What is a laser hair reduction treatment?

The most effective and gold standard laser in Laser Hair Reduction is 810 nm Diode laser as it is safe for all skin types including dark skin. Satya Skin & Hair Clinic is using Diode laser for LHR in most of its patients.

The other effective lasers for Laser Hair reduction are:

• 1064 nm Nd:Yag laser
• 694 nm Ruby Laser
• 755 nm Alexandrite Laser
• IPLZ

Laser hair reduction should always be done under the supervision of an experienced dermatologist. Prior to starting the treatment sessions, our dermatologists take a detailed history to find out if there is any medical reason for excess hair and also rule out any contra-indications for laser treatment. Certain blood investigations and ultrasound may also be suggested by the doctor, if required. They also help to clear any doubts which you might have about LHR & guide you regarding the precautions and aftercare required with this treatment.

The minimum age to start Laser hair reduction at Satya Skin & Hair Clinic in Delhi is 15 years.

The hair follicle is sensitive to LHR only during the anagen/ growth phase of the hair cycle. As all hairs are not in the anagen phase of the hair cycle at the same time, we need repeat sessions to target all the hairs.

An average of 8 sessions is required for effective hair reduction by laser. Some body areas respond faster while other areas may respond at a slower pace. Patients with underlying hormonal imbalance like PCOS may need a higher number of sessions.

A session of Laser hair reduction is needed every 4-6 weeks for the initial 4-5 sessions. Later, this gap usually increases to once in 8-10 weeks in most patients. The repeat session is done only when the patient experiences regrowth of hair in the treated areas.

The effect of Laser hair reduction may last for a few months or few years or it may last lifelong. The results vary in different individuals and also vary with different areas of the body treated. Females with hirsutism and PCOS may need maintenance sessions once in 3-6 months even after completing the initial regular monthly sessions of LHR.

The laser technologies used in hair reduction are approved by USFDA, so there is no risk from the laser itself. But you have to be sure that the person who is doing your laser hair removal treatment has appropriate training and expertise to handle the laser machine. It is always safer to get Laser hair removal at a dermatologist’s clinic rather than going to a salon or spa.

The most common side effects expected after an LHR session is mild redness, swelling and discomfort of the treated area. This usually subsides in less than 24 hours. Bacterial infection of hair roots called folliculitis might occur in a few patients if proper hygiene is not maintained during the treatment or by the patient after the treatment. A very less common side effect which might occur is burning or blistering of the treated area leading to pigmentary changes and/or scarring. This occurs only if incorrect parameters are chosen for the treatment. Paradoxical hypertrichosis may occur in a few patients after LHR using IPL technology.

Laser hair removal treatment sessions should be avoided in following conditions:
Pregnancy Active infections in the areas to be treated
Skin disease like psoriasis, lichen planus, vitiligo
If the area to be treated has a tattoo
Unrealistic expectations of the patient
Recent tan or sunburn of the area to be treated
Patient is taking photosensitizing or immunosuppressive medicines
Keloidal tendency in the patient
Personal or family history of skin cancer

Laser hair reduction has practically no downtime, a few patients may have mild redness and swelling which usually subsides in less than 24 hours.

Laser hair removal treatment is not painful at all, you may only feel some heat during the treatment. The handpiece of the laser machine which comes in contact with the skin has an inbuilt cooling mechanism so that the treatment becomes a very comfortable and pain free experience.

The duration of a session depends on the area to be treated, a small area like upper lip may take only 5 minutes while full body laser hair removal may need upto 3 hours.

Laser hair reduction can be done for any part of the body from where you would like to get rid of hair permanently. A large number of patients now opt for full body laser hair removal in Delhi. Beard reshaping by Laser and unibrow/ monobrow treatment is very common treatment sought by our male clients. Laser hair reduction for bikini area and laser hair reduction for underarms are also becoming increasingly popular in Delhi.

A hair needs to have melanin pigment for a laser to work on it. Laser hair reduction works best on dark, coarse hair as these have the highest amount of melanin. White hair, recently bleached hair, very fine light hair (peach fuzz) may not respond to lasers.

Lasers used for hair reduction do not emit any harmful ionizing rays like X-rays or UV rays. The laser light is proven to be safe, the only precaution is to use protective eyewear by both patient and the therapist.