Am I a candidate for laser hair removal?
Laser hair removal is not for everyone. The absolute requirement is that one's hair must be darker than the surrounding skin. Additionally very darkly pigmented people absorb too much laser energy in their skin and are not ideal candidates. Tanned patients with light hair are not candidates. Tanned patients with dark hair should wait until their tan fades before they are treated. Lastly the treatment cost should be within reach of the patient. Laser hair removal, although much less expensive than electrolysis, requires multiple treatments.

What will it cost for laser hair removal for me?
Treatment cost varies with the size of the area treated. Experienced laser centers, which have developed expertise in laser hair removal, generally average about $500 per treatment session, with an average of four treatment sessions initially recommended. Large areas, such as the entire back, or the entire legs, cost considerably more than this. Small areas, such as the upper lip, can be less. Individual consultation with the laser center is necessary to obtain exact pricing.

Influence of skin color on laser hair removal.
Light skin makes laser hair removal easier to perform. Fewer treatments are required, and better, faster results are obtained. People with darker skin can be treated, but results are slower, more sessions are required, and greater expertise is required on the part of the laser center. Laser hair removal must be individualized for each patient.

Influence of hair color on laser hair removal.
Dark hair absorbs more laser energy and is easier to treat. Coarse dark hair responds the best to laser treatment. Light hair is more difficult to treat. Blonde or red hair is very difficult to treat. Multiple treatment sessions are required, and results are variable. Blonde or red hair usually contains pheomelanin, which absorbs laser energy less avidly than the eumelanin pigment which is present in black or brown hair.

Laser hair removal requires multiple treatments.
Although one laser session can produce long-term hair removal, as a rule multiple treatment sessions are necessary to obtain optimal results. In large part this is due to the fact that laser hair removal is most effective for hair which is in the anagen phase. Anagen is the growth phase of hair. Since hair grows in cycles, not all of the hairs are in anagen at any given time. Additional sessions are necessary to catch all of the hairs when they are in anagen.

What areas can be treated?
Any area, except adjacent to the eye, where there is excess hair. The most common areas requested are the face, upper lip, neck, chest, periareolar, underarms, back, abdomen, bikini line, and legs.

About permanent hair reduction by laser.
Waxing, shaving, and plucking all produce hair removal which is temporary. Several of the newer lasers have clearly documented that there is permanent hair reduction after each treatment. The FDA has approved several lasers for permanent hair reduction, and more results with additional lasers are pending. The results tend to be additive, i.e. more treatments lead to greater degrees of permanent hair reduction. For any given patient results cannot be precisely predicted. Results can be variable, even with the best lasers.

Pulsed light and laser hair removal.
Intense pulsed light devices can produce effective hair removal. Although these devices are not lasers, they are "laser equivalents", utilizing the same principle of selective photothermolysis to achieve hair removal. These devices are in practice more difficult to adjust than lasers and require great expertise for their proper use.

Myths 1: Guarantees in laser hair removal.
It is impossible to predict the exact result a patient will achieve with laser hair removal, especially with regard to how many sessions a given individual will require. Many of the hair removal clinics which guaranteed results have gone out of business. Like most reputable medical practices, the most established laser hair removal practices do not guarantee results.

Myths 2: Discount laser hair removal clinics.
Established medical centers with excellent reputations do not discount their fees. Patients know their reputations and rely upon their experience and expertise. The same is true for laser hair removal. Consumers are advised, as with all forms of medical care, to seek the center of highest quality, rather than lowest cost. Laser hair removal requires exacting science, individual attention, experience, and a trained, caring, professional staff.

Myths 3: Laser hair removal limitation of effectiveness.
Contrary to the statements of those unfamiliar with this new technology, laser hair removal is effective when properly performed for the great majority of candidates. Non-responders are usually limited to those with blonde or red hair.

Qualifications of laser hair removal personnel.
Requirements vary by state. In California laser hair removal can only be performed by a licensed M.D., R.N, or Nurse Practitioner. Electrologists, Medical Assistants, and other unlicensed personnel cannot perform laser hair removal.

Importance of experience in selecting a laser hair removal facility.
Experience is crucial in selecting the proper laser parameters to use for any given area for any individual patient. Centers with the most experience generally have the best results.

Tanning and laser hair removal.
Tanning and laser hair removal are not compatible. Tanning prior to the procedure will necessitate turning the laser power down, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the treatment.

Adverse treatment reactions.
Pigmentary change of the skin treated can occur, including either dark or light areas. Pigmentary changes may persist for months, but are almost always temporary. They are very rare in patients with fair skin who are untanned. Blisters and burns are rare but occasionally occur, particularly in patients with dark skin.

Diet and laser hair removal.
Diet is generally unrelated, except for Beta-Carotene, which interferes with the treatment.

Beta-Carotene and laser hair removal.
Beta Carotene, found in carrots, vitamin A supplements, squash, and other vegetables, is deposited in the skin, producing a subtle orange or yellow color in the skin. This pigment absorbs laser energy, preventing it from reaching the hair follicle, and increasing the absorption of laser energy in the skin. Beta carotene persists for months after ingestion. Patients interested in the best results from laser hair removal will benefit from discontinuation of the use of all forms of beta carotene.

Laser hair removal and children.
Laser hair removal is successful for children but it does require their cooperation.

Laser hair removal for African-Americans.
The darker one's skin, the more difficult it is to obtain adequate results from laser hair removal. The darker one's skin the more sessions one requires and the greater the chance of an adverse result. New lasers (2004 and after) available at specialized laser hair removal centers can now provide effective laser hair removal for most patients, now matter what their skin type.

Laser hair removal for other people of color.
The best results are obtained when the hair to be treated is considerably darker than the surrounding skin. Also coarse hair is easier to remove. Fine, light hair in people of color is difficult to remove.

Who should not have laser hair removal.
Patients with a recently acquired dark tan. Blondes or redheads with any recent tan. People of color with fine, light hair. Anyone who cannot afford multiple sessions(one treatment is rarely adequate).

How to assess a laser hair removal facility.
Research the qualifications of the Medical Director of the facility. Is he or she Board Certified? Are all personnel performing the procedure licensed physicians or Registered Nurses? Is the atmoshere professional? Remember this is a medical procedure, and should be selected with the same care you give to selecting a surgeon.