s ability to target a widespread area will help you achieve your hair-free goals quickly so that you can enjoy living free of unwanted hair.
Our Lasers
At our office, we know that different patients have different skin types, tones, and needs. For that reason, we offer four different lasers. Each patient’s skin type requires a unique treatment plan and a laser that is best suited for their needs.
Our state-of-the-art lasers help us address all hair removal needs, whether you are of a light or dark complexion. During an initial consultation, we will learn more about your goals and then create your treatment plan with one of these lasers. We offer:
- The Lumenis Lightsheer Diode Laser
- The Palomar Vectus Diode Laser
- The Cutera ProWave 770
- The Cutera CoolGlide YAG Laser
How Many Treatments Will I Need?
Typically, we recommend that patients schedule three to six hair removal sessions per treatment area. There are some factors that will affect your results, including your hair texture, the rate at which your hair grows, and your treatment area. We can take each of these factors into account at your initial consultation so that you know exactly what to expect.
The Hair Growth Cycle
Your hair goes through three phases. There is a growth, regression, and resting phase. Not every hair follicle will be actively growing hair at the time of treatment. We have to take that into account to help you reach your goals and schedule additional treatments accordingly. Multiple treatments help us target each hair follicle when it is in an active growth phase so that we can disable that follicle and prevent it from growing new hair.
The reason that you may see continued hair growth after your treatment is that some hair follicles may not have been addressed during treatment because they were not in an active growth phase. Additional treatments can help target those specific hair follicles so that you can achieve your unwanted hair goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Prepare for My Treatment?
There are some ways that you can prepare for your treatment. We ask that patients avoid waxing, bleaching, plucking, and depilatory creams or electrolysis treatments for four weeks before their scheduled treatment. You can shave the hair in the treatment area since doing so will not affect the hair follicle in any way, just the length of your hair. We actually recommend that patients shave the area before the treatment.
How Long Are Treatment Sessions?
Laser hair removal treatments are quick. The laser can target hundreds of hair follicles at once in a short session. Treatments can take anywhere from five to 60 minutes to complete. Areas like the lip and chin may only take five minutes, while larger areas like the back and legs could take up to 60 minutes. We can give you a better idea of what you can expect during your initial consultation when we create your treatment plan.
Is It Painful?
When you come in for a laser hair removal treatment, we will take every measure to ensure that you remain comfortable throughout the treatment. We can apply a topical anesthetic if necessary to help ensure your comfort.
Is There Any Downtime?
There is no downtime associated with laser hair removal treatments, and you can resume your normal daily activities at your discretion once the treatment is complete. We advise patients to pay special attention to their treatment area for 12 to 24 hours post-treatment.
Avoid anything that could rub or scratch the treatment area, as well as hot water, soaking baths, and chlorinated pools. You can shave and exfoliate your treatment area within four to five days of your appointment.
Knowing What To Expect Post-Treatment
Within three to seven days of your treatment, you may notice continued hair growth, but that is completely normal. Those hairs will eventually be shed. Avoid waxing or plucking between your scheduled treatments since doing so could make the entire process take longer to complete.
Who Is a Candidate?
The best candidates for this treatment are men and women with dark hair and light skin. Since the laser light is attracted to pigment, the treatment does work best when there is the most contrast between the skin tone and hair color. In the past, only those with light skin and dark hair could qualify for treatment, but with all the advancements in technology, things have changed. More patients can benefit from this treatment than ever before.
Darker skin may be subject to pigmentation changes with the wrong laser treatment, which is why an initial consultation is so important. When you come in for your consultation, we will evaluate your hair color and skin tone to help determine which of our lasers will help you achieve your hair-free goals. We’ll take every factor into account to help choose the right laser for your skin and hair so that you can live hair-free.
Experience Life Hair-Free
Eliminating unwanted facial or body hair has never been easier thanks to our state-of-the-art lasers. You can live a life free of unwanted hair and the burden that comes with waxing, shaving, and plucking in just a few quick and virtually painless treatments. Contact us today at Laser Center of Marin in Corte Madera, CA, and schedule your initial consultation so that we can help choose the right laser for your skin tone and create your unique treatment plan.
