There are two primary uses for lasers in cosmetic procedures: hair removal and skin treatment.
Laser Hair Removal
Having hair in unwanted places is not only a hassle, but it can make you self-conscious about the way you look. Laser hair removal is a simple, almost painless, and long-lasting way to get rid of unwanted hair.
How the process works is fairly straightforward. A high energy beam of light emitted by a laser is absorbed by the hair follicle. For only a fraction of a second, the laser is pulsed, or turned on, just long enough to treat the hair follicle without damaging the surrounding skin. The hair bulb at the base of the hair follicle is destroyed when the the laser light energy is transformed into heat and absorbed.
The colour of your hair depends on the presence of a pigment called melanin, which is produced by melanocytes, found in the hair bulb. This melanin pigment is the target for the laser energy in laser hair removal. Thus the more melanin an individual has in his/her hair, the more effective a laser's energy will be absorbed into the follicle and the better the results will be.
The treatment effectively slows hair growth, but does not guarantee permanent hair removal. It typically takes several treatments to provide relief from unwanted hair. As well, periodic maintenance treatments might be needed as well.
In hair removal treatments, the laser safely removes body hair without damaging the surrounding lighter skin.
In general, the procedure is painless. Possible symptoms, which are minor and curable, include: slight discomfort that feels like a rubber band against the skin may occur, and soreness or tenderness may accompany the healing process.
The best thing about laser hair removal is that the results are long-term. It may take several treatment sessions to completely rid yourself of unwanted hair, but once it is gone, in most cases, the effect will last. And any new hair growth is easily treatable.
Laser Skin Treatments
In contrast to hair removal, skin treatments involving lasers go beyond the upper layer of skin (epidermis) and targets below the second layer (dermis). There are various types of laser skin treatments and one very popular type is laser skin resurfacing. In this procedure a laser is gently used to help remove layers of damaged skin so that healthy skin can form in its place.
Laser skin treatments even out skin tone and reduce signs of aging, such as highly-visible veins, wrinkles, and blotchiness.
Another type of laser skin treatment works by penetrating the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin to build healthy new tissue underneath. The healthy tissue will reduce sagging skin and wrinkles, in no time at all, by repairing the elasticity and tightness that your skin once had.
The laser skin treatment process is hardly ever painful. And, the pain during healing is minimal in the majority of cases. Following the resurfacing session, your face will likely be red and a little swollen. This should subside in just a few days; Immediately after leaving the clinic, you can return to your normal life. It may take several procedures to achieve the desired results with laser skin treatment; the results might not be noticeable right away, but by the end of your sessions, you should notice changes in your skin.By Morgana Reichel