Can Anyone Get Laser Hair Removal?

Unwanted hair can take hours every month to address, whether you shave, wax, or use topical products to remove hair so you have smooth skin. What if you could get all that time back in exchange for an occasional visit to a medspa?

At New Image Medical Spa in Fremont, California, Dr. Surinder Sandhu offers laser hair removal with two different lasers to safely and effectively cover almost all hair and skin types. Are you a good candidate for laser hair removal?

The science behind laser hair removal  

Each of your hairs is rooted in a follicle, and when an old hair falls out, a new one grows in. Each follicle is always in one of three different stages of the hair growth cycle: anagen (growth phase), catagen (transitional phase) or telogen (resting phase).

If a follicle is damaged during anagen phase, the cycle is disrupted and a new hair doesn’t grow in that follicle. Causing microinjuries to follicles with tiny pulses of high intensity light to disable the hair growth cycle is the basis of laser hair removal.  

How it works

As the laser hits individual hairs, the energy travels rapidly down the hair into the follicle to zap it with a pulse of heat that causes a microinjury. This disables any follicles in anagen phase, causing them to become dormant. 

One treatment can provide up to 25% reduction in hair regrowth in the targeted area, and you can get several treatments spaced a few months apart to target all follicles when they’re in anagen phase.  

Who is a good candidate? 

Our goal at New Image Medical Spa is always to tailor treatment so as many people as possible can benefit from modern technology to reach their aesthetic goals. That’s why we have two lasers instead of one for hair removal services.

Laser hair removal was originally most effective on people with light skin and dark hair; the greater the contrast, the better. Fair hair on fair skin is a little more difficult to manage, but we successfully use the Alexandrite laser for people who have fair skin regardless of hair color. 

People with deeper skin tones used to be severely underserved by the laser hair removal process. We use a Nd:YAG laser for people with darker skin and can safely reach high success rates with just a few treatments. 

Disqualifications for laser hair removal treatment

The main things that could disqualify you as a candidate for laser hair removal is being pregnant or breastfeeding, having an existing sunburn or rash, or having recently used waxing or a depilatory cream. Tip: It’s also best to skip shaving or plucking for several days before treatment so the light has hair to follow down into the follicle.

To determine if laser hair removal could be an option for you, schedule a consultation at New Image Medical Spa. You can get in touch by calling 510-269-2324, or you can request an appointment online.