The facts and myths about laser hair removal

 

Hair growth is an essential part of the human body but for women, it is a never-ending issue requiring frequent waxing and threading. Some ladies suffer from the issue of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) which causes the darkening of skin after the application of waxing or threading. The good news is that the PIH in this case is epidermal and can be treated.

If you are facing severe issues of PIH due to waxing and threading, the only option you have is to try a laser treatment. Laser treatment is a safe treatment and no side effects are associated with it if you select the right clinic for the treatment. There are some important points that need to be considered if you want to opt for a laser hair removal option.

• There are no limitations on the number of treatment sessions. Those who claim that you will get the desired results in 4 to 6 sittings are swindlers. Every skin reacts differently to laser treatment. I, myself, took the sessions every month for consecutive three years to get the best results.
• After achieving the desired results, it is very important to avoid waxing and threading over the treated area otherwise, the thickening of hair starts again. Moreover, maintenance sessions are needed after every six months or once a year to maintain the results. The time and frequency of maintenance sessions depend upon the light hair growth you experience.
• When you begin treatment, it is always a good idea to ask your doctor to begin with low frequency (less heat) and gradually keep on increasing the frequency in every session so that your skin gets used to it. It is safe to say that use your first three to four sessions as a testing session to determine the right frequency of your skin without getting the negative effects of laser treatment.
• The laser works by heating and damaging the hair follicle. It does not work like waxing. So  after treatment, you may experience rough skin for a week or two. This is due to broken hair which are still inside your skin and slowly making their way to shed through the damaged follicle.
• After laser treatment, if you feel the hair looks darker than usual then there is no need to worry. This is not a symbol of more hair growth. The dark pores which you see are the hair stuck in your follicles. They keep on shedding with every wash and eventually get lighter with every session.
• If you do not observe any hair shedding after the first treatment, ask the doctor to increase the frequency (heat level) in the next session and keep on doing this thing in every session until you experience the best shedding of hair (smooth skin) after each treatment.
• The time between two sessions must be at least one month so that your skin can get time for healing from the first session.
• It is always necessary to use hydrocortisone cream after the session and for the next two days. Ask the doctor to give you the cream right after the session before stepping out of the clinic otherwise keep the ‘Fucidin H’ cream with you and apply it right after the session. This cream helps to prevent the burning and irritation in skin that occurs due to treatment.
• Use the hydrocortisone cream only for two to three days as the longer application of these creams may damage the skin as well.
• Feeling a burning sensation after a session for a day or two is quite common and not a thing to worry about. Just use a cube of ice to soothe your skin.
• Sometimes, heat absorption in hair, especially when they are long and dense causes slight burn marks and streaks on your treated skin area. These burn marks disappear after some time without leaving permanent marks. The application of hydrocortisone cream also helps to remove these marks.
• The length of hair for treatment must not be more than 1 to 2 cm. If you have long hair it is advisable to trim them before the treatment so that you must not get burn marks.
• If you feel pain due to laser treatment then ask the doctor to numb your skin before the session.
• Always try to get a laser session from a certified cosmetic surgeon. It is not advisable to get these treatments from beauty salons and regular parlors.

The best laser centers in Lahore, which I myself tested are:

• Ali Razi
• Masood Hospital
• Evercare Hospital

For the PIH which you have experienced due to waxing use Melaneez Cream on the body except the face. As melaneez cream consists of a small amount of alpha arbutin which is a form of hydroquinine, it is safe not to use on the face. 

This cream is available in two packages, purple and white. purple contains glycolic acid while white contains sodium ascorbyl phosphate. Both variants are equally effective and safe to use on pigmented skin.  For purchasing the product please visit the link

Another cream that you can use for the removal of PIH is Glyco-Aid which is a 30% glycolic acid. It is an exfoliating agent and can be used on the face and body; but if you suffer from acne issues, then it should not be applied to acne-prone areas. For purchasing the product please visit the link

If you have PIH on your face and have acne-prone skin then apply a light amount of max diff cream only on affected areas. This contains hyaluronic acid which is quite less concentrated than other AHA acids. For purchasing the product please visit the link