Our patients have found that laser hair removal at our Toronto cosmetic clinic can achieve excellent results. With sessions performed by our Head Medical Aesthetician, Petra Hughes, the treatment is customized according to your hair, physiology and expectations. Petra has extensive experience in performing the treatment, as well as educates and trains other medical aestheticians, doctors and nurses in the various technologies that are currently available. In fact, many other medical aestheticians in the Toronto area and beyond have actually been trained by Petra!
However, it is important to note that like any treatment, there are associated risks with laser hair removal. While an experienced medical aesthetician certainly reduces the chance of risks occurring, anyone interested in getting laser hair removal should know about them. Petra, our Head Medical Aesthetician, performs test patches on all areas, every laser hair removal treatment, to ensure that you are getting the appropriate settings each time.
You’ll also get a free test patch as part of the consultation. Darker skin types must wait a couple of weeks after the initial test patch before beginning treatment, just to ensure that no negative side effects result.
LASER HAIR REMOVAL RISKS
Laser hair removal is based on damaging the hair follicle to impair growth by targeting melanin. When the laser device is set at the right intensity, the skin in the treated area is not damaged. The “right” intensity relies on such aspects as laser wavelength and pulse duration.
Discomfort: this refers to how some patients feel during treatment. While a topical anaesthetic can be applied to reduce discomfort, patients may find the “snapping band” sensation experienced during each pulse still uncomfortable. It is also important to note that the thinner, finer and lighter your hair (as is the case for patients with blonde hair or those who are later on in their treatment regimen), the more discomfort you may feel. This is because a higher setting on the laser hair removal device may be required.
Skin Irritation: this includes redness, tenderness and swelling. These usually last only a few hours after treatment. Bruising: this is a rare risk that is temporary.
Pigment changes in the skin of the treated area: this is most common in patients with darker skin and can be permanent. In Petra’s experience, she has have never had any patient get any form of discolouration because she’s so careful.
Burns: this is a more serious risk that normally indicates that the setting was too high. Burns can lead to blistering and crusting.
Scarring: another more serious risk that can affect the tone and texture of the skin in the treated area. It is permanent.THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR YOUR LASER HAIR REMOVAL SESSION
Don’t tan. This makes it more difficult to treat your hair. Tanning also indicates that your skin is damaged (by UV exposure) and laser hair removal can cause further damage.
Don’t wax, pluck or sugar. Your hair follicle should be healthy, and these hair removal alternatives can cause damage which will make your unwanted hair less responsive to treatment.
Keep the skin in the area(s) you’ll be treating clean and healthy. If you have an infection, cut, or rash, your session may be postponed until the area is healed.
