Laser isn’t for everyone
At Prickly Pear, about half our clientele are “ex-laser.” The hard truth is that many clinics and med spas won’t tell their patients that laser doesn’t work universally for everyone. While laser hair removal works sometimes, there are definitely factors that prevent many patients from seeing results.
8 problems of laser hair removal
Hair type and color — laser relies on the pigment in your hair AND there must be good differentiation between your hair color and skin tone for it to be effective. If you have blonde, gray, red, or white hair, laser is likely not going to work well for you. Similarly, if your skin tone is darker, the laser will have a more difficult time doing it’s job effectively. You want to be smart about your money if the above describes you. Luckily, there is a permanent alternative that works for everyone — ELECTROLYSIS!
Your natural hair growth rate — hair grows in cycles. At any given time, only 20 percent of your hair may be visible and actively growing in an area on your body. This is especially true on women’s faces, where you’ll often need to treat many hair cycles before ALL the hair is truly gone. This includes dozens of expensive laser appointments before you’ll see progress on dark, course hairs. The only thing that will work on those lighter fuzzy hairs is, however, you guessed it — ELECTROLYSIS! Oh, and electrolysis works great on the dark, course hairs too, AND it’s affordable.
Undiagnosed hormonal imbalance — if you suspect your hair growth is more than it should be, you may have a hormonal imbalance. This is definitely something to discuss with your doctor, as unchecked hormones can stimulate dormant follicles to suddenly start sprouting new hair. No one wants to take two steps forward and one step back when it comes to getting rid of problematic hair. Getting control of your hormonal imbalance early will help you see results faster!
Improper preparation before treatment — laser is very drying to the skin, and it can take weeks for it to rehydrate (this is a primary reason why laser clinics don’t want you be in the sun or go to a tanning booth for at least a month after treatment) . If you don’t follow the prep instructions precisely, there’s also a higher risk you can get burned and/or the laser treatment won’t be effective.
Untrained practitioner — before you go for that oh-so-tempting Groupon with the unbelievably low price, you really want to think about the skill of the person doing the work. Not all laser clinics are equal. If the price is low for the service, generally so is the skill of the tech. Some things really are too good to be true! At Prickly Pear, we have hundreds of hours of training and we’re board-certified because we love our clients and want the best outcome for you!
Medications interfering with hair reduction — this is similar to the undiagnosed hormonal imbalance, so it’s good to try and pinpoint when your hair growth started and understand if it could be medication related. Lots of prescriptions including anti-depressants, hormone replacement therapies, steroids, etc. have side effects that include excess hair growth. It’s definitely something to discuss with your doctor as there may be alternatives that don’t come with this the side effect.
Not all body parts are the same — lasers are generally not effective on the lighter, thinner hair on the face. They’re also less effective on the deepest hair of the body, which include underarm and bikini hair. It is important to find a practitioner that is experienced and trustworthy. If you walk into a laser clinic and they promise the same results everywhere, be highly suspicious.
Inadequate laser technology — lasers have undergone several advancements in the last few years, but many clinics and med spas aren’t equipped with the latest devices available. Don’t get burned — at a minimum, make sure the device has a cooling attachment or uses a cryogen spray…and be especially careful if you have a darker skin tone. Infrared and Nd:Yag lasers are some of the latest devices and stand out from older models (but they’re still not universally applicable to everyone).
Understanding the tricky business of hair growth and best removal options is precisely our “wheel house” here at Prickly Pear. We’re board certified in all things hair and can help you evaluate all methods of removal including laser (which is only recognized by the FDA as a “hair reduction method”) and electrolysis (which is the only 100% PERMANENT method of hair removal recognized by the FDA).
Come see us for a free 30 minute consultation, and let us help you find a smart solution in our no pressure salon!
At Prickly Pear, we’re always on team YOU!
See you soon,