If you have unwanted hair on your chest, back, or elsewhere on your body, you may want to consider laser hair removal for a permanent solution. At Tru-Male Medical in Oak Brook, IL, we’re pleased to offer a range of services to help our patients boost their confidence and feel their best.
How Long Does Laser Hair Removal Last?
Permanent Reduction
Laser hair removal offers permanent benefits. One of the reasons we recommend a treatment series is to make sure all the follicles in the targeted area are thoroughly treated, which encourages the best results possible. Since the laser damages the treated hair follicles, the follicles’ ability to produce hair is permanently disabled or severely limited.
Once the series is complete, some patients never see hair again on their treated area. If you do get any hair growth after your treatment series, it should be very fine and thin, and the growth should be drastically slower and severely limited. Our goal is to give you great results, and we would be happy to give you a better idea of what you can expect when we meet with you.
Your Treatment Series
Until the area shows no sign of hair growth, we recommend that our patients come in every four to six weeks for a laser hair appointment. For lasting results, it’s important we work with your hair growth cycle. By spacing out your appointments, we can target the hair follicles while they’re active.
How many total treatments you’ll receive depends on several factors, some of which are difficult to predict until we meet you in person. Some patients find that five appointments is enough to thoroughly treat their desired area, while others may need more. Once we have a better understanding of where you’re receiving treatment and what your hair type is, we should be able to give you a more specific estimate.
Your Results
The goal of a series is to give you results that are smooth, even, and long-lasting. However, you will likely start noticing the benefits of your treatment long before your series is complete. Many patients will notice their treated hair beginning to thin and fall out about a week after their first treatment.
The Length
The length of your appointments can vary between patients, so the following estimates may be slightly different for you. In general, if you’re having a very small area of the body treated, like your upper lip or your chin, we may be able to complete your treatment in under 10 minutes. Under the arms could take around a half hour, and large areas like the back may take a bit longer.
Some patients enjoy downloading their favorite music or podcast to listen to as they receive treatment. Since this treatment doesn’t require any downtime, you only have to worry about making room in your schedule for the treatment itself. That makes these appointments fairly easy for even our busiest patients to schedule.
How Does It Work?
Adjustable Settings
Since we use the Vectus laser, our patients are able to reap the benefits of this high-quality device. It is able to cover large surface areas in less time than many other laser systems. This laser device is highly adjustable, so while treating large areas we can change the laser’s spot size setting accordingly.
This adjustability allows us to deliver results as quickly as possible, while still keeping your results uniform. We can also customize the laser settings based on your skin and hair type, which enables us to effectively treat a wide range of patients.
Your Appointment
It is best not to wax the area before you come in for your appointment. The laser needs to be able to target your hair follicles, so waxing and tweezing, which remove hair from the root, should be avoided before your treatment. We may trim the hair you’d like treated during your appointment. After you put on eye protection, we will apply a cooling gel and administer your treatment.
What Areas Can Be Treated?
Face
If you prefer a clean-shaven look but are tired of the daily upkeep, this could be a great option for you. This treatment is considered a safe way to offer a permanently clean-shaven look. We can go over what areas of the face you’d like to treat, and once your treatment series is complete you will be able to enjoy smooth skin without the hassle.
Back
Back hair is especially difficult to manage at home. Back hair tends to be hard to reach and can be too thick for a razor to easily manage. Many patients find themselves going to get professionally waxed to get rid of their back hair. As an alternative to that, laser hair removal can help you permanently reduce your back hair, so you can save time and money in the long run.
Chest
With a good enough razor, shaving chest hair is possible, but not easy or pleasant. Shaving also won’t last very long, and most patients don’t want stubble growing on their chest. Waxing is a better way to avoid stubble for longer, but waxing isn’t a pleasant experience either and requires consistent upkeep. These factors are part of the reason why the chest is a popular area to treat with laser hair removal.
Underarms
Many patients seek out underarm treatment since they don’t like the appearance of armpit hair, but others do it for hygiene reasons. This treatment can help some patients reduce body odor that can get trapped in the hair under their arms.
Legs
While wearing fitted trousers, some men find that long leg hair can cause uncomfortable pinching. Other men simply don’t like the appearance of leg hair, or find that removing leg hair is practical when it comes to their favorite physical activities. Regardless of your reasons, laser removal can be a simple and convenient way to get rid of this unwanted hair.
If you shave at home, you may find that it gets tedious staying on top of this daily task. If you rush it, you could miss sections of hair or end up nicking yourself. Waxing in a hurry is also hazardous since you may be tempted to apply the wax while it’s too hot, which could cause burns, or apply it before it’s ready, which could simply not work. Laser removal can save you that constant frustration and hassle.
Other Areas
The truth is, this is a very flexible treatment. It can be used on many areas of the body. If you have specific goals in mind, please feel free to ask us about them. We can let you know if laser removal is a good fit for what you have in mind.
What Are the Benefits?
Safety
This treatment is able to target your follicles instead of the skin, making the whole process as minimally invasive and easy on the patient as possible. As laser technology continues to improve, it’s clear to see why more patients are opting to seek out a safe and effective way to eliminate their unwanted hair.
While this is a common treatment that is considered very safe, we welcome your questions. It’s important that all of our patients feel confident about their options and feel comfortable asking any questions they have.
Freedom
Making last-minute plans can already be difficult if you have a busy schedule, so it can be especially challenging if you have to worry about shaving or waxing beforehand. Knowing that your unwanted hair is already managed can allow you to feel more spontaneous and ready for anything.
No Ingrown Hairs
Everyone who has shaved before has likely suffered from ingrown hairs. Some people are more prone to them than others, especially those with sensitive skin. No matter where you shave or how carefully you approach it, ingrown hairs can show up unexpectedly. This condition is not only painful, but it often causes embarrassing red bumps and uneven skin texture.
The good news is, using lasers to treat your unwanted hair will not cause ingrown hairs. On the contrary, if you already struggle with ingrown hairs, lasers can actually be used to help treat them.
We Would Be Happy To Answer Your Questions
During a consultation, we will have the chance to go over your expectations and help you determine if this is the right hair removal method for you. You are also free to ask us clarifying questions about the treatment process. Contact us at Tru-Male Medical in Oak Brook, IL, today to set up your appointment.
