Laser Hair Removal Treatment
in Danvers, MA
At our Danvers, MA practice we provide state-of-the-art laser hair removal treatments to reduce unwanted hair on your face, arms, legs, or body. Even if you can pluck, wax, or shave it away, the unsightly hair grows back again all too quickly and can cause you to feel self-conscious or uncomfortable wearing the clothes you like.
What is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal provides a lasting solution. It is just one of the many effective and specialized treatments available at the practice of board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Anna Petropoulos, a pioneer in laser rejuvenation and hair removal. Her expertise attracts patients from Boston, Beverly, and Reading, MA, and throughout New England for customized procedures that reveal their unique natural beauty and restore their confidence.
Ideal Candidate for Laser Hair Removal Treatment
Laser hair removal treatments are both gentle and effective. Even though the ideal candidate for laser hair removal is someone with dark hair on light skin, our office is able to effectively treat a wide range of patients with a variety of hair and skin color combinations by adjusting the laser settings for their particular color combinations.
Common areas treated for hair removal
These treatments can be used to eliminate hair from practically any part of the body, such as the:
- Face (including the upper lip, eyebrow area, cheeks, and chin)
- Bikini line
- Arms and legs
- Shoulders and back
Dr. Petropoulos strives to develop a trusting partnership with every patient who visits her practice for laser hair removal, other non-surgical treatments, or facial cosmetic surgery. During your consultation, she will ask you to show her what you’d like to improve your appearance and will work with you to determine the best treatment options for you.
Laser Hair Removal Treatment in Danvers, MA
Laser treatment for unwanted hair safely eliminates hundreds of hair follicles in seconds. We simply scan the laser hand-piece over the targeted areas, producing a mild, tingling sensation. These controlled pulses of light are absorbed selectively by the hair follicles that are in the growth phase and have a high concentration of melanin (pigment), preventing future hair growth. The surrounding skin and tissue are unaffected, so no recovery time is needed.
Because hair grows in cycles, a series of treatments spaced about 4 weeks apart are usually necessary to achieve the most complete results.
How many laser hair removal treatments will I need?
Each of our roughly five million hairs on the human body is moving through the phases of the hair growth cycle: growth (anagen), transition (catagen), or rest (telogen). Laser energy is really only effective in damaging or destroying the hair follicle when the hair is actively anchored in the follicle during the growth phase. So, the key to successful permanent hair removal is catching as many hairs in the growth phase as possible.
At Dr. Petropoulos’s practice, our experience is that between six and 10 treatments achieve the degree of permanent hair reduction that satisfies most patients. Each session needs to be spaced from 4-6 weeks apart. Annual maintenance sessions can catch any follicles that were only partially damaged and returned to growing hair.
How long do laser hair removal treatments take?
The length of your session depends on where you are having hair removed. For instance, the sideburns or the upper lip take only a few minutes. Both underarms will probably take less than 15 minutes. The legs can take up to 30-45 minutes.
Is there anything I need to do to prepare for laser hair removal?
The laser energy can most effectively target the hair when there is a wide contrast between the hair color and the color of the surrounding skin. For that reason, we recommend patients avoid tanning and sun exposure before their appointments. Here is a list of our recommendations prior to your laser sessions at Dr. Petropoulos’s:
- Avoid sun exposure — As mentioned above, contrast is important, so if you have a tan, you need to let it fade before coming in for your session. We advise patients to avoid any sun exposure on the areas with unwanted hair for 4-6 weeks prior to their session.
- Avoid plucking, waxing, and electrolysis — We need the hair to be happily anchored in the follicles. Certain things you do such as plucking, waxing, and electrolysis all disturb the hair follicle, so you cannot do these for at least a month prior to your session. Shaving is fine, as it doesn’t affect hair in the follicle.
- Clean your skin — The treatment areas need to be free from cosmetics, lotions, and creams. If you’ve applied deodorant and are having your underarms treated, we will remove it prior to your session.
- Certain skincare products — Certain anti-aging skincare products such as alpha hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and others can cause irritation when interacting with laser energy. We’ll tell you which skincare products to stop using before your appointment.
What devices are used for laser hair removal?
We have a couple of different lasers we use for these treatments, depending on the treatment areas. We find lasers to be more effective than IPL treatments for hair removal because lasers emit just a single wavelength of light energy. We match the wavelength to the color of the melanin in your hair shafts and it is very specific in its delivery.
What are the advantages of laser hair removal?
Removing unwanted hair through the usual means is so tedious. You pluck, wax, shave, or apply harsh depilatory creams to get rid of the hair, and then a couple of weeks later it comes right back. Who doesn’t love that?
By removing up to 90 percent of your unwanted hair permanently, you won’t spend so much time and money shaving, plucking, and so on. Your skin will be happy it won’t continually have a case of razor burn. Ingrown hairs will be a thing of the past. It just makes life so much easier.
People sometimes wonder if the cost of laser hair removal is worth it. Studies have found that over a lifetime, the average woman spends over $10,000 on various hair removal methods, such as shaving or using harsh depilatory creams. That number is $23,000 for a lifetime of waxing. Compared to those numbers, laser hair removal is a bargain.
How long before I see results after my laser hair removal sessions?
Within 1-2 weeks you’ll notice a disconcerting thing — it will appear that your treated hairs are growing, if anything, faster. This isn’t new hair. These are the hairs that were anchored in the follicles being expelled by the damaged or destroyed follicles. This process continues as these hairs are shed. You can shave if you choose during this time, but do not pluck or wax these hairs. They will come out on their own. Your next session isn’t for at least another 4 weeks to allow these hairs to fully come out to see what remaining hairs need to be targeted.
Your New Look
Dr. Petropoulos‘ patients often feel a sense of liberation and exhilaration after finally being freed from shaving, plucking, or even covering up their unwanted hair. They enjoy looking fantastic with skin that is consistently smooth, soft, and hair-free.
Are there side effects with laser hair removal?
At Dr. Petropoulos’s our patients love getting rid of the hair for good. It is a safe, effective treatment, and it is done across the globe. Lasers have been used for laser hair removal for almost 30 years, and the process was extensively tested prior to becoming commercially available and receiving approval from the FDA.
We apply a topical numbing cream to the areas to be treated to keep you comfortable. The most common side effects after treatment include skin irritation, such as redness and slight swelling on the treatment sites. This usually passes within a few hours.
Schedule a consultation
Get rid of unwanted hair with laser hair removal. Call (978) 739-9500 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Petropoulos. Our practice serves Danvers and the Boston area.
