Do you have unwanted dark coarse hair?  Are you tired of waxing and plucking and shaving?  Have you outgrown ingrown hairs?  Do you loath shaving a part of body daily? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to keep reading!

Permanent hair reduction can be achieved with a series of quick laser procedures and is available at Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa in Peru, IL.  We asked Dr. Norris to give us the facts on this scientifically proven hair reduction method.

Who is a good candidate for laser hair reduction?

“Anyone with an area of unwanted dark coarse hair over age 18 can have laser hair reduction.  The laser that we use is safe for all skin types.  If you would like to shave an area of your body less or not at all, that grows this type of hair, you are a good candidate!”

How does it work?

“Laser hair removal does not work on blonde, red, white, or grey hair because the laser energy is only attracted to the dark pigment in the hair follicle.  The energy from the laser travels down the dark brown/black hair follicle and destroys the hair follicle stem cell at the base under the skin, therefore causing that hair follicle to stop growing permanently.  On average, patients require 6 treatments separated by 4-8 weeks to achieve a satisfactory amount of hair reduction in an area.  Hair on the face grows more quickly and is treated every 4 weeks, verses hair on the back and legs has a growth cycle of every 8 weeks.  It is important that we stay on schedule with these intervals for the treatment to be effective.  It is also imperative that you do not pull out the root of the hair in the area we are treating during the time you are coming in for laser hair reduction treatments. You may shave, but you should not pluck or wax or thread your unwanted hair to assure the best possible results.”

How does it feel?

  “The energy that comes from the laser is heat energy, so most patients describe the treatment as a series of warm rubber band snaps.  Our laser has a cooling system that is touching the skin during the treatment, which makes it extremely tolerable. The laser we use in our office for hair reduction was engineered solely for this purpose. It is the fastest, most painless, and safest laser for hair removal available in the US.”

What areas do you commonly treat?

“Areas of the body most commonly treated with laser hair reduction include the face, neck, back, chest, underarms, bikini, arms, and legs.  The procedure is quick and relatively painless with no downtime.  It is important that the area being treating has not had significant sun exposure, tanning bed exposure, or spray tan exposure in the last 2 weeks prior to treatment.”

Is laser hair reduction safe?

It is safe if it is done in a physician’s office and safety protocols are followed.  We ask our patients to come in for a brief consultation and a test spot prior to starting their series of treatments.  The test spot means that we choose settings for your skin type and then fire the laser once on the area we plan to treat.  By seeing the skin and the hair’s reaction to the laser energy, we can tell if it is a safe and effective setting for the patient.  Everyone in the laser room wears goggles to protect their eyes from the laser light.

What can I expect long term? 

“After your initial series of treatments, you will have noticeably less dark coarse hair.  You will rarely need to shave.  Over time, you may notice a few dark hairs that potentially were missed in the first round of treatments or due to hormone changes you may have some new growth.  Patients can come in for another treatment at any time after their initial series of treatments if they desire which we call a “touch-up”.  Laser Hair Reduction in our office has an extremely high long term patient satisfaction rate!”

If you are ready to be Hair Free and Care-Free, contact Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa for your laser hair removal consultation!