One of the best parts of winter when youre a woman is not having to shave your legs as often! Were bundled up in leggings and long pants and no one sees our legs anyway (or maybe youre just as good about shaving in the winter as you are in the summer, in which case kudos to you). So while that particular part of our beauty regimen loses importance as the temperature drops, winter is actually an excellent time to consider an alternative to shaving: laser hair removal.
What Is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal involves using pulsating light from a laser to kill hair follicles (especially follicles that produce dark, coarse hair that stands out on your skin). The dark pigment in the hair follicle absorbs the heat energy from the laser, effectively destroying the follicle and preventing future hair from growing back. Its an excellent alternative to shaving, waxing, threading, and is less expensive and time-consuming than electrolysis.
Why Should I Get It In the Winter?
Laser hair removal requires an average of six to eight sessions, spaced out with six to eight weeks between each session. Doing all the sessions will result in an 80 to 90 percent reduction of hair growth in the treatment area. Hair grows in cycles of several weeks, and all the hairs on your legs dont grow at the same cycle. So while some hairs are dark and mature and therefore susceptible to the laser, other follicles might be dormant and start growing after your treatment. Because of the cycle of hair growth, each session only removes about 30 percent of the hairs. After you complete all the sessions, you will need to come back in for a few touch-up sessions to get any hairs that were missed.
By starting your treatments in the winter, youll get through the bulk of your treatments while its too cold to be wearing shorts or shorter skirts. Winter and spring arent seasons known for being shorts weather, after all! When summer comes around and its finally hot enough to break out your bathing suit or short-shorts, youll be almost done with your treatment sessions and wont have any trouble showing off those legs! If there are any areas of hair that are still noticeable, you can shave those small spots because shaving leaves the follicle intact for the laser to target. Just dont wax or sugar the area because that removes the follicle and doesnt leave the laser anything to remove.
Winter is also the time when we spend most of our time indoors, so were not outside tanning or visiting the tanning bed. The paler your skin is, the more of a contrast there is between the dark hair and the skin surface, and the more effective the laser hair removal treatments will be. Take advantage of how pale you might get in the winter by using the time to permanently get rid of unwanted hair!
Who Is The Best Candidate For Laser Hair Removal?
The best candidate for laser hair removal will have lighter skin and darker, coarser hair. The contrast between skin and hair makes the laser more effective because it can easily target the follicle. Blonde or grey hairs generally wont be affected by the laser. Patients with darker skin might also not see the results they desire. The aesthetician performing the laser hair removal will be able to tell you if theres a big enough contrast between skin and hair to have laser hair removal done.
What is Laser Hair Removal Like?
The treatment is very quick, and can often be done over a lunch hour depending on the size of the treatment area. The laser is targeted at the area of unwanted hair, light pulses at the hair follicles, and the laser is then moved and the process repeated on all available hairs. Some clients report no discomfort, others say it feels like a rubberband being snapped on the skin. After the treatment, there might be some slight redness or swelling, like that of a light sunburn. The aesthetician can provide some cooling cream or a cool compress to help with any discomfort.
If you have any questions or want to schedule a session of laser hair removal in Northern Virginia, call our office at (703) 574-2588!