Everything You Need To Know About Laser Hair Removal // BloomMe HK
Waxing, shaving, plucking, and wearing leggings in summer are no longer the only way to avoid legs as prickly as a cactus. The emergence of IPL and laser hair removal seem almost too good to be true. Permanent hair reduction from just a few zaps from a giant machine? Where’s the sign up sheet! Before you dive onto the therapists table, here at Bloom Me we aim to answer all your burning questions about IPL and laser treatment.
What is IPL?
A form of light therapy used for hair removal and other dermatological procedures, IPL stands for “intense pulsed light”. IPL uses multiple wavelengths between 500 and 1,200 nanometers that scatter the skin.
Sometimes this treatment is referred to as IPL Laser Treatment, which is a little misleading as there are no lasers at this disco.
What is laser treatment?
Laser hair removal involves one single beam that enters the skin to reach the base of the follicle.
How do Lasers work?
In a nutshell, laser treatment exposes the hair follicle to pulses of laser light destroying it. IPL uses a scattered spectrum of light that only reaches shallow layers of the skin, with only some layers of the IPL reaching the hair follicle.
Am I a good candidate for hair removal?
The effectiveness of the treatment depends entirely on your skin tone and hair colour. The best combination for effective hair removal is pale skin, dark hair. Unfortunately, fair hair such as blonde, red, or even grey cannot be zapped away. IPL is not effective on dark skin, however some laser treatments will be able to work.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not undergo either treatment.
I just got back from a holiday in the Bahamas, can I get zapped?
No. Never. Don’t even think about it.
These treatments make your skin very hot, and if you’re sunburnt the last thing you need is more heat. Wait at least four weeks for your hair removal treatment after being in the sun. IPL and laser both target pigment in the skin and it can cause scarring. The same goes for fake tan.
How many treatments will I need?
How long is a piece of string?
Generally you will need around 6-8 sessions depending on your complexion, hair growth, and the area being zapped. Your therapist will advise you on how much time you will need to wait in between sessions with lengths varying from 4-8 weeks. As with any beauty treatment, ask questions and find out what works for you and your body.
What do I need to do to prep for a treatment?
Always get a patch test from the clinic before your treatment.
The biggest rule when undergoing any kind of permanent hair removal is to arrive at the clinic with the area shaved. This means shaving the night before and not shaving last week and hoping that the hair doesn’t grow back. Make sure you exfoliate and shave, not wax, the night before the appointment. Also, don’t arrive at the clinic with any deodorant, makeup, moisturiser, or carnival face paint.
Is it going to hurt?
Have you ever had your forearms waxed? It’s kind of similar to that level of pain. Not too unbearable, but not completely absent. The sensation has been described to someone flicking a hot rubber band against your skin over and over again, but remember your therapist will put numbing/cooling cream on your skin before the treatment.
If the pain is too much, just ask your therapist to stop the treatment. Remember, it is an appointment, not a condemnation to hell. You are free to leave at any time.
I have been zapped, what aftercare do I need to observe?
So you’ve been to your first session, kudos to you! That didn’t hurt did it?
Be sure to put on some Aloe Vera gel to soothe any hot skin. Also slather that area in sunscreen for the next week at least.
Avoid hot showers, saunas, and hot yoga sessions after your treatment. It’s also a good excuse to stay inside with the air-conditioning.