Did you know that laser hair removal was actually originally made only for people who had dark hair? The lasers that were used did not work with lighter hair colors. The good news is that laser hair removal has come a long way over time. Now, even people who have light hair can have good results from the procedure. Knowing how the procedure works is important when it comes to being knowledgeable about laser hair removal for light hair.
How Laser Hair Removal Works
Laser hair removal uses a laser beam to target your hair follicles and destroy them from the follicle. While the beam does damage your hair follicles, it is safe enough to use it on the skin because it does this without causing damage to the skin around the follicles. While it does not get rid of all of the hair with a single treatment, it can really cut down on the amount of hair you have.
Subsequent laser hair removal treatments can help you to get closer to getting rid of all of your unwanted hair. Just remember, it is not a one-time shot type thing. You will have to maintain the procedure ongoing to keep the hair from coming back. The results, however, are long lasting. Most dermatologists claim that it is semi-permanent, which is one of the best ways to describe it.
Types of Lasers Used for Laser Hair Removal for Light Hair
Just as we talked about before,
laser hair removal for light hair is actually done using a special type of laser. These lasers run with higher intensity to help pick up even the lightest of hair colors. This is also the type of laser that is used on people that have grey hair. Regular lasers used on people with darker hair rely on the pigmentation that is in the hair, and since light hair doesn’t have much pigmentation, it makes sense that it would require a different type of laser source.
Most laser hair removal clinics will have different types of lasers that they use on different pigmentations of hair color and skin complexions. This is to simply ensure that the best results yield from the procedure.
Will it Remove All of the Hair?
We already discussed that getting all of your unwanted hair removed would take multiple visits, but it is also important to understand that the lasers are not designed to target all types of hair. That’s right, there is more than one type of hair. Thicker hairs that are found on your legs, under your arms, and in your bikini area are the hairs that are targeted by the lasers. Fine hairs, also called baby hairs, are not even really that noticeable and cover much of our entire body. These hairs are not affected by the laser, so you shouldn’t expect them to disappear no matter how many treatments you receive.
How Hair Growth Cycles Can Affect Results
Hair really actually grows in cycles. There are three different cycles of hair growth. They include the
anagen cycle, the
catagen cycle, and the
telogen cycle. During the active phase of the cycle, the anagen phase, your hair is experiencing growth. During the next phase, the catagen phase, the hair follicles begin to die. This makes the growth of the hair slow way down until it reaches the telogen phase. This is when the hair stops growing all together. Then, the cycle will just repeat itself over and over.
Since your hair grows in cycles, it can affect the results of your laser hair removal. This is true for people with both light and dark hair. Different follicles will go through the cycles at different times. This is why it may seem like your hair is growing back differently in different areas. This is because it is, in a sense. This is also why you have to have multiple treatments to ensure that you target all of the hair follicles in their active phase.
It is a good idea to wait at least six to eight weeks between procedures to ensure that your hair has time to cycle through the phases. This also gives your skin time to heal between procedures so that it does not get overworked by the laser beams and cause permanent damage to your skin.
Side Effects of Laser Hair Removal for Light Hair
When it comes down to it, laser hair removal is now safe for people with both dark and lighter hair colors. The good news is that there are not really that many side effects that you should worry about, and the most common risks are not very severe and usually go away pretty quickly. Some of the
most common side effects include:
- skin irritations
- pain or swelling
- blistering
- pigmentation changes
- scarring
Discuss any potential side effects with your dermatologist so that you can see whether or not it may be a good procedure for you to try to get rid of your unwanted hair.
To avoid any dangerous risks, make sure that you see someone who specializes in laser hair removal. This means to see your dermatologist or go to a laser hair removal center that has a team of specialists who have been through special training. This is important, because letting an amateur try to do a laser procedure on you can really be dangerous. Too much could go wrong.
When it comes down to it,
laser hair removal for light hair is definitely doable. You just have to make sure that you have it done correctly. This means ensuring that you are working with a professional who knows the right type of laser machine to use to effectively target light colored hair. You also have to make sure that you know the ins and outs of how the procedure actually works so that you can have the most effective results possible.
