Ditch the razor, embrace the laser.

Laser hair removal isn’t a new “thing.” Chances are you’ve heard about it from someone, or seen advertisements for it or maybe you’ve even thought about giving it a try. Its established reputation for being an amazing, life-changing addiction and treatment should be reason enough to ditch your razor and embrace that laser, but we are still going to give you the low down on why you need laser hair removal and what you need to know about it.

First things first, let’s chat about how this process actually works. This is performed by trained specialists only. Pulses of highly concentrated light are emitted from the lasers into the hair follicles. The pigment in the follicles absorbs the light and then destroys the hair. It takes a few times to get through all cycles of growth because only follicles in the active growth phase absorb the heat when the light hits the skin. Because of this, one treatment will affect 85% of the hairs in the targeted area. Some lasers are suitable only for light-skinned patients with dark hair, however, at Germain Dermatology, we have the GentleYAG and GentleLASE, both of which work for light-skinned and dark-skinned individuals.

A big dilemma for people when it comes to this procedure is the cost. Years ago, the cost for the treatment was much more expensive and could run thousands just for one appointment. It was also a much newer process so it wasn’t nearly as common. People couldn’t imagine spending thousands of dollars for something they weren’t even sure would work, or last for that matter. Now, the cost is less, but still dependent on the size of the area you are looking to have your hair removed. If you want your legs treated, it’s going to be much more money than just getting your underarms.

At Germain Dermatology, it’s $600 per treatment for full legs and $300 for lower legs only. It’s $250 per treatment for the bikini line and $150 per treatment for underarms. You can always call in and find out the cost for any other areas you are looking to have hair removed, but these are the most commonly sought after. Even though you’ll be paying some money upfront, after you’ve completed the appropriate amount of appointments your results are permanent, so you won’t be paying for long. Plus, you won’t be buying razors anymore, and think of all the time you’ll save without having to worry about shaving.

Next up; pain, pain go away. Several people who decide to commit to the laser were previously avid waxers. If waxing isn’t painful upkeep, I’m not sure what is. The good news is, laser hair removal is considered half as painful as waxing. Of course, everyone has a different pain threshold, but the process is relatively easy and is compared to a quick prick on the skin over and over during the treatment. Each body part you have the removal will feel different since as you know each area of skin has different sensitivities. Each treatment will be less and less intense, too, as the hair is eliminated, so you can expect any sensitivities you may have to dwindle down as time goes on.

Here’s what you can expect for your hair removal appointment. First things first, you need to set up a consultation prior to any procedures, which is free of charge. Then, once we establish what you’ll be having done, you can get a price for your treatments and set up your first appointment. You should not pluck, wax, or shave for the six weeks leading up to your laser hair removal and it’s also recommended you avoid sun exposure on the area during that time as well. You can use sunless tanners but should stop applying these products up to two weeks prior. You should shave the area to be treated 24 hours before your procedure.

During your treatment, you could feel slight discomfort, but it depends on the person and sensitivities to pain as previously mentioned. The majority of patients say the discomfort is very minimal. There’s the possibility of some redness or swelling on the treated area after, but not everyone experiences this and it should subside quickly. You could begin seeing results right away and then more improvement over the next few weeks. The treatment is pretty quick so you don’t need to allow too much time for your appointments. There is also no “downtime.”

You can remove hair pretty much from any area. Common spots are legs, underarms, bikini area, and facial hair. If you don’t want your entire leg done you can also do lower legs only. Call us for more.