Laser hair removal – once a luxury for only the rich and famous – has now become a natural part of many self-care and hygienic maintenance routines. In the past, remedies for unwanted hair included plucking, shaving, waxing, electrolysis or chemical depilatories. Some are painful. Some are messy, and all are only temporary. Laser hair removal is a more effective solution. However, because so many businesses now offering this service, it can be overwhelming to choose the place that is right for you!
Many places utilize inexpensive and low-energy-yield laser machines that only temporarily stop growing hair. At Nuve, we offer the best in laser technology. We use the most expensive, highest-energy laser on the market: the Gentle Max Pro laser from Candela. This laser has been considered the gold standard for laser hair removal for decades. The energy from this laser is so intense that it literally bursts your hair follicle. That follicle no longer exists in your body, and therefore can never grow hair again.
Benefits of Laser Hair Removal
Besides the obvious reasons of saved time and effort, there are some more subtle, but just as important, reasons for getting laser hair removal.
Razor burn, ingrown hairs, folliculitis, and epidermal scarring are all side effects of shaving. They are most commonly found in the bikini area, neck, and face, but can occur on any body part. Shaving or waxing can aggravate hair follicles, create pus, scabs and/or rashes, and encourages ingrown hairs that can last for weeks and often leave a mark on the skin. So, while your bikini line may be temporarily hairless, the skin will look red and irritated.
When you complete a series of laser hair removal treatments, you not only eliminate the above side effects, but your pores actually tighten up, making it look like you never grew hair there. “Smooth as a baby’s butt” may be a cliché, but it is also true.
Frequently Asked Questions
Laser hair removal with the Gentle Max Pro diode can be done on any skin type, and anywhere on the body. We know that biologically everyone has three distinct hair-growth phases, so the minimum number of treatments required is 3. The average is between three and six treatments, but a small population of people require more than six treatments.
These are the factors that will determine the number of treatments:
While Gentle Max Pro can treat all skin types, the lighter your skin color, the fewer treatments you will need. If your skin tone is darker, there will be less of a contrast, making it harder for the laser to target the hair. Because of this, we need to be more conservative with treatment to eliminate the risk of burning.
Fine hairs, like those on a woman’s face, will take longer to treat than coarse hairs, like those on the underarm.
Hair must have some color to it. Light brown to black hair works best. The laser does not recognize very blonde or grey hair and has a hard time with some reds.
If you want your skin to be completely hairless, you will most likely need more than six treatments. If you do not mind a scattering of small, soft hairs that grow at intervals, six treatments may be enough.
Treatment with the Gentle Max Pro diode laser is safe and performed on an outpatient basis. During your treatment, the laser device is held to the target area, and the laser energy heats pigments in the hair follicles until they are destroyed. This prevents the follicles from being able to produce new hair. Laser hair removal can only destroy hairs in the growth phase, so it will take several treatments performed at six-week intervals to permanently destroy all the hair in the target area. Once the series of treatments is complete, hair growth will be eradicated.
The procedure can take between five and 30 minutes to complete depending on the size of the area being treated.
Because laser hair removal is performed in a matter of minutes, you will be able to return to your normal activities immediately following your treatment. Your skin may appear pink or reddish following your procedure, but this should resolve after a few hours. Be sure to avoid direct exposure to the sun as much as you can and wear plenty of sunscreen.
While some patients may have some hair regrowth after their treatment, there will be a significant reduction compared to how much hair was present before the procedure. At Nuve, we will do our utmost to help you achieve the results you desire with laser hair removal.